Just five years ago the Vanderbilt Commodores went 0-9 in the COVID-delayed 2020 season. Five years later, Vanderbilt is ranked No. 16 in the nation and will take on Alabama this Saturday to put the SEC on notice. Vanderbilt’s rebound should inspire some hope for the UCLA Bruins as they barrel toward an 0-12 this season, having already fired their head coach and both coordinators four games into the season. The Bruins have eight games remaining on their 2025 schedule, but it would be a surprise if UCLA was able to upset a Big Ten Conference opponent.
Vanderbilt was hardly competitive during their 0-9 season, losing on the road to Kentucky 38-35 and on the road to Texas A&M 17-12. Much like the Bruins, the Commodores fired their head coach, Derek Mason, with Todd Vitch taking over as Vanderbilt’s head coach. Following the season, Vanderbilt hired Clark Lea. Lea’s first year wasn’t a huge success, going just 2-10 in the tough SEC.
Lea and company improved to 5-7 in 2022 before falling back to 2-10 in 2023. Vanderbilt finally finished above .500 in 2024 with a 7-6 record and are off to a 5-0 start to the 2025 campaign. It was a long road back to relevance for the Commodores, but it offers a peek at what might be in store for the Bruins as they build back from a low point for the program. The road back seems daunting for the Bruins but it’s one that has been trekked before.
This article originally appeared on UCLA Wire: Vanderbilt went from winless to ranked in five seasons, providing a roadmap for UCLA
Reporting by Dylan McNeill, UCLA Wire / UCLA Wire
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
