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Vanderbilt Defeats Kentucky 28-17 11/15/2003
Vanderbilt Defeats Kentucky 28-17 NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — Jay Cutler threw four touchdown passes, two to Erik Davis, to help Vanderbilt snap the nation’s longest conference losing streak at 23 with a 28-17 victory over Kentucky on Saturday. Vanderbilt’s last Southeastern Conference win came against Kentucky (4-6, 1-5), 24-20 in 2000, and it was the Commodores’ first SEC home win since 1998, when they beat South Carolina 17-14. Kentucky (4-6, 1-5) led 3-0 before the Commodores (2-9, 1-6) scored 21 straight points to take control of the game. Vandy, which came into the game with a minus-13 turnover margin, only fumbled once and didn’t lose the ball. The Commodores also sacked Jared Lorenzen four times, and he was 15-of-35 for 234 yards passing. He threw a 10-yard touchdown pass in the final seconds to Chris Bernard. Cutler, who finished 14-of-17 for 175 yards passing, expanded the lead as he led Vanderbilt on touchdown drives on the first two possessions of the third quarter. The first was a 43-yard TD pass to Marlon White, who was wide open after splitting Kentucky’s secondary to make it 21-3. On Kentucky’s ensuing possession, the Wildcats ran the ball all 10 plays for 72 yards, capped by Arliss Beach from 4 yards out to make it 21-10. Beach finished with 18 carries for 109 yards. But Cutler, who also had 129 yards rushing on 11 carries, led Vanderbilt right back down the field, starting with a 51-yard run and ending four plays later when he found Davis in double coverage for a 10-yard touchdown pass that put Vandy up 28-10. Kentucky led 3-0 when Taylor Begley kicked a 36-yard field goal late in the first. Vandy took the lead for good when Cutler found Davis who eluded a pair of tacklers and stretched across the goal for a 24-yard TD. Davis finished with three catches for 39 yards. The Commodores used a personal-foul penalty on a punt return for excellent field position, and Cutler found Matthew Tant for a 17-yard TD pass to make it 14-3. The Wildcats tried to cut into lead before halftime, but safety Kelechi Ohanaja intercepted a Lorenzen pass at the Vanderbilt 13. Kentucky return specialist Derek Abney had 110 total return yards on six chances. Abney did extend his consecutive catch streak to 43 games with a 24-yard reception in the first quarter that set up Kentucky’s field goal. Vanderbilt Athletics honored 1960 graduate Lindsy McLean during halftime ceremonies of the Kentucky football game.
McLean, a Nashville native who began as a student athletic trainer at Vanderbilt, spent the next 42 years in the profession and became one of the most decorated trainers in history. McLean recently retired from the San Francisco 49ers, where he had served for 24 years at head trainer. During that span, Lindsy was a part of five Super Bowl championship teams and his staff was honored in 2001 as the NFL’s finest. He was inducted into the National Athletic Trainers Association Hall of Fame in 1988 and the Michigan Athletic Trainers Association Society of Fame in 1991. Head Trainer Tom Bossung presented Lindsy with a beautiful framed football jersey number 60 in accordance with his Vanderbilt year of graduation. |
