The unthinkable was almost reality, but it fell short of happening.
After Vanderbilt football stayed at No. 14 in the latest College Football Playoff rankings, it did not give up on going on a full court press, making its case as to why Vanderbilt should have been and still deserves to be in the bracket over the teams ahead of it.
Vanderbilt head coach Clark Lea was frustrated with the result, saying that he told his team the morning of Tuesday’s rankings release that he did not think the rankings release would go the Commodores’ way. But he feels in his heart of hearts that Vanderbilt should be given the opportunity to play in the College Football Playoff.
Even Vanderbilt quarterback Diego Pavia backed up his coach by taking things to social media in a post on X (Twitter), urging United States President Donald Trump to make an executive order to make this season’s playoffs have 16 teams so that Vanderbilt would get an opportunity to play for a National Championship.
But it was a message board post on Vandy247 suggesting that Vanderbilt play No. 12 Miami in a 13th game in Hawaii that sparked more talk not just on social media, but within the walls of Vanderbilt’s athletic department. At first, it was just a wild idea that was posted on the message board, but it was quickly taken seriously by Lea and the administration. There is a NCAA rule that allows teams to play an extra game if the game is played in Hawaii or Alaska.
Turns out, Vanderbilt did actually try to get a 13th game scheduled before the finalized playoff bracket gets revealed at 11 a.m. CT Sunday. As reported by ESPN’s Pete Thamel, but the plan fell through due to “operational and legislative requirements along with the last-minute scheduling constraints.”
Trey Wallace, a senior college sports reporter for Outkick, reached out to Vanderbilt regarding the potential of a 13th game and if there was any serious consideration. The university responded with a statement in which the school says it did try to get a 13th game scheduled.
“We explored the 13th-game option for one reason: this team has earned the chance to keep fighting. Coach Lea has said he’ll play anytime, anywhere, and our guys would have stepped on the field with a phone call’s notice,” the statement said. “The logistics and legislative constraints didn’t make it possible.”
It was unlikely that a 13th game was going to be played, but the fact that there was an effort to get an extra game scheduled behind closed doors speaks volumes in terms of how the team and the school feels in terms of how deserving the team is of the playoffs.
“But nothing changes the truth – a 10-2 Vanderbilt team forged in the nation’s toughest conference, finishing its best football in November, deserves a chance to compete for the championship,” the statement said.
With a 13th game between Vanderbilt and another team knocking on the door of the playoffs confirmed to not be happening, Vanderbilt will turn its focus to bowl season. The Commodores will find out who they play and which bowl game they are in sometime after the playoff bracket is revealed Sunday.
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