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Vanderbilt – Northwestern Postgame Notes
September 8, 2012 Ryan Field – Evanston, Ill.
Pregame Notes
– Vanderbilt is in its 123rd year of organized football.
– The Commodores wore all white with white helmets, jerseys and pants. With the team’s debut of white helmets, it marked the first time since 1989 the Dores donned white helmets on the field.
– Northwestern won the toss and deferred to the second half with Vanderbilt electing to receive in the first half.
– Attendance was 31,644.
Team Notes
– Vanderbilt is now 7-19-2 against the Big 10 all-time and 1-2-1 against Northwestern all-time.
– Vanderbilt took the initial drive of the game 77 yards for a touchdown with Jordan Rodgers connecting with Jordan Matthews for a 22-yard strike. The TD on the opening drive was the first for the Dores since the Arkansas game last season when Rodgers found Matthews for 21 yards.
– For the first time this season, Vanderbilt took a lead into the half with a 10-3 advantage.
Individual Notes
– Steven Scheu earned his first career start, starting at tight end.
– Jake Bernstein saw his first action as a Commodore lining up on a play late in the first quarter.
– Warren Norman saw his first action since 2010, appearing in the second quarter.
– Rodgers went 5-for-9 for 61 yards on the opening drive with Matthews catching three passes for 41 yards and a touchdown.
– With his 22-yard touchdown grab Matthews now has 11 career touchdowns.
– Trey Wilson made his first career tackle for loss in the first quarter, blowing up a running play in the backfield for a loss of three yards.
– Richard Kent matched a career-long with a 67-yard punt with his first punt of the night.
– Rodgers posted 106 total offensive yards in the first quarter, passing for 73 yards and rushing for 33 yards.
– Brian Kimbrow ran for 13 yards on a carry late in the first half to establish a new career-best.
– Chris Boyd matched a career-best with six catches.
– Caleb Azubike registred his first career sack in the third quarter, dragging down Colter for a five-yard loss.
– Spear’s fourth quarter, 26-yard field goal tied the game and gave Spear his second straight game with two field goals.
– Rodgers set a career-best with 33 pass attempts, going 17-for-33 for 217 yards, his highest total since a career-best 297 at Florida last season.
– Matthews caught six passes for 75 yards giving him 14 catches for 222 yards this season.
– Chase Garnham and Kenny Ladler each had seven tackles to lead Vanderbilt.
– Karl Butler registered 2.5 tackles for loss to lead the team.
Offensive Notes
– Vanderbilt converted two third downs and one fourth down en route to five first downs on the opening drive, which led to a touchdown.
– The Commodores gained 112 yards of total offense in the first quarter, rushing for 39 yards and passing for 73.
– Vanderbilt was 3-for-8 on third down and 2-for-2 on fourth down in the first half.
– The Dores outgained the Wildcats 232-85 in the first half, including 131-10 through the air.
– Vanderbilt finished the night with 318 yards, 101 rushing and 217 passing.
Defensive Notes
– The defense held Northwestern to 59 yards of offense in the first quarter, including just eight through the air on five attempts.
– Northwestern managed only 80 yards of total offense in the first half, including 21 yards of offense in the second quarter.
– The Dores held the Wildcats to 10 yards passing in the first half with NU quarterbacks Kain Colter and Trevor Siemian combining to go 3-for-10.
Special Team Notes
– Brian Kimbrow notched his first career kick return in the first quarter, returning the kick 21 yards.
– Richard Kent matched a career-long with a 67-yard punt with his first punt of the night.
– Carey Spear knocked in his third field goal of the season with a 32-yard field goal in the second quarter.
– Spear’s fourth quarter, 26-yard field goal tied the game and gave Spear his second straight game with two field goals.