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Commodores Travel to Ole Miss In Search of First Victory 9/17/2004
Commodores Travel to Ole Miss In Search of First Victory Oxford, Miss. – The Commodores search for their first victory of the season Saturday during a regionally televised game against the Ole Miss Rebels in Oxford, Miss. Vanderbilt will seek to even their overall and Southeastern Conference record against the Rebels after suffering a 31-6 home loss to South Carolina on September 4. The game is expected to be played in ideal conditions. Weather forecasters call for sunny skies, a light breeze and temperatures near 80 degrees when the teams kickoff at 11:30 a.m. CST. The Vanderbilt-Ole Miss game will be televised across the Southeastern United States by Jefferson Pilot Sports, with Dave Neal providing play-by-play, Dave Rowe doing commentary and Dave Baker offering sideline reports. The game also can be heard through Middle Tennessee on the Commodore Radio Network, including flagship 104.5 The Zone, WGFX-FM. Prior to kickoff, Vanderbilt senior standout Justin Geisinger will be featured during Jefferson Pilot’s “SEC Football Today” preview show at 11 a.m. The feature takes a look at Geisinger’s accomplishments in the weightroom. The four-year starting offensive tackle from Pittsburgh, Pa. is one of the league’s strongest players, with a maximum bench press of 600 pounds. Geisinger and the rest of the Commodore offensive line will be a key factor in Vanderbilt’s plans at Ole Miss. The interior front will be asked by coaches to improve their effort after a sub-par showing in the season opener. The lack of a rushing game against South Carolina, combined with an inadequate run defense, hindered Vanderbilt’s chances for victory. Improved ball control and eliminating turnovers by the Commodore offense also will play important elements in any Vanderbilt plans to win at Ole Miss. The unit is paced by SEC passing leader Jay Cutler and receivers Brandon Smith and Erik Davis. The Vanderbilt defense also must improve on its season-opening performance when South Carolina rushed for more than 200 yards and controlled possession for much of the game. The Commodores have lost narrow decisions in their last two trips to Oxford. In 2002, quarterback Eli Manning guided Ole Miss to a last-minute touchdown, enabling the Rebels to claim a 45-38 victory. In 2001, the teams played a season-ending thriller, with Manning leading Ole Miss on four fourth-quarter scores during a 38-27 win. |
