#1: For a long time, Vandy football was a bit of a joke in the SEC. As in, it was a good season if they won more than one game. This contributed a lot to the tailgating culture. Tailgating is huge all across the country (obviously), but at Vandy, football games often just meant "tailgate." Plenty of people just went to fraternities and never made it to the game. Or they got there late and left early. (This is not how it is now. More on that later.)
Selfie with friends from freshmen year. Crazy that this was FOUR YEARS ago!
#2: Tailgates and football games means sundresses and hair bows and Greek life everywhere. Even though we win on the regular now and more people actually go to (and stay for) the games, tailgating is still a huge part of the culture. And tailgating at Vandy is a classy deal.
We believe in sundresses and pearls
Sorority sisters at a tailgate
#3: We might have had some bad times, but traditions were still important. At the first game of the year, the freshmen all run out on the field. It's really exciting and it's great to be a part of the tradition!
Liesel and I have been really close friends since we met in our orientation group. This was before we ran on the field!
That's not the only tradition, though. The Vanderbilt marching band has always been a huge part of games, too.
#4: When you start your college career used to losing most games, any and all wins means lots of excitement.
My junior year, Vandy started winning more and actually went to two bowl games in a row. Bowl games aside, winning more than 2 games a year makes you really excited no matter what. Each and every game, the number of students in the student section rose (and/or the number of students in the stands didn't get cut in half after the halftime show). 
Look familiar? That's Liesel again! This time - two years later - almost all of those tailgating (not just at this event) went to the game, unlike in the past.
#5: Two words that sum up the new Vandy football - James. Franklin.
Not my picture. Source.
We started winning because of him. We kept winning because of him. We went to bowl games two years in a row because of him. Time and time again, he has made sure that they put academics first but were still being good players.
Not my picture. Source.
When Vanderbilt played UTennessee at home during the first weekend of Thanksgiving break, Franklin walked through the main dining hall during lunch asking students to stay and then calling parents to ask if their child could stay for the game. When Vanderbilt got into the Music City Bowl, he did the same walkthrough to get students to come back early to Nashville for the game. When 4 players did a horrible thing and got in trouble for it, before the police even arrested them, they were kicked off the team. Oh, and he called fan's bosses so to convince them to let their employees have time off to go to Vanderbilt's first football game this season. So what's the deal with Vanderbilt? The fan base is stronger and happier. The team is better and making us prouder. More and more people are thrilled to throw up a Go Dores and chant "Who ya wit? V U!"
Vanderbilt Commodores by onehaolegirl
