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Vanderbilt Postgame Notes 9/17/2005
Ole Miss at Vanderbilt Fast Start Continues for Commodores Vanderbilt is 3-0 to start a season for the first time since it produced a 4-0 record to start the 1984 campaign. Victories to start the 1984 included wins over Kansas State (26-14), Maryland (23-14), Kansas (41-6) and Alabama (30-21)? The last time the Commodores won three consecutive games came in 1999 against Northern Illinois (34-31), Ole Miss (37-34) and Duke (31-14)? Vanderbilt moves to 2-0 in the SEC for the first time since defeating Georgia (14-0) and Alabama (32-7) in 1956? The victory also gives the Commodores two SEC wins in a season for the first time since 1999 (Ole Miss 37-34 [OT] and South Carolina 11-10)? The win marks only the fourth time since 1950 the Commodores have started 3-0 along with the 1984 squad (4-0), the 1956 team (3-0) and the 1950 squad (4-0)? The win over Ole Miss marks the first victory over Division 1-A opponent in a home opener since a 29-12 win over North Texas in 1997? Vanderbilt’s win over Ole Miss snaps a five-game series losing streak to the Rebels? The Commodores’ last win came in Oxford, 37-34 in overtime on Sept. 18, 1999. The last time Vanderbilt defeated Ole Miss in Nashville came in a 31-9 decision on Sept. 19, 1992. Cutler Sets Single-Game Total Offense Mark Vanderbilt quarterback Jay Cutler completed 24-of-41 passes for 314 yards while running 15 times for 58 yards against Ole Miss. His 372 all-purpose yards against the Rebels set a single-game career mark. Cutler needs 17 yards to pass Greg Zolman’s mark of 7,696 all-purpose yards for the school record? Cutler also climbed into second place all-time at Vanderbilt in career passing yards behind Zolman’s mark of 7,981. Cutler moved past Whit Taylor (6,307) and Kurt Page (6,233) with his 314-yard passing effort against the Rebels? Cutler also has thrown for more than 275 yards in each game this season. He threw for 276 yards against Wake Forest and 278 yards against Arkansas. Jennings Achieves Another Multi-Rushing Touchdown Game; Sophomore tailback Jeff Jennings posted career-high numbers for rushes (24) and yardage (103) to go along with a personal-best three rushing touchdowns against Ole Miss. With scoring runs of three, four and one yards, respectively, Jennings increased his rushing touchdown total to six on the season. Jennings entered the game tied for second in the SEC with three rushing touchdowns behind Alabama’s Tim Castille. It also marks Jennings’ third multi-rushing touchdown performance in Vanderbilt’s past four games dating back to last year’s season finale against Tennessee. Jennings had TD runs of two yards and 10 yards against the Vols on Nov. 20 and rushing scampers of 10 yards and five yards against Wake Forest in the 2005 season opener? With 103 yards on the ground against Ole Miss, Jennings recorded Vanderbilt’s first 100-yard rushing game since Kwane Doster compiled 117 rushing yards against Eastern Kentucky on Oct. 23, 2004. First Half Scoring Highlights Trailing 3-0, Vanderbilt scored 17 unanswered points to carry a 17-3 advantage into halftime. The Commodores tied the game at 3-3on a 37-yard field goal by Bryant Hahnfeldt at the 2:55 mark of the first quarter. The field goal was the longest of the true freshman’s short career. The Commodores then reached the end zone for the time on the day on a 3-yard rush by tailback Jeff Jennings. The touchdown run capped off an 11-play, 63-yard drive that ended at 12:43 in the second quarter. Jennings ran for his second touchdown of the game, a 4-yard rush at the 6:17 mark of the second quarter. The 4-yard rushing touchdown capped off an eight play, 80-yard scoring drive. Vanderbilt quarterback Jay Cutler completed 9-of-10 pass attempts in the second quarter after completing only 3-of-9 in the first quarter. Meanwhile, the Commodore defense limited Ole Miss to 2-of-8 on third down conversions. Second Half Scoring Highlights Vanderbilt took the opening drive of the second half 73 yards and scored on a 7-yard run by Cassen Jackson-Garrison at the 11:07 mark of the third quarter. The rushing TD completed an 11-play drive that pushed the Vanderbilt lead to 24-3? After three consecutive touchdown scores by Ole Miss seemingly tied the game, senior Ralph McKenzie blocked the extra point attempt from Rebel kicker Will Mosley to allow the Commodores to maintain a slim 24-23 lead? Vanderbilt pushed its lead to 31-23 on Jeff Jennings’ fourth TD run of the day, a 1-yard run with 1:26 remaining? Commodore linebacker Moses Osemwegie ended the Rebels last drive of the game by forcing a fumble from Ole Miss back up quarterback Robert Lane then recovering the ball at the Vanderbilt 31 yard line with one second remaining. General Notes Vanderbilt set a season high with 523 yards of total offense, including 314 yards passing and 209 yards on the ground? Six different Commodores caught passes from Cutler, including wide receiver Erik Davis recorded a game-high and career-best eight receptions for 107 yards? Tailback Jeff Jennings led the Vanderbilt running attack with 24 carries for 103 yards? Commodores making their first career start today included sophomore left guard Chris Williams, junior free safety Ben Koger. |
