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Champions of Tennessee
Chris Lee | Publisher
Ralph Webb is carried off the field after Vanderbilt's 45-34 victory over Tennessee.
NASHVILLE, Tenn.--The bowling ball in front of Ralph Webb at Vanderbilt's post-game press conference was a bit out of place. Nobody seemed to know where it came from, or how it got there.
But everyone knew what it meant: the Commodores will go bowling.
Against the backdrop of potentially backing in to a bowl with a 5-7 record on the basis of a high APR, Vanderbilt instead did this one in style.
The Commodores rolled up a season-high 608 yards and scored their most points in a Southeastern Conference game, as Vanderbilt upset No. 17 Tennessee by a 45-34 score on Saturday night at Vanderbilt Stadium.
And on a night that lasted nearly four hours, Commodore fans in attendance savored every second of it.
"It feels good to get it done. We came out tonight fully wanting to win and fully expecting to win knowing that getting a win would make us bowl-eligible," VU coach Derek Mason said.
Webb, carried off the field on the shoulders of his teammates, broke Zac Stacy's career rushing mark with a 114-yard night, and scored two touchdowns, the last one, a 28-yard scamper with 4:06 left that accounted for the game's last points and effectively broke Tennessee's back.
For much of the night, it didn't seem destined to end this way--especially the way UT quarterback Josh Dobbs played.
The senior was an incredible 31-of-34 for 340 yards and two passing touchdowns, and added another 53 yards on the ground.
To say Dobbs was in a groove is an understatement; he led the Vols to touchdowns on their first three possessions, taking a 21-7 lead when running back Alvin Kamara--who scored all three of those first three TDs--rushed in from a yard out with 13:39 left before half.
But the Commodore offense--the same unit that after seven games ranked dead-last of the FBS's 128 teams in total offense--was also clicking.
Vanderbilt's first touchdown came when Shurmur found fullback Bailey McElwain wide-open in the right flat for an 18-yard score. After Kamara's third touchdown, Shurmur hit tight end Sam Dobbs for a 20-yard touchdown, bringing VU to within seven after Tommy Openshaw's point-after.
Shurmur was only beginning to find his groove.
Midway through the second quarter, he hit Trent Sherfield with a 76-yard throw that put Vandy in business at the Vol 4.
After a penalty, Webb raced through a hole on the left side for an easy 9-yard score.
The teams then traded field goals before Tennesseeās Dobbs hit wide-open wide receiver Josh Malone with a 26-yard scoring strike, Medleyās PAT giving UT a 31-24 lead with 54 seconds before half.
After UT kicker Aaron Medley hit a 25-yard field goal to give Tennessee a 10-point, third-quarter lead, Shurmur again found Sherfield for 32, setting up Khari Blasingameās 12-yard scoring run with 49 seconds left in the third quarter.
That got the Commodores to within four with 49 seconds left in the third quarter.
Vandy linebacker Zach Cunningham then forced a Dobbs fumble, which safety Arnold Tarpley picked up at the UT 49 and raced to the end zone. The play was originally ruled not a fumble on the field and overturned on replay, so the Commodores got the ball there, but not the points.
Seven plays later, Vanderbilt got its touchdown, anyway, when running back Darrius Sims scooted around the left end for a 3-yard score.
The Vols drove to the Vandy 12, but the Commodore defense stiffened. When Medley's 37-yarder clanked off the right upright and bounced back towards him, it was the beginning of the end for UT.
Thanks to a 39-yard run by running back Dallas Rivers, Webb ran for four on first down, then ventured near the left sideline and bulled his way into the end zone.
The Vols had one last shot. Dobbs drove them to the Vandy 13, and dumped it off to Kamara along the left side on a fourth-and-4 play. Kamara, seemingly unaware of the down and distance, scampered out of bounds with cornerback Tre Herndon closing and 2:28 left on the clock.
The Commodores needed just one first down to salt this one away, and got it when Webb went left for 14 on first down.
"That was spectacular. Incredible. What can I say? We talked about that in order to do something unbelievable, you have to play unforgettable in the second half. That's what this group did. It was amazing to watch them play," Mason said.
Vanderbilt won't know its bowl fate for some time, but the Commodores are slotted for one of the SEC's bowls. An Independence Bowl representative was on hand for the game, and also present at Mason's press conference.
VandySports.com - Champions of Tennessee
Chris Lee | Publisher
Ralph Webb is carried off the field after Vanderbilt's 45-34 victory over Tennessee.
NASHVILLE, Tenn.--The bowling ball in front of Ralph Webb at Vanderbilt's post-game press conference was a bit out of place. Nobody seemed to know where it came from, or how it got there.
But everyone knew what it meant: the Commodores will go bowling.
Against the backdrop of potentially backing in to a bowl with a 5-7 record on the basis of a high APR, Vanderbilt instead did this one in style.
The Commodores rolled up a season-high 608 yards and scored their most points in a Southeastern Conference game, as Vanderbilt upset No. 17 Tennessee by a 45-34 score on Saturday night at Vanderbilt Stadium.
And on a night that lasted nearly four hours, Commodore fans in attendance savored every second of it.
"It feels good to get it done. We came out tonight fully wanting to win and fully expecting to win knowing that getting a win would make us bowl-eligible," VU coach Derek Mason said.
Webb, carried off the field on the shoulders of his teammates, broke Zac Stacy's career rushing mark with a 114-yard night, and scored two touchdowns, the last one, a 28-yard scamper with 4:06 left that accounted for the game's last points and effectively broke Tennessee's back.
For much of the night, it didn't seem destined to end this way--especially the way UT quarterback Josh Dobbs played.
The senior was an incredible 31-of-34 for 340 yards and two passing touchdowns, and added another 53 yards on the ground.
To say Dobbs was in a groove is an understatement; he led the Vols to touchdowns on their first three possessions, taking a 21-7 lead when running back Alvin Kamara--who scored all three of those first three TDs--rushed in from a yard out with 13:39 left before half.
But the Commodore offense--the same unit that after seven games ranked dead-last of the FBS's 128 teams in total offense--was also clicking.
Vanderbilt's first touchdown came when Shurmur found fullback Bailey McElwain wide-open in the right flat for an 18-yard score. After Kamara's third touchdown, Shurmur hit tight end Sam Dobbs for a 20-yard touchdown, bringing VU to within seven after Tommy Openshaw's point-after.
Shurmur was only beginning to find his groove.
Midway through the second quarter, he hit Trent Sherfield with a 76-yard throw that put Vandy in business at the Vol 4.
After a penalty, Webb raced through a hole on the left side for an easy 9-yard score.
The teams then traded field goals before Tennesseeās Dobbs hit wide-open wide receiver Josh Malone with a 26-yard scoring strike, Medleyās PAT giving UT a 31-24 lead with 54 seconds before half.
After UT kicker Aaron Medley hit a 25-yard field goal to give Tennessee a 10-point, third-quarter lead, Shurmur again found Sherfield for 32, setting up Khari Blasingameās 12-yard scoring run with 49 seconds left in the third quarter.
That got the Commodores to within four with 49 seconds left in the third quarter.
Vandy linebacker Zach Cunningham then forced a Dobbs fumble, which safety Arnold Tarpley picked up at the UT 49 and raced to the end zone. The play was originally ruled not a fumble on the field and overturned on replay, so the Commodores got the ball there, but not the points.
Seven plays later, Vanderbilt got its touchdown, anyway, when running back Darrius Sims scooted around the left end for a 3-yard score.
The Vols drove to the Vandy 12, but the Commodore defense stiffened. When Medley's 37-yarder clanked off the right upright and bounced back towards him, it was the beginning of the end for UT.
Thanks to a 39-yard run by running back Dallas Rivers, Webb ran for four on first down, then ventured near the left sideline and bulled his way into the end zone.
The Vols had one last shot. Dobbs drove them to the Vandy 13, and dumped it off to Kamara along the left side on a fourth-and-4 play. Kamara, seemingly unaware of the down and distance, scampered out of bounds with cornerback Tre Herndon closing and 2:28 left on the clock.
The Commodores needed just one first down to salt this one away, and got it when Webb went left for 14 on first down.
"That was spectacular. Incredible. What can I say? We talked about that in order to do something unbelievable, you have to play unforgettable in the second half. That's what this group did. It was amazing to watch them play," Mason said.
Vanderbilt won't know its bowl fate for some time, but the Commodores are slotted for one of the SEC's bowls. An Independence Bowl representative was on hand for the game, and also present at Mason's press conference.
VandySports.com - Champions of Tennessee
