The 1902 Vanderbilt Commodores football team represented Vanderbilt University during the 1902 Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Association football season. W. H. Watkins was in his second year coaching Vanderbilt. Vanderbilt was playing in its 13th season of football. The Commodores had wins over Cumberland, Ole Miss, Central of Kentucky, Tennessee, Washington University, Kentucky, Tulane and LSU. The Tulane and LSU contests were played with one day's rest between games for the Commodores.

The 1902 LSU Tigers football team represented the Tigers of Louisiana State University during the 1902 Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Association football season. W. S. Borland returned in 1902 for his second season as LSU head coach. The seven-game 1902 season was the longest for the Tigers since their first game in 1893 and also featured the most games on the road: five games played away and only two in Baton Rouge. Despite a single conference loss to Vanderbilt, the 1902 LSU team claimed an SIAA co-championship with Clemson.