Nov. 30, 2013
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Vanderbilt – Wake Forest Postgame Notes
November 30, 2013
Vanderbilt Stadium
Pregame Notes
• Vanderbilt is in its 124th year of organized football.
• The Commodores wore gold helmets with black jerseys and pants marking the first time since the Georgia victory for the team to wear that uniform combination.
• Wake Forest won the toss and deferred to the second half with Vanderbilt receiving the ball in the first half.
• Attendance was 33,019.
• Vanderbilt captains for the game were Andrew East, Andre Hal, Javon Marshall and Jordan Matthews.
Team Notes
• Saturday’s meeting between Vanderbilt and Wake Forest was the 16th in history with the Commodores win, VU is now 10-6 all time vs. the Demon Deacons.
• With the victory, the Commodores notched their second straight eight-win season for the first time since 1927-28.
• The win also gave the Dores their ninth straight November win and improved VU to 15-4 in the team’s last 19 games.
• Prior to the game Vanderbilt honored 20 seniors with Karl Butler, Austyn Carta-Samuels, Steven Clarke, Hasan Clayton, Chase Garnham, Andre Hal, Wesley Johnson, Jonathan Krause, Kenny Ladler, Fitz Lassing, Javon Marshall, Jordan Matthews, Walker May, Jared Morse, Warren Norman, Trent Pruitt, Care Spear, Patrick Sutton, Wesley Tate and Chase White playing their final game in Vanderbilt Stadium. Rajaan Bennett, a member of the Dores’ 2010 signing class, was honored posthumously after dying two weeks after signing day in 2010.
Individual Notes
• Senior Wesley Johnson started his 50th career game for the Commodores, extending his school record.
• Jordan Matthews caught his 97th pass of the season on the Dores’ opening drive to match the school record for catches in a single season and give him at least one catch in 33 straight games.
• Matthews’ second catch of the day went for 41 yards and set a new SEC record for catches in a single season.
• Fitz Lassing caught his second TD pass of the season with a seven-yard catch to cap the Commodores’ opening drive.
• Jahmel McIntosh earned his first career start, getting the nod at strong safety.
• Austyn Carta-Samuels opened the game going 6-for-6 for 78 yards and a TD on the Dores’ opening drive.
• Patton Robinette scored his sixth rushing TD of the season with an eight-yard run to cap the Commodores’ second scoring drive of the day.
• Carey Spear kicked his 11th field goal of the season with a 41-yard boot at the end of the first half to give VU a 17-14 lead.
• With his fourth catch of the day, Jordan Matthews became the first wide receiver in SEC history to record 100 catches in a single season.
• Steven Scheu matched his career-best with three catches on the afternoon.
• Carey Spear kicked a 25-yard field goal in the fourth quarter to give him his third two field goal game in his last four games.
• Chase Garnham picked off his first career pass with an interception in the fourth quarter.
• Jordan Matthews’ 10th catch of the game gave him his third straight game with at least 10 catches and his eighth 100-yard game of the season and 18th of his career – a SEC career record.
• With his 11 catches for 125 yards on Saturday, Jordan Matthews now has 36 catches for 399 yards over his last three games.
• Carey Spear’s 38-yard field goal in the final minute matched his career-best of three made field goals in a game.
• Patton Robinette registered his sixth rushing TD of the season and fifth in his last six games.
• Austyn Carta-Samuels finished the game 24-for-33 and is now 64-for-84 (76%) over his last three games.• Jordan Matthews broke his own school record for receiving yards in a single season surpassing his 2012 total of 1,323 yards with 1,334 yards this season – the fifth-most yards by a receiver in SEC history.
Offensive Notes
• With Vanderbilt’s fourth down conversion on the opening drive before finishing 4-for-4 on the day. Vandy is now 21-for-27 on fourth down this season.
• Vanderbilt’s opening scoring drive covered 88 yards on 11 plays marking the Commodores’ fourth straight scoring drive to go at least 10 plays dating back to the Kentucky game.
• The offense posted four scoring drives of at least 11 plays in the game to give the Dores 23 scoring drives of at least 10 plays this season, including eight of the team’s last 10 scoring drives.
• Vanderbilt went 4-for-4 in the red zone with three field goals and one touchdown to improve to 45-for-51 (88%) on the season.
• Vanderbilt’s 403 yards of total offense is the most for VU since the Missouri game when the team posted 468 yards.
Defensive Notes
• The Commodores held Wake Forest to 36 yards in the third quarter.
• Chase Garnham picked off his first career pass with an interception in the fourth quarter; marking the sixth straight game the Commodores have forced a turnover.
• The Vanderbilt defense held Wake Forest to 266 total yards on the day, including 155 yards passing the fewest since the Austin Peay game (54 yards).
• Wake Forest’s 111 yards on the ground were the fewest yielded by the VU defense since giving up 39 yards at Florida.
Special Teams Notes
• Carey Spear kicked his 11th field goal of the season with a 41-yard boot at the end of the first half to give VU a 17-14 lead.
• Colby Cooke boomed a career-best 67-yard punt to open the fourth quarter.
• Carey Spear kicked a 25-yard field goal in the fourth quarter to give him his third two field goal game in his last four games.
• Carey Spear’s 38-yard field goal in the final minute matched his career-best of three made field goals in a game.