Oct. 28, 2006
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DURHAM, N.C. (AP) -Sophomore quarterback Chris Nickson ran for three touchdowns and threw for two more, and Vanderbilt withstood a fourth-quarter rally to beat winless Duke 45-28 Saturday.
Nickson accounted for 400 yards of total offense for the Commodores (4-5), who won their sixth straight over the Blue Devils (0-8) in the “SAT Bowl.”
Nickson turned in career bests both passing and rushing in handing Duke its 16th straight loss, the longest active losing streak in Division I-A. Temple ended its 20-game slide earlier Saturday by beating Bowling Green.
Nickson threw for 250 yards on 14-of-24 passing and ran for 150 yards, the first Vanderbilt quarterback to rush for more than 100 yards since Jay Cutler had 129 against Kentucky in 2003.
Earl Bennett caught nine passes for a career-high 184 yards and one touchdown, George Smith hauled in a 41-yard TD pass and Cassen Jackson-Garrison added a 3-yard scoring run midway through the third quarter for Vanderbilt.
Nickson came out late in the third quarter with the Commodores ahead 35-7, and backup Mackenzi Adams led a 14-play drive that was capped by Bryant Hahnfeldt’s 44-yard field goal for a 38-7 lead with 12:07 left.
However, Duke rallied behind running back Justin Boyle, who ran for three fourth-quarter touchdowns, including a 32-yarder with 7:06 remaining that pulled the Blue Devils within 38-28.
Nickson returned for the next series, and led the Commodores on five-play scoring drive that he capped with a 1-yard run, pushing Vanderbilt’s lead to 44-28 with 4:07 left.
Boyle finished with 107 yards rushing and four touchdowns for Duke, tying a school record for single-game TDs set by Robert Baldwin against Maryland in 1994.
