Vanderbilt’s homecoming and reunion weekend will get an extra jolt before kickoff Saturday, with multi-platinum indie pop band Fitz and the Tantrums headlining Vandyville ahead of the Commodores’ matchup with Arkansas at FirstBank Stadium.
Vandyville opens at 3 p.m., and the free concert is set for 4 p.m. The band, known for “HandClap,” “Out of My League” and “The Walker,” will be part of a packed pregame slate as Vanderbilt gets ready for Game 7 against the Razorbacks.
The rest of the day is mapped out well in advance. Parking lots open at 8 a.m., the parking garage opens at 1:30 p.m., Star Walk is scheduled for 3:25 p.m., stadium gates open at 4 p.m., and kickoff is set for 6 p.m.
Game day itself comes with a full broadcast setup: ESPN2 will carry the game with Taylor Zarzour, Matt Stinchcomb and Michella Chester on the call, while 94.9 The Fan will have the radio broadcast with Andrew Allegretta, Norman Jordan and Kevin Ingram.
Beyond the music, Vandyville will offer a mix of fan activities throughout the afternoon. Those include a Ford Raptor simulation, an Avo activation, the Something Inked retail experience and an on-site activation from Sports Illustrated Resorts.
Food options will also be part of the scene, with local favorites such as Hattie B’s, Edley’s and Ice Crown among the choices available, along with additional refreshments and entertainment before the game.
Vanderbilt enters Saturday at 3-3 overall and 0-3 in the SEC, while Arkansas comes in at 2-4 and also 0-3 in conference play. Follow along on VUCommodores.com and Vanderbilt football’s social media accounts at @vandyfootball.
In Other News...
Vanderbilt Let A Winnable Arkansas Game Slip On A Few Costly Mistakes
Vanderbilt had Arkansas in a tight game for much of the afternoon, a contest that stayed within one score late in the fourth quarter and featured enough sustained drives to make it feel there for the taking. Jared Curtis found Junior Sherrill for multiple touchdown passes, and the Commodores showed they could move the ball well enough to keep pace, but a handful of offensive mistakes kept undercutting the effort and left little margin for error against a SEC opponent on the road.
The most damaging sequence came when a turnover was wiped out by a defensive holding penalty, robbing Vanderbilt of a chance to change the shape of the game at a key moment. From there, the pressure kept building on Curtis and the offense, and Arkansas eventually made the final play when Miguel Mitchell stepped in for the game-sealing interception, a fitting end to a night when the Commodores were competitive but unable to clean up the details that would have turned a winnable game into a needed win. [Read more 🡒]
Vanderbilt Faces Real Pressure With Bowl Hopes On The Line
Vanderbilt heads into Saturday nights matchup with Arkansas carrying more than just the weight of a three-game losing streak. The Commodores are trying to steady themselves at the exact point of the season when every result starts to matter a little more, and the injuries have only made the challenge harder. With kickoff set for 6 p.m. CT on ESPN2, the focus is on finding a way to stop the slide and keep bowl eligibility within reach.
The availability issues are piling up in a way that puts even more pressure on the offense and the line to hold together. Vanderbilt has already had to adjust around backup quarterback Blaze Berlowitz, and the depth chart remains thin in the trenches with rotational linemen also out of the mix. For a team looking to regain confidence as much as a win, this is the kind of game that can shape the mood around the program heading into the stretch run. [Read more 🡒]
Vanderbilt Let A Winnable Night Slip Away With Late Mistakes
Vanderbilt had a chance to make a statement against Arkansas and instead watched a winnable night slip away, falling 31-21 for its fourth straight loss in the series. Freshman quarterback Jared Curtis gave the Commodores enough to keep the game within reach, throwing two touchdown passes and showing the kind of upside that has to matter in the long view, even as the offense battled the sort of mistakes that can quickly change the feel of a road game.
The larger concern for Vanderbilt is that the margin for error kept shrinking as the night went on, with turnovers helping Arkansas seize control when the Commodores still had a path to make it interesting. Curtis is going to take the attention because of both the promise and the mistakes, and now the challenge shifts to Lexington, where Vanderbilt will try to reset against Kentucky and keep this season from being defined by missed opportunities. [Read more 🡒]