The Vanderbilt Commodores have added the Tennessee State Tigers to their 2028 football schedule, FBSchedules.com has learned. A copy of the game contract for the Tennessee State–Vanderbilt matchup was obtained from Tennessee State University via a state public records request.
Vanderbilt will host Tennessee State at FirstBank Stadium in Nashville, Tenn., on Saturday, Sept. 2, 2028. According to the contract, which was executed on Dec. 4, 2025, the Commodores will pay the Tigers a $415,000 guarantee for the contest.
Vanderbilt is 3–0 all-time against Tennessee State. The Commodores won the inaugural meeting in 2006, 38–9, and followed with victories of 35–17 in 2016 and 31–27 in 2018.
Tennessee State competes in the OVC–Big South Football Association at the FCS level. The Tigers finished the 2025 season 2–10 overall and 0–8 in conference play.
In July 2025, The Tennessean reported that Vanderbilt and Tennessee State were set to meet in 2029, not 2028. The same report indicated that Tennessee State would visit Middle Tennessee in 2028, though that game is now confirmed for the 2029 season.
With Tennessee State added, Vanderbilt now has two of its three non-conference opponents locked in for 2028. The Commodores are also scheduled to visit NC State on Sept. 16.
Tennessee State now has three non-conference FCS matchups scheduled for 2028. After opening at Vanderbilt, the Tigers will travel to North Carolina A&T on Sept. 9 and Alabama A&M on Sept. 16.
The Tigers currently have four future games set against FBS opponents: at Georgia in 2026, at Tennessee in 2027, at Vanderbilt in 2028, and at Middle Tennessee in 2029.
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The Vanderbilt vs Middle Tennessee rivalry needs to come back, it’s been dormant since 2018.
I’d like to see Memphis play semi-regularly against Vandy (and Tennessee, Arkansas, and Ole Miss for that matter).
Joseph wants MTSU on the schedule while MrVandy wants Memphis on the schedule. Either of you may get your wish…just not in the same season as every SEC team seems to have a requirement of playing one FCS foe and one FBS foe each year. The leaves one non-P4 FBS foe to schedule. Of course, the foe has to be willing to travel to Vandy for the game as SEC teams are reluctant to schedule any OOC games away from home.
Wishes always do not come true MrVandy however you can dream about it buddy.
@Dan NW-IL-MI Vanderbilt and Memphis haven’t met since 1989, considering Memphis is a quality GO6 opponent, Vandy absolutely CANNOT schedule them since how dare a SEC team schedule a GO6 team that won’t be an easy win.