246 days passed between Vanderbilt Football’s Birmingham Bowl victory over Georgia Tech and its 2025 season opener against Charleston Southern. With each passing day, the excitement surrounding the Commodores’ new campaign grew. Led by a mix of returning stars and fresh additions, Vanderbilt delivered on the hype with a decisive 45-3 victory over the Buccaneers.
While this victory was not quite a “prove-it” performance like last year’s opening win against Virginia Tech, the Commodores took care of business, covering the hefty 38.5-point spread placed on them. Vanderbilt looked like a well-oiled machine on both sides of the ball, and the data underscores just how dominant the performance was.
Big gains
From the opening kickoff, Vanderbilt’s offense had its sights set on the end zone, scoring six touchdowns on the night. Facing an overmatched opponent, the Commodores moved the ball down the field with ease, backed by aggressive playcalling through the air and dominant run blocking up front. The result was an astounding average of 8.15 yards per play, significantly better than their average of 5.3 throughout all games last year.
Vanderbilt was just as sharp defensively. The Commodores held Charleston Southern to only 2.93 yards per snap, with tight man-to-man coverage that forced quarterback Zolten Osborne into repeated throwaways and an interception. The secondary surrendered just 10 completions — well below the Commodores’ 2024 average of 20.4 allowed per game.
Big time
Controlling the clock was a defining factor in several of Vanderbilt’s biggest wins last season. Against Charleston Southern, it wasn’t about keeping an elite offense off the field but rather asserting complete control of the game. The Commodores held possession for more than half the contest and for over two-thirds of the first half.
Sedrick Alexander led the charge on the ground with 83 yards on 12 carries, while the team averaged 6.5 yards per rush. Vanderbilt also sustained drives by converting six of nine third-down attempts. By contrast, the Buccaneers managed just three conversions on 13 tries and were forced to punt seven times.
Potential concerns?
For all the positives in Vanderbilt’s opener, one glaring concern stood out: penalties. The Commodores allowed 60 penalty yards, a problem that plagued them last season when they ranked in the bottom half of the FBS with an average of 54.4 yards surrendered per game.
All seven flags against Vanderbilt came on the offensive side of the ball, perhaps a sign of first-game jitters. While this was not super impactful against Charleston Southern, offensive coordinator Tim Beck will need to tighten his unit’s discipline as the schedule stiffens. Costly holdings and false starts could prove far more damaging against tougher opponents.
Superstar stat line of the week
Washburn University transfer Tre Richardson wasted no time proving himself as one of Vanderbilt’s most dynamic offensive weapons. The junior wideout led the team with five receptions, with four of those catches moving the chains for first downs, and on the day, he racked up 74 receiving yards.
Richardson showcased his versatility, making plays from the slot, down the field, over the middle, and along the sideline. He electrified the crowd with a 540-degree spin move to shake a Buccaneer cornerback en route to a first down late in the first quarter. In the second quarter, he followed it up with a highlight-worthy 25-yard toe-tap grab along the sideline.
Next up, Vanderbilt Football travels to Blacksburg, Virginia, for a matchup against Virginia Tech at Lane Stadium on Sept. 6 at 6:30 p.m. CDT.
