The prototypical SEC fan across the south often assumes Vanderbilt should be removed from the nation’s top conference because of their lack of competition in football and basketball (more recently).
Take this for data, without Vanderbilt, the SEC’s academic rating average would be 71. Hmm.
Here’s the full academic ratings, according to Saturday Down South:
- VANDERBILT: 96
- FLORIDA: 77
- TENNESSEE: 75
- AUBURN: 74
- SOUTH CAROLINA: 74
- ARKANSAS: 73
- GEORGIA: 73
- OLE MISS: 71
- TEXAS A&M: 71
- MISSOURI: 69
- KENTUCKY: 67
- ALABAMA: 65
- LSU: 63
- MISSISSIPPI STATE: NR (No ranking listed for the Bulldogs)
Vanderbilt fans are fully aware that our football program is consistently at the bottom tier of the SEC. Meanwhile, the basketball program has stunk the last couple years, despite having a strong tradition inside Memorial Gym.
Vanderbilt is an elite academic institution that lacks care and concern for the athletic programs at the university. Newly added permanent AD Candice Lee, a Vanderbilt woman, can hopefully turn the tide of Vanderbilt athletics and get them moving in the right direction.
Lee has earned this opportunity for Vanderbilt athletics and Commodore Nation owes it to Candice to rally around her as she tries to change the culture on West End. Lee is suited for this job and hopefully she can make the most of her time as the Athletic Director and provide hope for a struggling fan base.
Meanwhile, we go back to the talk of SEC fans wanting Vanderbilt OUT. First off, the Commodores have surprisingly had a lot of success in recent years at the lower revenue sports. We all know the baseball program has won two national championships under Tim Corbin. Dont forget about women’s tennis who recently won a national championship in 2015 under Coach Geoff Macdonald. Women’s bowling now has two national championships winning the crown in 2007 and 2018 and a 2019 runner-up lead by Coach John Williamson. The soccer program recently won the SEC regular season crown for the first time since 1994 in 2018 under Darren Ambrose.
This proves that the lower revenue sports have had loads of success and many fans across the country have yet to acknowledge that. Vanderbilt University and the city of Nashville is the heartbeat of the South and the SEC could not afford to kick an elite academic institution out of it’s Conference.
Another point worth acknowledging is the national championships won by each University in the SEC:
- Arkansas- 48
- LSU- 48
- Florida- 40
- Georgia- 31
- Alabama- 27
- Tennessee- 16
- Auburn- 14
- Texas A&M- 13
- Kentucky- 11
- Vanderbilt- 5
- South Carolina- 4
- Ole Miss- 3
- Missouri- 2
- Mississippi State- 0
This a relevant point in terms of national success for teams in the SEC. Vanderbilt is towards the bottom of the pack, but definitely not last which can’t be forgotten by fans who want the Dores out of the SEC. These facts should be very welcoming to Vanderbilt fans who thought they would be dead last in the SEC. It just means more.
The Dore Report 
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