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Commodores Drop Season Opener 9/4/2004
Commodores Drop Season Opener 9-4-04 The Vanderbilt football team dropped its season opener today, losing to the South Carolina Gamecocks, 31-6. Box Score — Photo Gallery South Carolina used three quarterbacks, five running backs, a punishing rushing attack and a solid defensive performance to keep the Commodores at bay virtually the entire game. Playing in front of a crowd of 33,670, the Commodores could not match the Gamecocks’ 269 rushing yards, managing only 36 yards on the ground. “They pushed us around, and ran the ball down our throats,” head coach Bobby Johnson said. “We were right pitiful in the running game.” The Dores last were held to fewer than 50 yards rushing in 2002, when they rushed for 46 yards against Alabama. Commodore quarterback Jay Cutler threw for 270 yards on the day. But two interceptions — one for a 98-yard touchdown return — and four team fumbles all but neutralized the performance. Cutler connected with wide receiver Brandon Smith seven times for a team-high 88 yards. Erik Davis caught the team’s longest pass of 46 yards. Kwane Doster led the VU ground game, rushing for 24 yards on five carries. The Gamecocks completed 13-of-20 pass attempts for a total of 184 yards. Troy Williamson caught five passes for 99 yards. Vanderbilt’s only score came on a four-yard run from Doster with 6:44 left in the second quarter. A low snap prevented a kick from being made during the point-after attempt. “If people think we’re going to give up, they’ve got another thing coming,” said Johnson. “We are going to get after it, and we are going to find people who want to play, and play hard.” The team does not play next weekend, and will travel to Oxford, Miss., on Saturday, Sept. 18, to face the Ole Miss Rebels. |
