Oct. 23, 2016
By Zac Ellis
VUCommodores.com
On campus in Nashville – The question elicited a grin from Derek Mason on Saturday night. Moments after Vanderbilt had disposed of Tennessee State, 35-17, on homecoming at Vanderbilt Stadium, a reporter asked Mason if he was glad to enter a bye week and get his players healthy. The reporter then qualified his remarks with three words: Knock on wood.
Mason cracked a wry smile and knocked on the podium in front of him. “I’m knocking,” he said.
Certainly, Vanderbilt hopes for good luck as it heads into a bye week before traveling to Auburn on Nov. 5. It’s a chance for the program and its players to rest and refuel after playing eight straight games in 2016. But after the last two weeks, the Commodores assured they would enter their bye on the heels of two straight wins, something that had never happened under Mason.
Vanderbilt now sits 4-4 overall, which matches its win total from all of 2015. With four games left, the possibility of a trip to the postseason is very much alive on West End. And after avoiding a letdown against Tennessee State, momentum is a real thing in the Vanderbilt locker room.
“I like where this team is,” Mason said.
This time last week, the ‘Dores were busy popping champagne after a successful trip to Athens, which ended in a 17-16 win over Georgia. That victory was the program’s first SEC road win under Mason. As momentum goes, beating the Bulldogs was just what the doctor ordered for the ‘Dores. But it would all be for naught if Vanderbilt returned home and laid an egg against Tennessee State.
At first, the Tigers – who came in with a 5-1 record and averaging better than 36 points per game – looked poised to shock the crowd at Vanderbilt Stadium. Quarterback Ronald Butler hit receiver Patrick Smith on the second play from scrimmage with a 93-yard touchdown pass to give TSU an early 7-0 lead. At half, the Commodores led just 21-17 after failing to contain Butler and the Tigers’ offense. “I thought defensively, we struggled in the first half,” Mason said.
But Vanderbilt turned things around after the break. It forced two Tennessee State turnovers and held the visiting team scoreless in the final 30 minutes. Plus, the Commodores’ potent run game reeled off 358 rushing yards, its most in a game since 2012.
“It felt good, just to go through it, be out there and make plays,” said running back Khari Blasingame, who rushed 14 times for 100 yards and a hat-trick of touchdowns.
Making plays is what assured Vanderbilt won a game it absolutely had to win on Saturday. Never mind that its latest success came against Tennessee State, an FCS foe; most importantly, the Commodores avoided what would have been a deflating loss, one that would have all but erased the euphoria of beating Georgia.
In short, the ‘Dores took care of business on Saturday, and their most recent two-week stretch has this roster working to repeat that process.
“From the last two weeks, we were able to just be consistent and stick to the game plan,” defensive lineman Nifae Lealao said. “Just trying to go 1-0 each week and have that as our driving focus.”
Of course, more business lies ahead after next week’s bye. Vanderbilt hits the road to face Auburn (Nov. 5) and Missouri (Nov. 12) before closing the season at home against Ole Miss (Nov. 19) and Tennessee (Nov. 26). Those four games – against four tough SEC opponents – will ultimately determine how this season ends for the Commodores. In another month, a win over Tennessee State will likely be long forgotten.
That’s why Vanderbilt expects to use the last two weeks as building blocks – which is exactly what the Commodores needed going forward.
“Now, we get a chance to rest – much-needed rest after eight games,” Mason said. “[We have] four games left. Now, we have to make a run.”