Utah to Host Vanderbilt Baseball in Fall Exhibition Matchup
Utah baseball will be put to the test early this season in its fall exhibition matchup. The Utes will face off against former SEC favorite Vanderbilt on October 10th, giving fans of both the Big 12 and SEC baseball the chance to see some of the top teams in baseball early. The 2026 season will be Utah’s second season in the Big 12, allowing it to become one of the conference's best. Facing an SEC team like Vanderbilt this early in the year will give the Utes a chance to see how they need to play to keep up with a strong SEC team.
Last season, the Utes ended their season without making a postseason run. A losing record of 21-29 and an even worse conference record of 8-22 proved that they were unable to keep up with Big 12 baseball. Despite their struggles, they did have two standout wins. In an early-season matchup against Oklahoma State, the Utes put up a combined 27 runs in a series against the Cowboys. Later in the season, the Utes held their own against the Arizona Wildcats. In their series against the Wildcats this May, the Utes scored a combined 28 runs on the Wildcat defense and pitching staff. The Wildcats were a standout team in the Big 12 this season. They went into the postseason as an underdog, took down the favorite to win it all in the Chapel Hill Super Regional, and finished their season in Omaha.
Despite those two notable runs against strong Big 12 teams, the Utes will need a lot more than a strong offense to be able to handle an SEC team like Vandy. In the 2025 season, Vanderbilt earned the number one overall seed in the NCAA tournament. The Commodores went 43-18 in the 2025 season. However, Vandy was most comfortable on its home field. 29 of their 43 wins were made in Nashville. This fall, the Utes will have the home-field advantage. Though fall ball will not count toward their 2026 season record, this game will give both teams the chance to find out what works for them and what changes need to be made to have a successful regular season come February.
