Oct. 27, 2007
Recap | Box Score | Quotes | AP Photo Gallery 
– With the win, Vanderbilt goes to 5-3 overall. The Commodores are 2-3 in Southeastern Conference play.
– The victory is Bobby Johnson’s 20th as the Commodore head coach. He becomes the eighth in team history to reach the 20-win plateau, and the first since George MacIntyre accomplished the feat while coaching from 1979-85.
– Vanderbilt is now 3-0 this season against non-conference opponents, with wins over Richmond, Eastern Michigan and Miami (Ohio). The Commodores’ final non-SEC game comes in the season finale (vs. Wake Forest in Vanderbilt Stadium on Nov. 24.)
– Vanderbilt posted its fifth victory in a season for the first time since 2005 – and only the third time since 1994. It’s the earliest Vanderbilt has reached five wins (through eight games) since it reached the five-win total in the same amount of outings in 1999. Vanderbilt has posted seven five-win seasons (1984, 1991, 1993, 1994, 1999, 2005, 2007) since its last year of at least six wins (8-4 in 1982).
– The Commodores, now 2-1 against Miami (Ohio), also move to 10-3 all-time versus MAC members. They also defeated MAC foe Eastern Michigan 30-7 earlier this season. The Commodores moved to 12-9 in non-conference games under Bobby Johnson
First Half Notes:
– Redshirt junior Josh Allen started at cornerback, his first start of the season and 10th of his career.
– It didn’t take Earl Bennett long to become the Southeastern Conference’s all-time leading receiver. The junior’s record-breaking catch came on Vanderbilt’s fourth offensive play – a seven-yard pass from Mackenzi Adams that went for a first down. Bennett had three receptions on the drive, which resulted in a Commodore touchdown rush by Jeff Jennings. It marked the second time this season that Vanderbilt has opened the game with a touchdown drive. The other drive came in the Commodores’ 31-17 victory over Ole Miss.
– D.J. Moore gave Vanderbilt excellent field possession after a Miami field goal, with a 54-yard kickoff return.
– After a Miami punt, Moore contributed on offense, rushing for 39 yards, tying his career high set versus Georgia. The drive ended with a Commodore turnover.
– Vanderbilt ended the first half with a 10-play, 71-yard drive capped by Bryant Hahnfeldt’s 26-yard field goal. The key play was a 40-yard Adams-to-Bennett strike.
Second Half Notes:
– The Commodores went ahead 17-13 on their first possession of the second half, with Chris Nickson going into the endzone from 2-yards away. The 13-play, 70-yard drive featured a pair of Adams completions, and six rushes by Nickson, who entered the game in relief of Adams. It marks the first time this season that Vanderbilt has scored touchdowns of its opening possession of both halves.
– A three-yard tackle for loss by DE Steven Stone forced a Miami punt after Vanderbilt’s touchdown drive.
– A third Commodore QB, senior Richard Kovalcheck, saw action in the fourth quarter. He completed one pass, a 15-yarder to WR Sean Walker for a first down, but fumbled a handoff to Moore, ending a Vanderbilt scoring threat.
– The Commodores moved ahead by 11 points, 24-13, midway through the fourth quarter behind a strong rushing attack. Vanderbilt went 50 yards on five rushing plays. The drive was capped by a 15-yard run by TB Cassen Jackson-Garrison.
Commodore Team Superlatives:
– Earl Bennett: In addition to becoming the SEC’s all-time leading receiver, Bennett finished with 85 receiving yards on 8 catches. He concluded the game 10th all-time in the SEC with 2,661 receiving yards.
– The Vanderbilt defense continued its excellent play. Coming in off a winning performance at South Carolina, the unit limited Miami to 238 total yards, including just 26 rushing yards.
– The Commodore offense rushed for a season-high 290 yards, the highest single-game total by Vanderbilt since rushing for 304 yards in a 45-38 loss against Ole Miss on September 21, 2002.
– After posting seven sacks against South Carolina, the defense added five more in the win over Miami. The unit now leads the SEC with 24 sacks. Buggs, LB Jonathan Goff, DT Theo Horrocks, DE Broderick Stewart and LB Patrick Benoist were credited with the sacks.
– Seven different Commodores carried the football, topped by TB Cassen Jackson-Garrison, who contributed 14 carries for 75 yards and a touchdown.
– TB Jared Hawkins set a new career high in both carriers and yards rushing with 10 carries for 61 yards.
– LB Jonathan Goff contributed 11 total tackles, a QB sack, and two tackles for loss. Goff has now totaled double digits in tackles three times this year.
The Commodores travel to Gainesville, Fla., next Saturday to face the Florida Gators on Lincoln Financial Sports Television. Kickoff is 11:30 a.m., CT.