Clark Lea says it’s ‘upsetting’ that Vandy is outside CFP picture despite 10-2 record
By David Wasson
Published:
Vanderbilt coach Clark Lea cultivated the Commodores from SEC lightweight to SEC terror over the past 2 seasons, and he spent Saturday afternoon politicking for his 2025 squad to make the 12-team College Football Playoff.
“I’m just frustrated. We attempted to state our case. We are fighting for our team,” said Lea while appearing on ESPN’s College GameDay. “This team deserves a chance to be in. That’s all we want, is just the chance. It’s not like I am asking people to vote us national champion. I just want the chance to play for it.
“If you would’ve told me before the season that a 10-win SEC team doesn’t get in, I would’ve said there is no way. For us to be on the wrong side of this right now is upsetting.”
Vanderbilt went 10-2 in 2025, earning 4 wins against teams that were ranked at the time – taking down then-No. 11 South Carolina 31-7, edging then-No. 10 LSU 31-24, defeating then-No. 15 Mizzou 17-10 and routing then-No. 19 Tennessee 45-24 in the season finale.
Vanderbilt’s 2 losses were also quality setbacks, losing 30-14 on the road at then-No. 10 Alabama and falling on the road 34-31 to then-No. 20 Texas.
“This isn’t about the Playoff committee or criticizing the job they’ve done. It is about criticizing the process we use to select into this tournament,” Lea continued. “This is actually about getting the 12 best teams in to compete for the greatest of all prizes, the national championship trophy. I don’t like where we are at with the process right now, I am frustrated by it, I can’t understand it.
“If I could understand it, I could accept it. But because I can’t, I want to fight against it. I am anxious to try and improve it, but right now I just want to fight for my team.”
An APSE national award-winning writer and editor, David Wasson has almost four decades of experience in the print journalism business in Florida and Alabama. His work has also appeared in The New York Times, The Washington Post, the Los Angeles Times and several national magazines and websites. He also hosts Gulfshore Sports with David Wasson, weekdays from 3-5 pm across Southwest Florida and on FoxSportsFM.com. His Twitter handle: @JustDWasson.
