NASHVILLE, Tenn. - Vanderbilt University officially released the 2009 football schedule on Thursday. The Commodores, who are coming off the program's first winning season since 1982, announced the 12-game schedule that will include six home games and six road trips.

Vanderbilt will host fellow Southeastern Conference members, Mississippi State, Ole Miss, Georgia and Kentucky. The Commodores will also host Southern Conference member Western Carolina and Atlantic Coast Conference member Georgia Tech.

Due to a one-year break in the late November series with Wake Forest, Vanderbilt will not have a off week in 2009 and will alternate home and away games throughout the season. The Commodores first road trip will be to Baton Rouge, where Vanderbilt will face the LSU Tigers on September 12th. Vanderbilt will also have conference road games at South Carolina, Florida and in-state rival Tennessee.

Vanderbilt will also make the two longest road trips of the Bobby Johnson Era at Vanderbilt, as the Commodores will trek to Houston on September 26th for a return date with Rice. Later in October, Vanderbilt will travel to West Point, New York to play Division 1-A independant Army.

"I'm excited about the schedule. Our fans in Nashville are going to get a chance to see their Commodores face some excellent football teams," said Commodore head coach Bobby Johnson on Thursday. "I think our players and coaches are eager to prepare for the challenge this schedule presents.

"It looks like an extremely challenging schedule, but it's no different from any other year. When you play in the SEC, you're going to play excellent football teams. We're excited about the challenge ahead, and looking forward to getting started early next month with Spring Practice."

Johnson's squad is coming off a 7-6 campaign in 2008. The season was capped by a 16-14 victory over nationally ranked Boston College in the Gaylord Hotels Music City Bowl played at LP Field in Nashville. Nineteen starters from the Music City Bowl championship squad are expected to return next year for the Commodores.

Among the top offensive returnees are tailback Jared Hawkins, receiver/running back Jamie Graham, quarterbacks Mackenzi Adams and Larry Smith, tight ends Brandon Barden and Austin Monahan, center Bradley Vierling, guard Kyle Fischer and tackle Thomas Welch.

Among the defensive returnees are linebackers Patrick Benoist, Chris Marve and John Stokes, cornerback Myron Lewis, safety Ryan Hamilton, and defensive linemen Steven Stone, Greg Billinger, Adam Smotherman, T.J. Greenstone and Broderick Stewart.

Punter Brett Upson, MVP of the Music City Bowl, also returns for his final season.

Vanderbilt opens the season at home, hosting Western Carolina on Saturday, September 5th. The Catamounts are coming off a 3-9 season in 2008, which included a 1-7 mark in the FCS Division's Southern Conference.

The following week, the Commodores will face the LSU Tigers. The Tigers went a disappointing 8-5 last season but posted an impressive 38-3 win over Georgia Tech in the Chick-Fil-A Bowl. Vanderbilt's last win over LSU came during the 1990 season.

Vanderbilt will return to Nashville the next weekend for the Commodores SEC home opener against Mississippi State on September 19th. The Bulldogs finished just 4-8 in 2008 but did upset Vanderbilt in Starkville to end the Commodores five game winning streak. Vanderbilt defeated the Bulldogs, 31-13 the last time the two teams played at Vanderbilt Stadium in 2004. The Bulldogs will be under first-year head coach Dan Mullen and will be looking to replace eight starters on defense.

The Commodores will make the program's first trip to Texas since 2003 to face the Rice Owls the following week. The Owls are coming off a impressive 10-3 season in Conference USA that included a dominating win in the Texas Bowl. Vanderbilt was one of the three losses for the Owls, posting a 38-21 victory in Nashville. Rice will be looking to replace record-setting passing duo, quarterback Chase Clement and receiver Jarett Dillard. The Owls will also try to replace do-everything tight end James Casey, who chose to forego his eligibility and enter the 2009 NFL Draft.

The Commodores will return to Nashville on October 3rd to face the Ole Miss Rebels. The Rebels are coming off a huge turnaround season in 2008, as Houston Nutt led the program to a 9-4 record during his first year. The Rebels will return perhaps the league's second most heralded signal caller in Jevan Snead as well as offensive playmaker Dexter McCluster. The Commodores were one of the four losses for the Rebels in 2008, posting a 23-17 win in Oxford. Vanderbilt has won three of the last four games in the annual series, including two straight in Nashville.

Vanderbilt will make the trek to Army the following week. It will mark the first time the Commodores have played in West Point since 1991 when Vanderbilt defeated the Black Knights, 41-10. Army will be under first-year head coach Rich Ellerson. Ellerson is coming off a eight-year run at FBS division program, Cal Poly. Ellerson is expected to bring his triple option offense to Army.

The Commodores will face the University of Georgia on October 17th. The Bulldogs are coming off a 10-3 campaign that included a 24-12 win over Michigan State in the Capital One Bowl. Georgia will be looking to replace three-year starting quarterback Matthew Stafford and standout tailback Knowshon Moreno. Both decided to forego their remaining eligibility to enter the 2009 NFL Draft. Vanderbilt has not defeated Georgia in Nashville since the 1991 season. The program's last two wins over the SEC Eastern Divisional opponent have come in Athens.

Vanderbilt will travel to Columbia on October 24th to face the South Carolina Gamecocks. The Gamecocks are coming off a disappointing 7-6 season that included a Outback Bowl loss to Iowa. South Carolina will be looking to replace offensive weapons Kenny McKinley and Jared Cook as well as defensive standouts Captain Munnerlyn, Emanuel Cook, Jasper Brinkley and Marvin Sapp. Vanderbilt has won the last two games in the series, including a 17-6 win over the Gamecocks in Columbia in 2007.

The Commodores will host Georgia Tech on Halloween, October 31st. The Yellow Jackets are coming off a 9-4 campaign under first-year coach Paul Johnson and feature perhaps the best version of the triple-option in football. A former Southeastern Conference member, the game will mark the 37th meeting between the two programs. Georgia Tech posted a 24-17 overtime victory over Vanderbilt in 2003, the last time the two played. Vanderbilt has not defeated Georgia Tech in Nashville since 1941.

Vanderbilt will travel to Gainesville on November 7th to face the 2008 National Champion Florida Gators. The Gators, who will be favored to repeat as national champs, will return virtually its entire defense as well as 2007 Heisman Trophy winner Tim Tebow. Vanderbilt's last win over Florida came in 1988. A 7-0 win over Florida in 1945, marked the only time the Commodores have ever defeated Florida in Gainesville.

Vanderbilt will close out the home schedule on November 14th when the Kentucky Wildcats visit. The Wildcats have posted three straight winning seasons, including a 7-6 campaign in 2008. Kentucky will be looking to replace a few key members on its defense, but still return All-SEC defensive lineman Jeremy Jarmon and cornerback Trevard Lindley. Vanderbilt defeated Kentucky in Lexington last season, 31-24. The Commodores hold a 24-18-2 advantage over the Wildcats in games played at Vanderbilt.

The Commodores will close out the regular season with a trip to Knoxville on November 21st to face the Tennessee Volunteers. Tennessee is coming off a 5-7 campaign and will be led by first-year head coach Lane Kiffin. The Vols will return defensive standout Eric Berry and linebacker Rico McCoy. A series that has been traditionally dominated by Tennessee, the Commodores are 1-1 in the programs last two trips to Knoxville, with a 2007 loss coming in the closing minutes.

Though the 2009 schedule will include no off weeks, for the first time in recent history, the Commodores three final opponents: Florida, Kentucky and Tennessee, will not have a off week prior to facing Vanderbilt.

Traditionally, at least one of the three, if not more, have had a off week prior to facing the Commodores. In 2009, Florida will face Georgia the week before hosting Vanderbilt, Kentucky is scheduled to host Eastern Kentucky the week before traveling to Nashville and Tennessee will travel to Ole Miss the week prior to hosting Vanderbilt on November 21st.