In Dallas, the Commodores suffered the season's only loss to Texas Longhorns 13–6. Texas scored on a 20-yard pass from Baldwin to Ford, and on a run from Baldwin.[15] Vanderbilt's lone score came on a 16-yard pass to Owens. Spears fought three Texans as he threw the pass.[15]
The starting lineup was Kelly (left end), Lusky (left tackle), Cecil (left guard), V. Sharpe (center), Oliver (right guard), Abernathy (right tackle), Creson (right end), Spears (quarterback), McIlwain (left halfback), Owen (right halfback), Armistead (fullback).[15]
Tulane
Bernie Bierman thought of ditching his single-wingback formation after the 32–0 win over Tulane, and was convinced to keep it by McGugin.[16]
The starting lineup was Abernathy (left end), Hawkins (left tackle), Kelly (left guard), V. Sharpe (center), Cecil (right guard), Lusky (right tackle), Creson (right end), Spears (quarterback), Owen (left halfback), McIlwain (right halfback), Armistead (fullback).[17]
Kentucky
Kentucky was beaten 34–6. The starting lineup was James (left end), Hawkins (left tackle), Kelly (left guard), Oliver (center), Cecil (right guard), Lusky (right tackle), Creson (right end), Spears (quarterback), Owen (left halfback), McIlwain (right halfback), Armistead (fullback).[18]
A wet field and a strong defense, ranked by one researcher as best in the South,[19] helped Georgia Tech reassert itself and hold Vanderbilt to a scoreless tie, despite the Commodores having the upper hand in play.[20] A strong game had been predicted, showcasing each team's backfield stars in Stumpy Thomason of Tech and Bill Spears of Vanderbilt.[21]Vernon Sharpe suffered a knee injury before the game.
The starting lineup was Abernathy (left end), Hawkins (left tackle), Kelly (left guard), V. Sharpe (center), Cecil (right guard), Lusky (right tackle), Creson (right end), Spears (quarterback), Owen (left halfback), McIlwain (right halfback), Armistead (fullback)[22]
Robert Neyland was hired to coach Tennessee in 1926 by Nathan Dougherty with the explicit goal to "even the score with Vanderbilt", and had his first great team in 1927. McGugin's Commodores led 7–0 until a late Dick Dodson run tied the score.[23] "After the game McGugin questioned each of his players as to his whereabouts during the run. Without exception the players claimed that two men had blocked them. McGugin shrugged. "Well, we'll just protest the play. It's perfectly obvious that Tennessee had twenty-two men on the field."[23]
The Commodores faced Wallace Wade's Alabama Crimson Tide in the season finale. Spears gained more than the entire Alabama backfield as the Commodores won 14–7.[28] The highlight of Vanderbilt's first scoring drive was a pass from Spears to Armistead of 20 yards, down to the 3-yard line, from which Armistead later ran it in.[28] On Alabama's scoring drive, Red Brown ran 23 yards on a reverse, down to the 4-yard line. Tony Holm eventually got the score.[28] In the fourth quarter, Spears led the winning drive, once circling end for 34 yards, tackling by Starling just as he seemed to break free.[28] He then passed to Larry Creson for 10 yards, ran for 6, and then 13 more around end to the 16-yard line. After Spears and Armistead worked it down to the 9-yard line, a pass to Roy Gibson got the touchdown.[28]
Postseason
Spears passed for 1,207 yards and 9 touchdowns.[19] An all-senior football team at the end of the year used Vandy's offensive system.[29]
^Mark Purcell (November 1988). "Spears and Vandy excitement in 1927"(PDF). College Football Historical Society. 2 (1). Archived from the original(PDF) on September 11, 2016. Retrieved November 21, 2014.
^ abMark Purcell (November 1988). "Spears and Vandy excitement in 1927"(PDF). College Football Historical Society. 2 (1). Archived from the original(PDF) on September 11, 2016. Retrieved November 21, 2014.