Members of the Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Association, the Commodores played six home games in Nashville, Tennessee and finished the season with a record 7–1 overall and 6–0 in SIAA, outscoring their opponents 372–22 .

Vanderbilt played seven home games and won them all including six shutout victories.

[11] Coach McGugin said "The boys went at it hammer and tongs, and, considering the heat and short halves, they put up a fine game.

[13] In the fifth game of the season, Vanderbilt suffered its first loss under coach McGugin, to his mentor and brother in law Fielding H. Yost and his Michigan Wolverines in Ann Arbor 18–0.

[14] Tom Hammond, Joe Curtis, and John Garrels scored Michigan's three touchdowns.

Coach McGugin remarked: "Depree was a very valuable man to Michigan athletics and has lots of friends there who are watching his work.

One publication claims "The first scouting done in the South was in 1905, when Dan McGugin and Captain Innis Brown, of Vanderbilt went to Atlanta to see Sewanee play Georgia Tech.

[23] On the dedication of Harris Stadium, one writer noted "The University of the South has numbered among its athletes some of the greatest.

[23] The following chart provides a visual depiction of Vanderbilt's lineup during the 1905 season with games started at the position reflected in parentheses.

The chart mimics a short punt formation while on offense, with the quarterback under center.