Vanderbilt fires coach Derek Mason in his 7th season

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — Vanderbilt has fired football coach Derek Mason after losing the first eight games of his seventh season, and offensive coordinator Todd Fitch will serve as the interim coach. Athletic director Candice Lee announced the move Sunday, saying it was a difficult decision. But Lee says she knows change is necessary. Mason became the first Vanderbilt coach since the 1920s to beat in-state rival Tennessee three straight seasons. But with the Southeastern Conference playing only league games this season, Vanderbilt is on the verge of the first winless season in school history.