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Delaware vs Vanderbilt (sports match)
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The gist
Vanderbilt hosts Delaware Saturday at 3:15 p.m. CT on SEC Network in their first-ever meeting.
Delaware's first SEC game tests how far its FBS move has come.
Background
Delaware moved up to the Football Bowl Subdivision and has started 1-0, beating Merrimack 42-7 on Sept. 3. The trip to Nashville is the Blue Hens' first game against an SEC opponent and one of two Power 4 matchups for them this season, with No. 25 Virginia coming in two weeks. Vanderbilt opened with a 28-9 win over FCS Austin Peay and returns home, where it has won eight straight games and sold out five consecutive contests.
How it unfolded
- Sep 3, 2026Delaware beat Merrimack 42-7 in its season opener.
- Sep 5, 2026Vanderbilt beat FCS Austin Peay 28-9 in its opener.
- Sep 8, 2026Vanderbilt Athletics published its game week preview for Delaware.
- Sep 12, 2026Vanderbilt hosts Delaware at FirstBank Stadium in Nashville, kickoff 3:15 p.m. CT on SEC Network.
Who’s saying what
- Official
- Vanderbilt Athletics notes the matchup is the first meeting between the schools and that the Commodores have won eight straight home games for the first time since a 1954-56 stretch.
- Analysts
- WDEL's Sean Greene points out Delaware is 18-29-4 against Power 4 teams, with 17 of those wins coming against Maryland and Rutgers.
- Caution
- WDEL notes Vanderbilt was picked 13th of 16 SEC teams in the preseason media poll and is receiving only two votes in the national poll despite a 10-3 season last year.