The Vanderbilt Commodores will host the Tennessee State Tigers in 2016 and 2018, VU athletic director David Williams confirmed to The Tennesseean.
The Commodores will host Tennessee State at Vanderbilt Stadium in Nashville on Oct. 22, 2016 and then again two seasons later on Sept. 29, 2018.
“I believe it makes sense (to play nearby teams),” Williams said. “When I was at Ohio State, we came up with a thought that it was important that we at least every other year play one of the schools in Ohio.”
Vanderbilt and Tennessee State’s first and only meeting came back in 2006 in Nashville. The Commodores won that game 38-9.
The addition of Tennessee State tentatively completes Vanderbilt’s 2016 non-conference schedule. Vandy is also scheduled to host Middle Tennessee (Sept. 10) and make back-to-back trips to Georgia Tech (Sept. 17) and Western Kentucky (Sept. 24).
In Southeastern Conference play, the Commodores are slated to host Florida, South Carolina, Tennessee, and Ole Miss and travel to Auburn, Georgia, Kentucky, and Missouri.
Tennessee State is Vanderbilt’s second announced non-conference opponent for the 2018 season. The Commodores are also set to open the season at home vs. Middle Tennessee on Sept. 1.