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Post-game Notes: Vanderbilt vs. Richmond
9/24/2005
Vanderbilt Stadium
Attendance: 38,446
Vanderbilt 37, Richmond 13
Fast Start Continues for Commodores
With the 37-13 win over Richmond, Vanderbilt is 4-0 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)? It is the Commodores’ first four-game win streak since 1991 when they defeated Georgia (27-25), Ole Miss (30-27), Army (41-10) and Kentucky (17-7).
Largest Home Crowd in Four Years
Attendance for the Richmond-Vanderbilt game was 38,446, the largest crowd in Vanderbilt Stadium since 39,366 witnessed the Auburn-Vanderbilt game on Sept. 29, 2001.
Commodore Starting Lineup
Senior quarterback Jay Cutler earned the 38th start of his Commodore career, matching Greg Zolman (1998-2001) for the most ever by a Vanderbilt signal caller. Freshman Earl Bennett earned his first collegiate start at wide receiver, replacing Marlon White.
Cutler Becomes Vanderbilt Career Leader in Touchdown Passes, Total Offense
In the first half, quarterback Jay Cutler became the Vanderbilt all-time leader in two important offensive categories: touchdown passes and total offense. Cutler, who hit on 28 of 40 for 263 yards and three touchdowns, took over the career TD passing mark with a 5-yard completion to senior Erik Davis with 14:55 left in the second quarter. It was the 42nd of Cutler’s career, giving him sole possession of the TD mark after sharing it with Greg Zolman (1998-2001) and Whit Taylor (1979-82).
Earlier in the first half, Cutler hit redshirt freshman George Smith on an 11-yard reception, allowing him to move past Zolman into first place on the all-time total offense mark. Cutler ended the game with 277 total yards (263 passing/14 rushing), giving him 7,956 yards in career total offense, 13th best all-time in the SEC.
Earl Bennett, Cassen Jackson-Garrison Posts Career Game
Bennett, a freshman wide receiver, put together an outstanding receiving game, setting personal highs with 11 receptions and 124 receiving yards. It was the most receptions by a Commodore receiver since wide receiver Dan Stricker caught 12 passes against Kentucky on Nov. 16, 2001. Jackson-Garrison, as sophomore tailback, rushed for 119 yards on 11 carries, surpassing the 100-yard plateau for the first time ever.
George Smith Scores First Career Touchdown
With 9:21 left in the game Cutler hit freshman wide receiver George Smith for a two-yard completion in the end zone. It was Smith’s first career touchdown reception. Smith finished the game with two catches for 13 yards.
First Half
On an 11-yard completion to redshirt freshman wide receiver George Smith with 5:32 left in the first quarter, Jay Cutler became the all-time Vanderbilt leader in total offense, surpassing the 7,696-yard total compiled by Greg Zolman? The completion came in the first play of a 12-play, 80-yard touchdown drive that ended with Jeff Jennings’ 5-yard TD rush. It was Jennings’ sixth rushing touchdown, tops in the Southeastern Conference? On the Commodores’ next offensive possession, Cutler became Vanderbilt’s all-time leader in touchdown passes, throwing his 42nd TD on a 5-yard pass to senior wide receiver Erik Davis. The TD pass capped a second consecutive long scoring drive for the Commodores — 11 plays, 82 yards? The first half ended on a 43-yard field goal by freshman Bryant Hahnfeldt, who has converted five of seven field goal attempts this year. It was also a career long for Hahnfeldt, and the longest by a Commodore placekicker since Patrick Johnson made a 44-yarder against Rutgers on Oct. 9, 2004.
Second Half
On Vanderbilt’s first possession of the second half, Cutler directed the Commodores on a third scoring drive of 80 yards or more, capping the possession with a 5-yard TD pass to Jennings? On Vanderbilt’s next drive, sophomore Cassen Jackson-Garrison scored on a 60-yard touchdown, giving Vanderbilt points on five consecutive offensive possessions.
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