Vanderbilt Football Edges Hawaii in Season Opener

Vanderbilt football opened its 2023 season with a 35-28 victory over Hawaii on Saturday at Vanderbilt Stadium.

The Commodores (1-0) trailed 21-14 at halftime, but they outscored the Rainbow Warriors (0-1) 21-7 in the second half.

Running back Rocko Griffin led Vanderbilt with 117 yards rushing and a touchdown. Quarterback Mike Wright threw for 173 yards and two touchdowns.

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Hawaii quarterback Chevan Cordeiro threw for 236 yards and two touchdowns.

The Commodores' defense forced three turnovers, including an interception by safety Donovan Sheffield that sealed the victory.

Vanderbilt head coach Clark Lea said he was pleased with his team's performance, but he knows there is still work to be done.

"We're a work in progress," Lea said. "We're not where we want to be, but we're headed in the right direction."

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Vanderbilt will next play Alabama A&M on Saturday at 6 p.m. CT.

Here are some other things to know about the game:

• The Commodores won their first season opener since 2018.
• Vanderbilt's defense held Hawaii to just 3.2 yards per carry.
• The Commodores were penalized 11 times for 105 yards.

The victory was a good start for Lea, who is in his second season as Vanderbilt's head coach. The Commodores have not had a winning season since 2017.

Lea said he is confident that his team can continue to improve and win more games in 2023.

"We're building something here," Lea said. "We're not going to get discouraged by one game."