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	<channel>		<title>RUWT? News</title>
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		<description>RUWT? News for Vanderbilt</description>
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		<lastBuildDate>Sat, 21 Nov 2009 23:16:07 GMT</lastBuildDate>
		<pubDate>Sat, 21 Nov 2009 23:16:07 GMT</pubDate>
		<generator>RUWT?</generator>

		
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				<title><![CDATA[Tennessee beats in-state rival Vanderbilt 31-16]]></title>
				<description><![CDATA[By BETH RUCKER
AP Sports Writer

KNOXVILLE, Tenn.(AP) -- Jonathan Crompton threw for two touchdowns
as Tennessee beat in-state rival Vanderbilt 31-16 on Saturday
night.

After missing the postseason last year, the Volunteers (6-5, 3-4
Southeastern Conference) became bowl eligible with the victory.
The Commodores (2-10, 0-8) finished without a conference win for
the first time since 2002.

Vanderbilt had a chance to tie the game before halftime but
stalled on fourth-and-2 at the Tennessee 38 with 51 seconds
left. Instead, Tennessee drove for a quick touchdown to go up
24-10.

Vandy's Steven Stone was called for a 15-yard roughing the
passer penalty, and Crompton was perfect on four pass attempts.
His 16-yard TD pass to Luke Stocker capped the 30-second drive.

Crompton finished 20-for-34 for 221 yards with an interception.
Montario Hardesty ran for a career-high 171 yards and a
touchdown.

The Vols struggled to move the ball in the second half, and
Vanderbilt had a shot to pull within 4 points with about 6
minutes left.

On third-and-goal at the 3, MacKenzi Adams attempted a pass for
John Cole in the end zone. The ball bounced off Cole and into
the hands of Tennessee's Dennis Rogan, but a pass interference
call on Rogan kept the Commodores' drive alive.

With a fresh set of downs, Vanderbilt couldn't move the ball,
and Adams took a sack for a loss of 9 yards. Ryan Fowler kicked
a 32-yard field goal to make the score 24-16 with 2:54 left, and
the Commodores couldn't pull any closer.

Adams was 19 of 35 for 174 yards, a touchdown and an
interception.

Vandy's Warren Norman had 73 yards rushing and 61 yards on
kickoff returns. Norman's 1,923 all-purpose yards broke Herschel
Walker's SEC freshman record of 1,805. He also became the
Commodores' single-season leader for all-purpose yards.

Crompton's third-quarter interception ended a streak of 142
straight pass attempts without one, one shy of Casey Clausen's
school record of 143.

After struggling to find consistency on field goals with an
injured Daniel Lincoln and punter Chad Cunningham, Tennessee
introduced Devin Mathis as its new kicker. Mathis, who got the
call this week to join the team, hit a 25-yard field goal and
connected on three extra point attempts.

Mathis was a walk-on last season and nearly earned a starting
job as Lincoln struggled. He spent the spring semester studying
in Mexico and did not participate in the Vols' fall camp.

Tennessee finished its senior day in style when senior defensive
tackle Wes Brown, who's played with injured knees for the past
two seasons, intercepted Adams and ran 25 yards for a touchdown
with 3 seconds left. His teammates piled on top of him in the
end zone.]]></description>
				<category><![CDATA[ncaaf]]></category>
				<link>http://areyouwatchingthis.com/ncaaf/news/136224-Tennessee-beats-in-state-rival-Vanderbilt-31-16</link>
				<guid>http://areyouwatchingthis.com/ncaaf/news/136224-Tennessee-beats-in-state-rival-Vanderbilt-31-16</guid>
				<pubDate>Sun, 22 Nov 2009 03:57:49 GMT</pubDate>
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				<title><![CDATA[Cobb runs for 2 TDs, Kentucky beats Vandy 24-13]]></title>
				<description><![CDATA[By TERESA M. WALKER
AP Sports Writer

NASHVILLE, Tenn.(AP) -- Randall Cobb ran for two touchdowns,
Derrick Locke rushed for a career-high 144 yards and a
touchdown, and Kentucky beat Vanderbilt 24-13 Saturday to become
bowl eligible for a school record fourth straight year.

Kentucky (6-4, 2-4 Southeastern Conference) has won seven of the
past nine in this series and can improve its bowl berth in the
final two games of the regular season.

Vanderbilt (2-9, 0-7) had its best scoring game this season
against an SEC opponent. But the Commodores blew a 13-10
halftime lead and lost their seventh straight after being shut
out in the second half. They managed a mere 31 yards offense in
the second half.

The Wildcats struggled to pass even with Mike Hartline playing
his first game since injuring his left knee Oct. 10 against
South Carolina. Morgan Newton started, and both had passes
intercepted. But Locke and Cobb helped Kentucky win its second
straight and for the fourth time in five games.

This game featured the SEC's two worst defenses against the run,
and Kentucky did a better job rushing with Cobb and Locke than
Vanderbilt managed as a team. Cobb finished with 99 yards on 14
carries, while Locke ran 25 times as Kentucky outgained Vandy
399-209 in total offense - 308 of that coming on the ground.

Cobb put Kentucky up 7-0 after taking the snap in the Wildcats'
wildcobb formation. He ran right before tiptoeing along the
right sideline for a 21-yard touchdown in the first quarter.
Officials reviewed the play to make sure he stayed inbound, and
he did.

He put Kentucky ahead to stay 17-13 by capping the opening drive
of the third quarter by running in 3 yards for his second TD.
Then Locke capped a 72-yard drive with a 14-yard TD in the
fourth quarter to seal the victory, finishing with his third
100-yard rushing game this season.

Vanderbilt hadn't scored more than 10 in any SEC game this
season but led 13-10 at halftime thanks largely to a defense
ranked 10th nationally against the pass. The Commodores turned
two interceptions into 10 points in the second quarter but lost
linebacker Patrick Benoist, their leading tackler, to a
suspected concussion in the first half.

Eddie Foster picked off a pass by Hartline. That set up Ryan
Fowler's career-long 47-yard field goal to pull Vandy with in
7-6.

T.J. Greenstone tipped a Newton pass, and Myron Lewis grabbed it
for his 10th career interception at the Kentucky 20. Three plays
later, Mackenzi Adams found John Cole who pulled in a 21-yard
pass for the first touchdown of the receiver's career to give
Vandy its first lead of the game with 2:25 left in the half.

The Commodores could have scored more except Adams overthrew a
receiver, and Calvin Harrison intercepted the pass at the
Kentucky 23 with 50 seconds left until halftime.]]></description>
				<category><![CDATA[ncaaf]]></category>
				<link>http://areyouwatchingthis.com/ncaaf/news/133852-Cobb-runs-for-2-TDs-Kentucky-beats-Vandy-24-13</link>
				<guid>http://areyouwatchingthis.com/ncaaf/news/133852-Cobb-runs-for-2-TDs-Kentucky-beats-Vandy-24-13</guid>
				<pubDate>Sat, 14 Nov 2009 20:41:27 GMT</pubDate>
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				<title><![CDATA[Gators struggle on offense again, beat Vandy 27-3]]></title>
				<description><![CDATA[By MARK LONG
AP Sports Writer

GAINESVILLE, Fla.(AP) -- Everything top-ranked Florida seemingly
fixed on offense last week looked out of whack again against
Vanderbilt.

Tim Tebow accounted for two touchdowns - one of them on a tipped
pass - Caleb Sturgis kicked two field goals and the Gators beat
the Commodores 27-3 in a lackluster effort Saturday night at The
Swamp.

It probably left Florida fans, many of them looking for
something positive following linebacker Brandon Spikes' one-game
suspension for dirty play and coach Urban Meyer's hefty fine for
criticizing officials, disappointed. But the result was a 19th
consecutive victory for the defending national champions.

"Have you ever gone 19-0?" Meyer said. "It's not ho-hum, I can
assure you that. If it's ho-hum for someone, you've got to
really reflect to say, 'Where am I headed in this life right
now?' If 19-0 in the Southeastern Conference at the University
of Florida is ho-hum, then you've got one exciting life, man,
you've got a lot of good stuff going for you.

"I don't ever want to take anything away from what those cats
have done. Two out of three times we're going to go play in
Atlanta for the SEC championship in the best conference in
college football. There's absolutely nothing ho-hum about what
this team is doing."

Indeed. But the Gators (9-0, 7-0 Southeastern Conference)
struggled on offense for the fifth time in seven league games.

The solution was standing on the sideline in street clothes.
Percy Harvin, a first-round draft pick by the Minnesota Vikings,
attended the game along with former teammate and current Oakland
Raiders receiver Louis Murphy.

A week after finding some offensive rhythm in a 41-17 victory
over Georgia and clinching a spot in the SEC title game, Florida
looked more like the team that eked out close games against
Tennessee, LSU, Arkansas and Mississippi State.

Tebow completed 15 of 20 passes for 208 yards and a touchdown.
But a big chunk of his yardage came on a 64-yard run-and-catch
by Aaron Hernandez late in the fourth quarter, and his TD pass
to David Nelson in the fourth quarter came on a ball that
slipped through Riley Cooper's fingers near the goal line.

"You'd like to put the ball in the end zone more and not kick
field goals," said Tebow, who also ran 16 times for 27 yards and
a score. "But we're going to be happy being 9-0. Not too many
teams in the country are 9-0."

Vanderbilt, coming off a 56-31 loss to Georgia Tech in which it
allowed 497 yards rushing, returned to its usually stout
defensive ways. The Commodores (2-8, 0-6), who have lost six in
a row, sacked Tebow four times.

They played mostly zone and blitzed early and often, taking away
deep passes and keeping steady pressure on the 2007 Heisman
Trophy winner.

"We need big plays," Meyer said. "Any offense in the country, to
get production, you need big plays. ... We're just not getting
that. I know everyone is pressing to get it done, and we have to
get that done with these games coming up."

Florida finished with 375 yards, but about a third of them came
late in the game - well after some fans headed for the exits.

Jeff Demps ran seven times for 57 yards and a touchdown that
came on one of the few option plays Florida ran. Hernandez
finished with seven catches for 120 yards. Florida's defense was
stingy as usual, giving up 199 yards and not allowed a touchdown
for the fifth time this season.

Spikes was hardly missed. He watched the game from the sideline
in a warmup suit and with a freshly shaved face - maybe an
attempt to change his image following his eye-gouging incident
against the Bulldogs.

Linebackers Dustin Doe and Ryan Stamper filled in well, helping
shut down Vandy's offense. The 'Dores didn't take too many
chances with quarterback Mackenzi Adams making his first start
of the season.

Adams was 13 of 29 for 100 yards, with an interception. He used
a lot of quick passes to avoid Florida's pass rush, and it
worked. The Gators failed to sack him.

Vanderbilt could have made it even closer had it not been for
two costly errors. Florida turned Adams' pick into a touchdown
and scored after punter Brett Upson mistakenly touched his knee
to the ground as he fielded a low snap deep in Vanderbilt
territory.

"We can't mess up in those situations," said Commodores coach
Bobby Johnson, whose team trailed 13-0 at halftime and 20-3
entering the fourth. "It's hard to beat a good team."]]></description>
				<category><![CDATA[ncaaf]]></category>
				<link>http://areyouwatchingthis.com/ncaaf/news/132237-Gators-struggle-on-offense-again-beat-Vandy-27-3</link>
				<guid>http://areyouwatchingthis.com/ncaaf/news/132237-Gators-struggle-on-offense-again-beat-Vandy-27-3</guid>
				<pubDate>Sun, 08 Nov 2009 04:45:35 GMT</pubDate>
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				<title><![CDATA[Gators avoiding SEC talk, focusing on stretch run]]></title>
				<description><![CDATA[By MARK LONG
AP Sports Writer

GAINESVILLE, Fla.(AP) -- Several days after top-ranked Florida
secured a spot in the Southeastern Conference championship game,
receiver David Nelson insisted some of his teammates didn't even
know they had clinched the Eastern Division.

Yeah, right.

The Gators (8-0, 6-0 SEC) spent the entire season talking about
getting back to Atlanta, realizing it was the first step toward
repeating as national champs. They celebrated last week's 41-17
win over rival Georgia in frenzied fashion, then wrapped up the
East a few hours later when Tennessee beat South Carolina.

Atlanta never came up? Not in the locker room? Not over dinner?
Not around campus?

"I don't even know if half our team even knows that yet," Nelson
said. "We haven't talked about it. It hasn't been a subject of
conversation between us."

Coach Urban Meyer would prefer that his players don't even think
about it, especially with four games remaining before the SEC
title game. Florida's challenge the rest of the month, beginning
Saturday night against struggling Vanderbilt (2-7, 0-5), is to
stay motivated and avoid a letdown.

"Our team is focused," quarterback Tim Tebow said. "We know that
every week we're going to get teams' best and we're going to
have to play well, we're going to have to compete, we're going
to have to fight to win, pretty much like we've had to every
game this year and we're ready for that.

"We're not going to be complacent. ... It's college football.
Anything can happen any Saturday, and we know that and we're
going to be prepared for it."

The Gators have the nation's longest winning streak at 18 games
and have won 18 consecutive against the Commodores. Florida won
the last two by a combined score of 91-36, and this one could be
another lopsided affair.

Tebow & Co. seemingly got the offense back on track against the
Bulldogs, scoring early on long passing plays and working the
clock late with a ball-control running game. The Gators also
scored on two of three trips inside the red zone, improving on
an area that had plagued them in several games.

The Gators turned the game into a rout with four interceptions
in the second half, big plays the defense has been looking for
all season. It was the kind of complete performance Florida has
been missing in league play, the kind everyone expected from the
consensus pick to win it all for the third time in four years.

"With every victory and every win, you start to think, what is
it 18 in a row now? It's amazing. It really is," defensive line
coach Dan McCarney said. "So why stop now? There are some things
we've got to do to try to get 19 this week, stay on course with
all the goals we have this year."

Vanderbilt, meanwhile, has lost five in a row and is switching
quarterbacks.

Larry Smith partially tore his left hamstring last week against
Georgia Tech, forcing Mackenzi Adams back into the starting
lineup.

Adams started the last two seasons against Florida, completing
21 of 40 passes for 206 yards, with three interceptions. He also
has 18 carries for 26 yards and two touchdowns in those games.

"Mac won't be scared, let me tell you that," Vandy coach Bobby
Johnson said. "He'll be confident. He'll go out there and he'll
plan on making every throw, every read, every decision. He's
done it before so that's not going to be a different experience
for him."

The Commodores also could be without left tackle Thomas Welch
because of an ankle injury.

For Vandy to have a chance, though, it might need to play solid
defense, unlike last week when the 'Dores allowed 404 yards
rushing and 597 total yards in a 56-31 loss to Georgia Tech.

They played much better against LSU, Mississippi State,
Mississippi and South Carolina - not giving up more than 23
points in any of those games.

"They're very sound on defense," Meyer said. "They're going to
make you earn everything you get."

The Gators already earned a trip to Atlanta. How will they
respond, especially after a week in which linebacker Brandon
Spikes was suspended for dirty play and Meyer was fined $30,000
for criticizing officials?

"I don't think they're going to overlook us," Vandy cornerback
Myron Lewis said. "I don't think they should overlook any team
because any team that goes into their house or any team that
plays the No. 1 team is ready to beat them. I think they're
going to be up for the challenge of playing us, and we're going
to be up for the challenge of playing them as well."]]></description>
				<category><![CDATA[ncaaf]]></category>
				<link>http://areyouwatchingthis.com/ncaaf/news/131822-Gators-avoiding-SEC-talk-focusing-on-stretch-run</link>
				<guid>http://areyouwatchingthis.com/ncaaf/news/131822-Gators-avoiding-SEC-talk-focusing-on-stretch-run</guid>
				<pubDate>Fri, 06 Nov 2009 20:35:13 GMT</pubDate>
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				<title><![CDATA[Vanderbilt-Florida Preview]]></title>
				<description><![CDATA[By MATT BECKER
STATS Senior Writer

Vanderbilt (2-7) at No. 1 Florida (8-0), 7:15 p.m. EDT

Tim Tebow and Florida played their most well-rounded game in a
month last weekend to clinch a berth in the SEC championship
game.

The team can't let up, though, not with aspirations of playing
for the national championship.

With star linebacker Brandon Spikes serving a suspension
Saturday night, the top-ranked Gators look to build on their
latest performance and win their 19th straight over Vanderbilt,
which is trying to avoid its sixth consecutive defeat.

After opening October with three gritty wins over then-No. 4
LSU, Arkansas and Mississippi State, Florida (8-0, 6-0) rolled
to an easy 41-17 victory over Georgia last Saturday in
Jacksonville. The Gators extended the nation's longest winning
streak to 18 and remained No. 1 in the BCS standings.

"I told the guys, 'The only thing good about going 8-0, is the
chance to go 9-0,'" coach Urban Meyer said.

While Meyer is pleased with his team's record, he wasn't happy
with some of the chippy behavior last weekend.

With the score getting lopsided, there was pushing, shoving and
trash-talking, and Spikes apparently attempted to gouge the eyes
of Georgia running back Washaun Ealey.

Meyer responded to this uncalled-for behavior by initially
suspending Spikes, who has 42 tackles, three sacks, one
interception and one forced fumble, for the first half of this
game. On Wednesday, Meyer increased the suspension to a full
game.

A 2008 first-team All-American, Spikes is part of a unit that
ranks second in the Football Bowl Subdivision both in total
defense (236.6 yards per game) and scoring defense (11.0).

"I don't condone that," Meyer said. "I understand what goes on
on the football (field), but there's no place for that. That's
not who he is. That's not who we are."

While the Gators will be without their defensive leader,
Vanderbilt (2-7, 0-5) will play without its starting
quarterback.

Larry Smith partially tore his left hamstring in the Commodores'
56-31 loss to then-No. 11 Georgia Tech last Saturday, and he
will be out a month.

Senior backup Mackenzi Adams replaced Smith last week and went
12 of 22 for 152 yards to finish the game. He will make his
first start since completing 5 of 8 passes for 47 yards with an
interception in last season's 42-14 loss to the Gators. He left
that game with a neck injury.

Although Adams will be going up against one of the best defenses
in the country, Vanderbilt coach Bobby Johnson doesn't think
he'll be overwhelmed.

"Mackenzi won't be scared. He'll be confident and he'll plan on
going out there and making every throw and every read," Johnson
said. "We expect him to meet the challenge and play well this
week, and we certainly hope he will."

While the Commodores' quarterback position appears to be a
little shaky, Florida is quite pleased with the latest
performance from its signal-caller.

Tebow had touchdown passes on the Gators' first two possessions
against the Bulldogs, then broke Herschel Walker's SEC record
for rushing scores with his 50th. Meyer said the 2007 Heisman
Trophy winner played looser than he had in recent weeks,
finishing with 164 yards passing, 85 rushing and accounting for
four touchdowns.

It was the first time in a month Tebow played like a Heisman
Trophy contender. He had totaled two TD passes, three
interceptions and one rushing score over his previous three
games after suffering a concussion in a 41-7 win over Kentucky
on Sept. 26.

"Last week, it was the ship is sinking. That's what I kept
hearing. The boat's got holes in it. It absolutely does not,"
Meyer said. "We've got good guys that go really hard and we play
good teams and we're in the Southeastern Conference. I'm hoping
we do hit a stride, but you don't have time to worry about
that."

Tebow has had little trouble in his two career starts against
the Commodores, throwing for 452 yards with six touchdowns and
one interception while running for four scores.

The Gators have won those games by an average of 27.5 points and
have 18 consecutive victories over Vanderbilt since a 24-9 loss
in 1988. All-time in Gainesville, Florida has 17 wins with one
tie (in 1958) since losing the first meeting between these
programs 7-0 in 1945.

The Commodores have lost five straight since a 36-17 win at Rice
on Sept. 26. They delivered an awful defensive performance
against the Yellow Jackets last week, allowing an opponent
season-high 597 yards - including 404 on the ground.

Johnson knows his team needs to be much better to have a chance
against Florida.

"They're not just great athletes, but I think they have a
purpose," he said of the Gators. "They're going to go out there
and ready to go no matter who they're playing and they'll give
great effort."]]></description>
				<category><![CDATA[ncaaf]]></category>
				<link>http://areyouwatchingthis.com/ncaaf/news/131154-Vanderbilt-Florida-Preview</link>
				<guid>http://areyouwatchingthis.com/ncaaf/news/131154-Vanderbilt-Florida-Preview</guid>
				<pubDate>Wed, 04 Nov 2009 23:41:12 GMT</pubDate>
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				<title><![CDATA[No. 11 Georgia Tech downs Vanderbilt 56-31]]></title>
				<description><![CDATA[By TERESA M. WALKER
AP Sports Writer

NASHVILLE, Tenn.(AP) -- Turns out Georgia Tech coach Paul Johnson
has a few more tricks in his offense than just the triple
option.

Josh Nesbitt ran for two touchdowns and threw for two scores,
Jonathan Dwyer ran for a career-high 186 yards rushing with
three TDs, and No. 11 Georgia Tech rallied to beat Vanderbilt
56-31 Saturday night.

The Yellow Jackets ran less triple-option than usual.

"They decided they were going to take that away, and they did.
We tried to play with our auxiliary stuff, and it worked out
well," Johnson said.

Did it ever.

The Yellow Jackets (8-1) rolled up a season-high 597 yards total
offense against a Vanderbilt defense that was ranked 34th
nationally, giving up 320 yards per game. They wore Vanderbilt
out, holding the ball for nearly 40 minutes and rolling up 404
yards rushing.

Dwyer had 22 carries and matched his career-best in touchdowns.

"We have a lot of weapons on the offense so each and every week
somebody has a breakout game," Dwyer said.

The Yellow Jackets improved on their best start since winning a
national title in 1990 by winning their sixth straight for their
longest winning streak since 2000. They also won a fourth road
game this season, which they hadn't done since 2000.

Vanderbilt (2-7) lost both its fifth straight and any faint
hopes of the first back-to-back bowl berth in school history.
Coach Bobby Johnson has seen Paul Johnson's offense for years,
dating back to their days coaching against each other in the
Southern Conference.

"There is always an edge. You don't feel good about what you're
doing to stop them. We tell our players if you give them a
chance, they'll burn you. They made a good play on a previous
option, and they took advantage of us. That's the pressure that
good offense puts on you," the Vandy coach said.

The Commodores made it exciting, leading 31-28 late in the third
quarter.

Dwyer helped the Yellow Jackets pull away. He scored his second
and third TDs on a pair of 3-yard runs 40 seconds apart at the
end of the third quarter to put Georgia Tech up 42-31. His third
TD was set up by Georgia Tech's second recovered fumble on
defense.

"The defense got us fired up," Nesbitt said. "That was the spark
we were looking for the whole game, and we really didn't make
any adjustments."

Georgia Tech was coming off a dominant performance at Virginia
to grab sole possession of the Atlantic Coast Conference's
Coastal Division.

Nesbitt scored the first two TDs for Georgia Tech, capping the
opening drive with a 4-yard run and opening the second quarter
with a 1-yard plunge. His second TD was the first of 21 straight
points as Georgia Tech grabbed a 28-14 lead before halftime.
Nesbitt connected with Demaryius Thomas on a 35-yard TD pass,
and Dwyer ran for a 13-yard TD.

Later, Nesbitt helped polish the victory off with a perfect pass
to Embry Peeples that went for 87 yards and a 49-31 lead.
Nesbitt finished 6 of 13 for 193 yards, with six carries for 56
yards before being replaced midway through the fourth.

Roddy Jones also added a 15-yard TD run.

It was the most points Vandy has allowed since a 56-30 loss to
Kentucky in 2001. The loss also spoiled what had been
Vanderbilt's best offensive performance since a 36-17 win over
Rice on Sept. 26.

The Commodores hadn't scored more than 10 in any Southeastern
Conference game, but a pair of freshmen sparked Vandy even as it
lost starting quarterback Larry Smith to a pulled left hamstring
in the first quarter.

Warren Norman caught an 11-yard TD pass to cap the opening
drive, and he returned a kickoff 80 yards for his second
straight game with a kickoff return for a TD and his third this
season - a school first. He also joined Willie Gault as the only
SEC players with three kickoff returns for TDs in a single
season. Gault did it for Tennessee in 1980.

Zac Stacy, who had scored on a 3-yard TD run in the first, ran
62 yards to tie the game at 28 just before halftime.

But the Commodores had to settle for a field goal to open the
third, and that was the last points they could manage.]]></description>
				<category><![CDATA[ncaaf]]></category>
				<link>http://areyouwatchingthis.com/ncaaf/news/130505-No-11-Georgia-Tech-downs-Vanderbilt-56-31</link>
				<guid>http://areyouwatchingthis.com/ncaaf/news/130505-No-11-Georgia-Tech-downs-Vanderbilt-56-31</guid>
				<pubDate>Sun, 01 Nov 2009 09:01:47 GMT</pubDate>
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				<title><![CDATA[Georgia Tech ready to go 2-0 against SEC this year]]></title>
				<description><![CDATA[By TERESA M. WALKER
AP Sports Writer

NASHVILLE, Tenn.(AP) -- It sure sounds like Georgia Tech coach
Paul Johnson has something against the Southeastern Conference.

"We're not supposed to be able to compete," Johnson said of SEC
teams.

He's doing better than that.

Johnson and his Yellow Jackets of the Atlantic Coast Conference
went 2-1 against the SEC last year in his inaugural season, and
he already has a second straight victory over Mississippi State
this season. Now 11th-ranked Georgia Tech (7-1) visits
Vanderbilt (2-6) on Saturday night before the annual grudge
match against Georgia to wrap up the regular season.

Georgia Tech was a charter member of the SEC but left the league
in 1964.

The Yellow Jackets currently sit atop the ACC Coastal Division,
and he said it is important for a program in the heart of SEC
country in Atlanta where that league plays its annual
championship game.

"Our guys take pride in it because they hear all the time about
how tough the SEC is and how much speed and those kind of
things. It's something we look forward to measuring our guys
against, I think," Johnson said.

Georgia Tech has enough to measure right now.

The Yellow Jackets are off to their best start since opening
7-0-1 in 1990 on their way to a national title. They have won
five straight and a victory Saturday night would give them their
longest winning streak since 2000. They haven't been ranked this
high since 2001.

Vanderbilt is struggling with four straight losses, and another
ends the Commodores' bid at the first consecutive bowl
appearances in school history. The Georgia Tech coach is
focusing on Vandy's defense, which allows only 17.8 points per
game.

"They usually don't beat themselves," he said.

Commodores coach Bobby Johnson knows the spread option used by
Paul Johnson well from their days coaching against each other in
the Southern Conference. But stopping the run is the one
weakness for Vandy's defense. The Commodores rank 85th
nationally and allows 164.1 yards rushing per game.

"The main thing you do is don't give up the easy plays," Bobby
Johnson said. "If they make the easy plays and then they keep it
for eight or nine minutes the next time, you just don't have a
chance to catch up. They don't plod along. They're very exotic.
And they become a four-down team very early, probably when they
cross the 50."

That isn't good against an offense that runs for 291.6 yards per
game, second in the country. That is why Georgia Tech leads the
country in time of possession, and the Yellow Jackets are coming
off a 34-9 win at Virginia in which they rolled up 447 yards and
held the ball for more than 42 minutes.

The Commodores are eager for the challenge, especially with the
return of defensive end Steven Stone from a broken foot a week
ago in a 14-10 loss to South Carolina. Tackle Greg Billinger
loves the challenge of the Yellow Jackets' offensive line, which
features big guards and athletic tackles.

Then there's running backs Jonathan Dwyer, who ran for 125 yards
last week, and Anthony Allen, who had 103. Even junior
quarterback Josh Nesbitt ran for a pair of TDs in the last game,
while Demaryius Thomas leads the ACC with 93.4 yards receiving
per game.

"It's a lot of smash-mouth football," Billinger said. "With
that, they put in a lot of things to keep you off balance, like
sweeps and stuff like that. You can be caught unaware."

That means Vanderbilt will have to do something it hasn't done
much of this season: Hold the ball. The Commodores haven't
scored more than 10 points in any SEC game, and they are 117th
nationally holding the ball for 26 minutes, 42 seconds.

"We've been averaging around 70 or so plays," Vandy center
Bradley Vierling said. "So that's what we're going to shoot
for."]]></description>
				<category><![CDATA[ncaaf]]></category>
				<link>http://areyouwatchingthis.com/ncaaf/news/130092-Georgia-Tech-ready-to-go-2-0-against-SEC-this-year</link>
				<guid>http://areyouwatchingthis.com/ncaaf/news/130092-Georgia-Tech-ready-to-go-2-0-against-SEC-this-year</guid>
				<pubDate>Fri, 30 Oct 2009 19:31:12 GMT</pubDate>
			</item>
		
			<item>
				<title><![CDATA[Georgia Tech-Vanderbilt Preview]]></title>
				<description><![CDATA[By KATE HEDLIN
STATS Writer

No. 11 Georgia Tech (7-1) at Vanderbilt (2-6), 7:30 p.m. EDT

After giving itself a big boost in reaching the ACC title game,
Georgia Tech will take a break from conference play this
weekend, trying to avoid an upset.

The No. 11 Yellow Jackets will try to maintain the momentum of
their recent big win Saturday when they visit struggling
Vanderbilt.

Georgia Tech (7-1) became a favorite to win the conference over
the weekend after Saturday's 34-9 victory over Virginia, which
entered the game unbeaten in ACC play. The win, combined with
Miami's loss to Clemson, gave the Yellow Jackets control of
their own fate. With two more wins, they would clinch the
Coastal Division and a spot in the conference title game that
awards a Bowl Championship Series berth to the winner.

"It's a good situation," coach Paul Johnson said.

He added, though, that he doesn't consider the outcome a
foregone conclusion.

"I think the conference race was still wide open and I think
it's still wide open," Johnson said. "I mean you could make a
case that Miami could still win, Duke could win, Virginia could
still win, Virginia Tech. I think the only team that has been
eliminated really is North Carolina, probably."

Johnson and the Yellow Jackets won't move any closer to
clinching the division title this weekend, playing SEC foe
Vanderbilt (2-6), but that's unlikely to change how they
approach the game. Georgia Tech is one of the nation's most
prolific running teams and it will be facing a Vanderbilt
defense that is giving up 164.4 yards per game on the ground.

The Yellow Jackets are coming off another big rushing
performance after rolling up 362 yards against the Cavaliers.
Jonathan Dwyer led the team with 125 yards on 25 carries, while
Anthony Allen and quarterback Josh Nesbitt each ran for two
touchdowns.

Nesbitt has rushed for 11 touchdowns and 707 of Georgia Tech's
Football Subdivision-leading 2,333 yards on the ground.

"He's way better now than he was a year ago," Johnson said of
Nesbitt, who is fourth in the conference in rushing yards. "The
more you do things, the better you're going to get at them."

Johnson also has to be pleased with the effort on defense last
weekend. After giving up 300 or more yards and more than 20
points in each of the previous three games, the Yellow Jackets
limited Virginia to just 198 yards of total offense and the
defense was on the field barely more than 17 minutes.

Georgia Tech leads the nation in time of possession while
Vanderbilt (2-6) has held the ball the fourth-fewest minutes in
the FBS.

"It will be a challenge for both our offense and defense to step
up and give us a chance to win," Vanderbilt coach Bobby Johnson
said. "To do that, we will obviously have to stop a high-powered
offense. I don't think I've seen as many big plays by an offense
in a year that I've seen from them. It's been very impressive."

With an upset in mind, the Commodores have been held to 40
points during their current four-game losing streak. Two of
those losses came to ranked teams, including a 14-10 defeat at
then-No. 23 South Carolina on Saturday.

"We should have won," linebacker Brent Trice said. "We came in
with a good game plan and practiced hard this week. We came in
feeling good, started the game with some intensity but just
couldn't finish it."

The Commodores, who yielded a season-high 431 yards in the loss
to the Gamecocks, have allowed at least 119 rushing yards to
every FBS opponent.

Georgia Tech hasn't lost to Vanderbilt since 1941, going 10-0-1
since. This is the third meeting between the two since 1967 and
first since 2003.]]></description>
				<category><![CDATA[ncaaf]]></category>
				<link>http://areyouwatchingthis.com/ncaaf/news/129269-Georgia-Tech-Vanderbilt-Preview</link>
				<guid>http://areyouwatchingthis.com/ncaaf/news/129269-Georgia-Tech-Vanderbilt-Preview</guid>
				<pubDate>Tue, 27 Oct 2009 13:58:31 GMT</pubDate>
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				<title><![CDATA[Gamecocks snap 2-game losing streak to Vanderbilt]]></title>
				<description><![CDATA[By PETE IACOBELLI
AP Sports Writer

COLUMBIA, S.C.(AP) -- Alshon Jeffery called his own number on
South Carolina's winning touchdown.

Steve Spurrier might let his young receiver do more of it for
the 23rd-ranked Gamecocks (6-2, 3-2 Southeastern Conference) the
rest of the year.

"What I like about Alshon is he'll come over and suggest plays,"
Spurrier said. "Alshon has a feel for the game."

His 43-yard fourth-quarter touchdown catch gave the Gamecocks a
14-10 win over Vanderbilt and broke a two-game losing streak to
the Commodores (2-6, 0-5).

Jeffery finished with eight catches for 161 yards, the second
time in three games he surpassed the 100-yard mark. His effort
was necessary with senior wideout Moe Brown still recovering
from a concussion suffered on a hit in the loss at Alabama last
week.

Jeffery's catch capped a 99-yard drive that got started on Tori
Gurley's one-armed, 43-yard catch from South Carolina's 1.

Then Jeffery told Spurrier that he'd use a double move to get
free of Vanderbilt's secondary. Garcia "threw a perfect ball,"
Jeffery said. "Once I caught it, I knew I was going to score."

It was Jeffery's fifth touchdown in South Carolina's past four
games, necessary when the Gamecocks once again came out flat
against Vanderbilt.

"I know it wasn't pretty, but it was a real good win over a
tough Vandy team," Spurrier said.

Earlier, Garcia had a 35-yard touchdown pass to freshman D.L.
Moore.

The Commodores got the ball one last time with 4 minutes left
and drove to South Carolina's 25. However, quarterback Larry
Smith was called for intentional grounding on 3rd down, then did
not get close to the necessary yardage on fourth-and-32.

"We should have won," Vanderbilt linebacker Brent Trice said.
"We came in with a good game plan and practiced hard this week.
We came in feeling good, started the game with some intensity
but just couldn't finish it."

The Commodores haven't scored more than 10 points in an SEC game
yet.

Spurrier was a perfect 14-0 over Vandy until 2007 when the heavy
underdogs upset the then-sixth ranked Gamecocks 17-6.

The Commodores backed it up a season later, defeating another
ranked South Carolina squad 24-17. They almost made it three in
a row, but instead lost their sixth straight SEC game.

Ryan Fowler's 21-yard field goal in the third quarter put the
Commodores ahead 10-7 and for a while, it looked like a mix of
stellar defense and special teams play would keep them out
front.

South Carolina had only one first down on its first three
possessions of the third quarter. Vanderbilt punter Brett Upson
kept the Gamecocks pinned with boots of 57 yards and 64 yards.
Two of his punts were downed at the 1.

But after South Carolina's go-ahead touchdown, Vanderbilt's
struggling offense could not rebound.

Garcia completed 22 of 33 passes for 312 yards. Freshman Kenny
Miles had 102 yards rushing on 18 carries.

Garcia had his second 300 yard game this season. But said he and
the Gamecocks "need to play a lot better if we're going to beat
Tennessee" next week.

The school honored its 1969 Atlantic Coast Conference champions
and its 1984 "Black Magic" team that was the only one in history
to win 10 games.

If not for a couple of official reviews, the uninspired
Gamecocks might have left the field at halftime trailing instead
of tied 7-7.

Miles appeared to fumble on South Carolina's fourth snap with
Vanderbilt's Patrick Benoist grabbing it deep in Gamecocks
territory.

But the officials in the replay booth said Miles was down before
the ball got away and South Carolina's drive continued.

The Gamecocks finally broke through on Garcia's touchdown pass
to Moore, who juggled the ball and didn't look like he had full
possession until his right foot stepped on the inbounds line.

Another official review - and another call for the Gamecocks,
who took a 7-0 lead.

"I believe the Lord was smiling on the Gamecocks," Spurrier
said.

That didn't last long, however, as freshman Warren Norman went
99 yards for a touchdown on South Carolina's kickoff to tie
things.

Norman became the first Commodores player since Vanderbilt began
playing football in 1890 with two kickoff return TDs in a
season.

Vanderbilt had just 112 yards of offense in the opening half.
They best series came when the Commodores drove 65 yards to
South Carolina's 8. But Fowler missed a 25-yard field goal try.

Spurrier, who won his 105th SEC game to tie Georgia's Vince
Dooley for third in the conference, was asked about that
distinction. He said he was more impressed that South Carolina
had won five straight SEC games at home - best in school
history.

"That's a record, right?" Spurrier said. "I like that one
better."]]></description>
				<category><![CDATA[ncaaf]]></category>
				<link>http://areyouwatchingthis.com/ncaaf/news/128763-Gamecocks-snap-2-game-losing-streak-to-Vanderbilt</link>
				<guid>http://areyouwatchingthis.com/ncaaf/news/128763-Gamecocks-snap-2-game-losing-streak-to-Vanderbilt</guid>
				<pubDate>Sun, 25 Oct 2009 03:49:30 GMT</pubDate>
			</item>
		
			<item>
				<title><![CDATA[Gamecocks ready to end slide against Vanderbilt]]></title>
				<description><![CDATA[By PETE IACOBELLI
AP Sports Writer

COLUMBIA, S.C.(AP) -- Ladi Adjiboye saw South Carolina's fade
coming two years ago, even if few others did.

Adjiboye was a promising freshman defensive tackle on the 2007
Gamecocks who started 6-1 and rose to No. 6 in the country.
Coach Steve Spurrier looked like he had delivered on his promise
to turn middle-of-the-pack South Carolina into Southeastern
Conference contenders.

The Gamecocks were double-digit favorites, but came out flat.
They lost 17-6 and did not win another game that year.

"I think that ranking really got to some of our players' heads"
two years ago, Adjiboye said. "We didn't practice as hard. We
felt like that game was supposed to be won, instead of earned."

Now, the 23rd-ranked Gamecocks (5-2, 2-2 SEC) are again highly
favored to defeat the Commodores (2-5, 0-4) at home and Adjiboye
says the team is on much higher alert for Saturday night's game,
ready to show they've come a long way since that loss.

"I feel like, this has got to be the game we step up and become
new (South) Carolina," he said.

Two years ago here at Williams-Brice Stadium, the Commodores
defeated their highest ranked foe in 70 years and ended
Spurrier's 14-0 career mark against the school he likes to call,
"Vandy."

To prove it wasn't a fluke, they did it again in 2008, handing
the ranked Gamecocks to a 24-17 defeat.

Spurrier is telling anyone who'll listen that South Carolina is
closer in talent and stature to Vanderbilt and Kentucky, long
considered SEC football doormats, than to league powers Florida,
Alabama and LSU.

One play here or there, Spurrier says, and close victories over
Ole Miss and Kentucky this season become SEC losses. The
Gamecocks aren't yet good enough - and haven't been for much of
Spurrier's five seasons - to show up and dominate opponents.

"I know you guys think I can control everything that happens out
there," Spurrier said. "But it just doesn't happen that way."

If he could, he surely wouldn't have allowed South Carolina's
last two flops against Vanderbilt

In 2007, Vanderbilt broke out to a 17-0 lead in the first
quarter and its defense took over the rest of the way. South
Carolina quarterback Chris Smelley was intercepted twice. He and
replacement lake Mitchell were sacked seven times. Spurrier's
offense was held under 200 yards and the head ball coach
commented after that it wouldn't have mattered "who played
quarterback."

Then last year, the Commodores overcame a 10-3 deficit and
forced Smelley into two interceptions to pull out the 24-17
victory in what was a landmark season. Vanderbilt had its first
winning record since 1982 and capped things with a 16-14 win
over Boston College in the Music City Bowl - its first
postseason victory in 53 years.

These Commodores, though, have taken a step back this season.
They haven't scored more than 10 points in any of their four SEC
defeats. They rank last in SEC scoring and next-to-last in total
offense. Their best chance may have been sneaking up on the Top
25 Gamecocks - an impossibility, Adjiboye says, given South
Carolina's long memories of the past two defeats.

"I don't see anybody's head down," he said. "That's a different
thing to see since I've been here."

Vanderbilt coach Bobby Johnson says his players aren't hanging
their heads, either.

The Columbia native would love another moment like that
sun-splashed victory two years ago in front of several friends
and mentors, including former Furman and North Carolina State
coach Dick Sheridan. First, though, he simply hopes to see a
surge in effort and execution.

"I think it's pretty obvious what our job is for this week,"
Johnson said. "We have to pick ourselves up off the turf and get
back to work and see if we can improve as a football team."

Spurrier hopes South Carolina has, too, since its last two
losses to Vanderbilt. He likes what he's watched so far - the
Gamecocks are fourth overall in SEC defense and have improved in
scoring and rushing this season - and hopes it won't slacken
down the stretch.

"We have to play hard and play with a lot of courage and effort
and smarts," Spurrier said. "If we can do that, I'll be happy
with our team."]]></description>
				<category><![CDATA[ncaaf]]></category>
				<link>http://areyouwatchingthis.com/ncaaf/news/128418-Gamecocks-ready-to-end-slide-against-Vanderbilt</link>
				<guid>http://areyouwatchingthis.com/ncaaf/news/128418-Gamecocks-ready-to-end-slide-against-Vanderbilt</guid>
				<pubDate>Fri, 23 Oct 2009 19:46:29 GMT</pubDate>
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				<title><![CDATA[Vanderbilt-South Carolina Preview]]></title>
				<description><![CDATA[Vanderbilt (2-5) at No. 24 South Carolina (5-2), 7:00 p.m. EDT

South Carolina coach Steve Spurrier doesn't have to do much to
make sure the No. 23 Gamecocks don't take Vanderbilt lightly
this weekend - just slip in the tape of the last two times the
teams have played.

"They outplayed us the last two years. That's why they've beaten
us, simple as that. They've outplayed us, outcoached us, outhit
us," Spurrier said Tuesday.

And he has some other words that might make Gamecocks fans
cringe. After all, the Commodores have been considered the
doormat of the Southeastern Conference long before South
Carolina joined 17 years ago.

"We all know that as close as our teams are, one or two plays
determines it," Spurrier said.

Defensive tackle Ladi Ajiboye said the Gamecocks took Vanderbilt
lightly the past two years, a costly mistake for a team that's
never had a lot of room for error.

"Every time we lose to them, I feel like we go downhill,"
Ajiboye said.

South Carolina is just now climbing out of a tailspin the
Commodores sent them in to in 2007. Back then, the Gamecocks
came into the Vanderbilt game 6-1 and ranked No. 6 in the
country. They lost 17-6, beginning a five game losing streak to
end the season without even a bowl bid.

The teams played in the SEC opener the next season, and
Vanderbilt's 24-17 win was the Gamecocks sixth loss in seven
games and in an up-and-down season that ended with a loss to
Iowa in the Outback Bowl. The Commodores ended up in a bowl for
the first time in 26 years, beating Boston College in the Music
City Bowl.

But things seem to be returning to normal this year in a series
where the Gamecocks have won 14 of 18 games. Vanderbilt has yet
to win an SEC game this season, and a loss to South Carolina
would mean the Commodores (2-5, 0-4 SEC) would have to win their
final four, including at No. 2 Florida, to make their first ever
back-to-back bowl appearances.

The Gamecocks (5-2, 2-2) become bowl eligible with a win and
have been ranked in the top 25 for three consecutive weeks for
the first time since tumbling out of the rankings a few weeks
after the 2007 Vanderbilt loss.

Commodores coach Bobby Johnson is ignoring the winning streak
over South Carolina, instead concentrating on how to get his
offense, which is averaging about seven points in each SEC game.

"We need to play as well as we can play this Saturday. We need
to worry about Vanderbilt and not South Carolina and see if we
can make the Commodores a little better this week," Johnson
said.

When pressed about whether he has figured out how to beat the
Gamecocks, Johnson appeared to agree with Spurrier's assessment
that the teams are just a few plays apart.

"We just know that we had to fight, scratch and claw and hang in
there at the end of the game, "Johnson said. "That's exactly
what we did the last two times we played against them. We played
well in the fourth quarter of both of those contests and that's
why we pulled them out."

One bright spot for Vanderbilt is its pass defense, which is a
fraction of a yard away from leading the SEC at 133.6 yards a
game. The Gamecocks have struggled to get their running game
going at times, relying on Stephen Garcia, who has thrown more
passes this season than any other SEC quarterback. The sophomore
also won't have his favorite target, receiver Moe Brown, who
Spurrier said will miss the next two games after suffering a
severe concussion in the Alabama game.

"We're still trying to run," said Spurrier, who thinks his
team's SEC-leading 20 sacks allowed makes his ground game look
worse than it really is. "We're going run and mix it up this
week."

South Carolina center Lemuel Jeanpierre has watched plenty of
video on the Commodores and is impressed with how smart the
defense is and how the players don't quit even when they
appeared to be blocked out of a play. The senior gives a lot of
the credit to Johnson and the staff he brought to Vanderbilt for
turning around a team that used to be easy to overlook.

"They're trying to change their outlook like we are, to be a
presence in the SEC," Jeanpierre said.]]></description>
				<category><![CDATA[ncaaf]]></category>
				<link>http://areyouwatchingthis.com/ncaaf/news/127740-Vanderbilt-South-Carolina-Preview</link>
				<guid>http://areyouwatchingthis.com/ncaaf/news/127740-Vanderbilt-South-Carolina-Preview</guid>
				<pubDate>Tue, 20 Oct 2009 23:26:05 GMT</pubDate>
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				<title><![CDATA[Defense gets 3 sacks, Georgia beats Vandy 34-10]]></title>
				<description><![CDATA[By TERESA M. WALKER
AP Sports Writer

NASHVILLE, Tenn.(AP) -- The Georgia Bulldogs are back on the
winning track, getting a nice little tuneup just in time before
their game against top-ranked Florida.

Joe Cox threw two touchdown passes, including one to Caleb King
who scored twice, and Georgia beat Vanderbilt 34-10 on Saturday
to snap a two-game skid.

The Bulldogs (4-3, 3-2 Southeastern Conference) came to the
right place to end their longest skid since the 2006 season.
Vanderbilt (2-5, 0-4) managed its most points against an SEC
defense this season, but Georgia has dominated this series and
won for the 14th time in 15 seasons.

Cox started slowly, missing on his first four passes with one
intercepted. The senior got going with a short toss out to the
league's top receiver, and A.J. Green took it 65 yards untouched
for a TD in the first as the Bulldogs never trailed.

This was Georgia's second straight trip to the Volunteer State
coming off a 45-19 loss at Tennessee three hours east. The
Bulldogs' two-game skid was their first since dropping games to
Florida and Kentucky in consecutive weeks in 2006.

Georgia, which came in ranked 100th nationally in scoring
defense, came up with three sacks and an interception that set
up the Bulldogs' first TD.

Now the Bulldogs go into their open date having improved the
series record against Vanderbilt to 50-18-2 and coach Mark Richt
now 8-1 with a nice boost of confidence for an offense that had
scored just two TDs in the previous 11 quarters.

The Bulldogs will play Florida on Oct. 31.

Georgia outgained Vanderbilt 399-296 on offense, and it came
against a Commodores defense ranked 22nd nationally. Vanderbilt
had been allowing just 288.3 yards per game and was even
stingier against the pass, second in the country. Cox finished
16 of 31 for 226 yards.

The TD pass to Green was the longest in the careers for both,
and that seemed to get the senior quarterback going. He
completed three straight passes to set up Caleb King's 2-yard TD
run in the second for a 14-3 lead. Cox later helped clinch the
win with a screen pass to Caleb King that the running back took
21 yards for a 27-10 lead.

Blair Walsh kicked two field goals, and Fred Munzenmaier added a
9-yard TD run for Georgia.

Vanderbilt tried a few tricks looking for its first SEC win and
to keep alive its faint hopes of the first back-to-back bowl
berths in school history. Coach Bobby Johnson faked a punt,
letting Brett Upson run for a first down at midfield and got it.
He also tried to boost his offense by starting Jamie Graham at
wide receiver for the first time this season after focusing
solely on defense.

It wasn't enough as the Commodores lost their third straight.
They got within the Georgia 28 twice in the first half and had
to settle for a 41-yard field goal from Ryan Fowler while
turning it over on downs on the other drive.

They opened the third quarter with their longest drive this
season, eating up four minutes, 16 seconds before Smith found
Brandon Barden with a 5-yard TD pass that was just his third of
2009.

Georgia immediately answered with a drive capped by Walsh's
second field goal, a 43-yarder for a 20-10 lead.

A week after Brandon Boykin scored on a kickoff return, Prince
Miller provided the excitement on punt returns. He had a
55-yarder in the first half, and his 40-yarder to the Vanderbilt
31 at the start of the fourth quarter set up Cox's final TD
pass.]]></description>
				<category><![CDATA[ncaaf]]></category>
				<link>http://areyouwatchingthis.com/ncaaf/news/127056-Defense-gets-3-sacks-Georgia-beats-Vandy-34-10</link>
				<guid>http://areyouwatchingthis.com/ncaaf/news/127056-Defense-gets-3-sacks-Georgia-beats-Vandy-34-10</guid>
				<pubDate>Sat, 17 Oct 2009 20:04:14 GMT</pubDate>
			</item>
		
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				<title><![CDATA[RB suspended after police stun him during arrest]]></title>
				<description><![CDATA[NASHVILLE, Tenn.(AP) -- Vanderbilt has suspended sophomore running
back Jermaine Doster indefinitely following his arrest by
Nashville police in which they used an electonic stun device to
stop him during an early morning fight.

Coach Bobby Johnson confirmed the suspension Tuesday.

Doster was charged with resisting arrest and disorderly conduct
after police noticed a fight in downtown Nashville. Doster
followed some people across the street. The arrest affidavit
says Doster kept fighting and officers had to use a stun gun to
stop him.

The Tampa, Fla., native was suspended for the 2008 season after
being charged with three misdemeanors for refusing to leave a
Florida night club. He is the younger brother of the late Kwane
Doster, a Vanderbilt running back shot to death in Tampa in
2004.]]></description>
				<category><![CDATA[ncaaf]]></category>
				<link>http://areyouwatchingthis.com/ncaaf/news/126250-RB-suspended-after-police-stun-him-during-arrest</link>
				<guid>http://areyouwatchingthis.com/ncaaf/news/126250-RB-suspended-after-police-stun-him-during-arrest</guid>
				<pubDate>Tue, 13 Oct 2009 17:18:23 GMT</pubDate>
			</item>
		
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				<title><![CDATA[Army beats Vanderbilt 16-13 in overtime]]></title>
				<description><![CDATA[WEST POINT, N.Y.(AP) -- What a difference a week made for Alex
Carlton.

Carlton kicked a 42-yard field goal in overtime Saturday to give
Army a 16-13 victory over Vanderbilt, just a week after missing
a potential game-winner against Tulane.

"It was the complete opposite feeling that I had last week,"
Carlton said. "After it went in, I don't know, it got kind of
crazy down there. Everybody was hitting me on the head. It was
just a great feeling."

The field goal, which hit the left upright, was Carlton's third
of the game. He also kicked a 51-yarder in the second quarter,
Army's longest field goal since 1994.

"I'm not surprised it came down to the last play and then some,
but also not surprised we found a way to win," Army coach Rich
Ellerson said.

With the win, the Black Knights (3-3) matched their victory
total from each of the last three seasons. It was Armys first
win over a BCS opponent since 2006, and it delighted the 34,357
fans at Michie Stadium, including Gen. David H. Petraeus, leader
of the U.S. Central Command who was celebrating his 35th class
reunion at West Point.

"We're a program on the verge of tipping the right way," junior
linebacker Stephen Anderson said. "This was the best true-team
win that we've had this season."

Vanderbilt (2-4) forced the game into overtime when Ryan Fowler
hit a 41-yard field goal with less than 52 seconds remaining for
a 13-13 tie. Quarterback Larry Smith went 4-for-7 for 79 yards
on that drive, but Vanderbilt had a potential touchdown called
back because of offensive pass interference by Udom Umoh. It was
the second would-be Commodores TD negated by a penalty, and
Vanderbilt was penalized 12 times for 99 yards.

"We had penalties, and we were very inconsistent in our
execution," Vanderbilt coach Bobby Johnson said. "When we got
big plays, somehow we figured out a way to get a penalty to
bring it back."

The Commodores' opening possession of overtime fell short when
Andrew Rodriguez forced Warren Norman to fumble at the 1-yard
line, with the ball falling into the end zone for a touchback.

"I was chasing him from behind, and he popped through a gap,"
Rodriguez said. "And I think he thought he was in. It looked
like he let up a little bit, so I just attacked the ball and it
came out and rolled through the back of the end zone."

Smith finished 11-for-24 with 144 yards and two interceptions.

Quarterback Trent Steelman led Army with 97 yards rushing on 25
carries.

Army opened the scoring with that 51-yard field goal with 6:22
remaining in the first half.

Vandy threatened on its opening drive of the second half, with
Smith's 18-yard pass to John Cole placing the Commodores at
Army's 5-yard line. But the Black Knights kept Vanderbilt out of
the end zone as the Commodores tied the game at 3 with Fowler's
19-yard field goal.

Both teams saved their offense for the fourth quarter.

Steelman surged into the end zone for a 2-yard touchdown just 46
seconds into the final quarter for a 10-3 Army lead.

"I have to say that was one of the craziest touchdown runs I've
had," Steelman said. "I had everybody pushing me left and right
trying to find my way into the end zone."

Army, however, was forced to kick from its own 15 after Jason
Johnson removed his helmet in celebration, earning a 15-yard
penalty. That proved costly as Norman returned that kickoff 76
yards for a touchdown

But Donovan Travis' fourth interception of the season set up
Carlton's 23-yard field goal midway through the fourth quarter
to give Army a 13-10 advantage, an edge erased by Fowler's
last-minute field-goal to tie it at 13.

"It's kind of a storybook ending for the week we've been
through," Ellerson said. "We came back with a purpose."]]></description>
				<category><![CDATA[ncaaf]]></category>
				<link>http://areyouwatchingthis.com/ncaaf/news/125675-Army-beats-Vanderbilt-16-13-in-overtime</link>
				<guid>http://areyouwatchingthis.com/ncaaf/news/125675-Army-beats-Vanderbilt-16-13-in-overtime</guid>
				<pubDate>Sat, 10 Oct 2009 22:53:56 GMT</pubDate>
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				<title><![CDATA[Snead's 3 TDs help No. 21 Ole Miss top Vandy 23-7]]></title>
				<description><![CDATA[By TERESA M. WALKER
AP Sports Writer

NASHVILLE, Tenn.(AP) -- The Mississippi Rebels will need better
than this from Jevan Snead against No. 3 Alabama. Not that coach
Houston Nutt is complaining much after a win.

Snead passed for three touchdowns to overcome his three
interceptions as No. 21 Mississippi bounced back Saturday night
with a 23-7 victory over Vanderbilt.

"I think he would be the first to tell you that we can't have
some of those mistakes that he made in the second half," Nutt
said. "We were executing the offense very well to start, then we
started forcing things and he needs to either drop it off to the
back or throw it away."

Snead threw for just one touchdown in last week's 16-10 loss to
South Carolina, a game that dropped the Rebels (3-1, 1-1 SEC)
from a No. 4 ranking that had been their highest since 1970. He
matched his season high with three TDs against Vanderbilt in
helping the Rebels to their best start since 2002 when they
opened 5-1.

"Last weekend at South Carolina was very disappointing for us,
so we had to pull it back together," Nutt said. "We needed this
win tonight in the worst way."

The Commodores (2-3, 0-2) picked off four Snead passes a year
ago in Oxford, Miss. They nearly matched that with Jamie Graham,
Casey Heyward and Myron Lewis each intercepting a pass.

But Ole Miss' Marcus Temple intercepted Larry Smith in the end
zone with 10:55 left to help preserve a 23-7 lead.

The Rebels host the Crimson Tide next Saturday in a crucial SEC
West showdown.

Mississippi outgained Vanderbilt 397-240 and held the ball for
nearly 36 minutes. The Commodores disintegrated twice inside the
Ole Miss 20 in the first half. They missed two field goal
attempts and finished with an uncharacteristic 12 penalties for
74 yards - their most since 14 on Oct. 12, 2003.

"It was disheartening for the team and our fans," Vanderbilt
coach Bobby Johnson. "We have a lot of work to do."

Ole Miss did its part, sacking Smith four times. Nutt said he
thought his defense was outstanding, though Vandy had scored
only 12 points combined in its two previous SEC games.

"We put their offense in some bad situations tonight," Nutt
said.

Snead came in having completed 49.3 percent of his passes and
ranked 65th nationally in passing efficiency. He looked much
more like the quarterback who led the Rebels to a Cotton Bowl
win as he guided them to three scoring drives in the first half,
and he did it against a Vanderbilt defense that came in ranked
third nationally in passing efficiency defense.

He had two TD passes in the second quarter. His best throw of
the night, a 48-yarder down the right sideline to Shay Hodge on
third-and-16, set up his 12-yard TD pass to Brandon Bolden for a
17-0 halftime lead.

He made it 23-0 by capping the Rebels' opening drive of the
third quarter with a 7-yard TD to Hodge, his second of the game.
Snead finished 19 of 34 for 237 yards, all season highs. The
three interceptions also were a season high, and Snead said he
forced a couple.

"That's just something I will have to watch film for and just
throw the ball away next time that happens," Snead said.

Johnson said Snead played much better than a year ago, making
some tough throws into tight coverage.

"That's hard to beat when somebody's throwing that good. We
switched up some coverages, and he didn't seem to adjust much
and threw us three of them," Johnson said.

Vanderbilt came in with a defense ranked 19th nationally, giving
up 266 yards, and nearly played its way back into the game with
two interceptions after Ole Miss went up 23-0. Heyward's
interception midway through the third set up Vandy's lone
touchdown, a 7-yard pass from Smith to Udom Umoh for the
receiver's first career TD catch.

When Smith had a chance to cut into the Ole Miss lead again
after a 48-yard run by Warren Norman to the Rebels 6, Temple
tipped and intercepted a pass to end the threat early in the
fourth.]]></description>
				<category><![CDATA[ncaaf]]></category>
				<link>http://areyouwatchingthis.com/ncaaf/news/124319-Sneads-3-TDs-help-No-21-Ole-Miss-top-Vandy-23-7</link>
				<guid>http://areyouwatchingthis.com/ncaaf/news/124319-Sneads-3-TDs-help-No-21-Ole-Miss-top-Vandy-23-7</guid>
				<pubDate>Sun, 04 Oct 2009 03:35:04 GMT</pubDate>
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				<title><![CDATA[Dores hope to hurt Snead for 2nd straight year]]></title>
				<description><![CDATA[By TERESA M. WALKER
AP Sports Writer

NASHVILLE, Tenn.(AP) -- Jevan Snead didn't even turn on a TV,
declining to listen to all the talk about the Mississippi
Rebels' fall. Teammate Kentrell Lockett soaked in every comment.

Call it fuel for the defensive tackle's personal fire.

"I wanted to hear what everybody had to say, I wanted to read
what everybody said also, and just listen to it for the day and
see how everybody else regarded us and how everybody saw us and
how they portrayed us just from that one game," Lockett said.

"How many times have we been in this predicament before and
people be talking down about us and just saying whatever we
could have been and what didn't happen, and just take it and use
it as motivation and fuel for the next game and motivation to
show this guy who said we couldn't do it and we were overrated."

That game was a 16-10 loss at South Carolina, which tumbled
Mississippi from the No. 4 ranking that had been its highest
since October 1970 down to 21st. If the Rebels weren't hurting
enough, they had to start preparing for Saturday night's trip to
Vanderbilt with plenty of reminders of last season's 23-17 loss
to the Commodores.

"There's a lot of frustration that needs to be released down in
Nashville, a lot of frustration," Lockett said.

Vanderbilt forced six turnovers in that game, picking off four
Snead passes, as the Commodores made their own run at history
with their best start since World War II.

Now it's the Rebels (2-1, 0-1) to match the 5-1 start in 2002
when they opened 5-1 when they visit Vanderbilt (2-2, 0-2) in a
must-win for both Southeastern Conference teams.

"I know they're going to come in here and try to get revenge,"
Vanderbilt safety Sean Richardson said. "Plus, them coming off a
loss, they're going to try to redeem themselves. I know they're
going to play hard," Richardson said.

Ole Miss coach Houston Nutt has been as busy trying to keep his
Rebels from feeling too letdown going against a Vanderbilt team
looking for its third straight win in this series.

"What's critical is that you don't let the bubble burst. People
say that we didn't deserve the No. 4 ranking. They hear all of
those things that are negative. My kids didn't have anything to
do with that ranking," Nutt said. "That is where you have to
just put everything aside and play football."

Nutt's bigger concern is getting Snead untracked. The
quarterback was just 7 of 21 for 107 yards at South Carolina and
is completing a measly 49.3 percent of his passes for 163.7
yards per game. Nutt just wants Snead to settle down and work at
hitting open receivers.

"We want his eyes downfield like he did last year. Just play the
game like he is capable of playing. When he does that, our team
moves. We move the football when that happens," Nutt said.

Nutt isn't talking about where he might put Dexter McCluster,
who led the Rebels in rushing for the first time all season with
85 yards at South Carolina. But McCluster did not catch a pass
for the first time in five games.

"It just depends on the flow of the game, how we are executing,
how we are making first downs and hopefully scoring. He's a
vital part of it," Nutt said.

Vanderbilt will be without Ryan Hamilton, who picked off three
of Snead's passes last season, because he tore a pectoral muscle
away from the bone in a loss at LSU in September.

But Vanderbilt is ranked fifth in the SEC in total defense,
allowing 266 yards. The Commodores rank 12th nationally with 12
sacks, have allowed only one touchdown through the air this
season and are coming off a 36-17 win at Rice in which they
grabbed four interceptions.

The Commodores' biggest challenge will be offensively. They
scored a combined 12 points in losses to LSU and Mississippi
State. Larry Smith is coming off his best game as a quarterback,
but he lost receiver John Cole to a broken hand.

"If we don't clean things up on offense, it's going to be a long
day," Vanderbilt coach Bobby Johnson said.]]></description>
				<category><![CDATA[ncaaf]]></category>
				<link>http://areyouwatchingthis.com/ncaaf/news/123916-Dores-hope-to-hurt-Snead-for-2nd-straight-year</link>
				<guid>http://areyouwatchingthis.com/ncaaf/news/123916-Dores-hope-to-hurt-Snead-for-2nd-straight-year</guid>
				<pubDate>Fri, 02 Oct 2009 17:21:49 GMT</pubDate>
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				<title><![CDATA[Mississippi-Vanderbilt Preview]]></title>
				<description><![CDATA[By ANTHONY GIORNALISTA
STATS Senior Writer

No. 25 Mississippi (2-1) at Vanderbilt (2-2), 7:00 p.m. EDT

Mississippi can count itself as one of the many top-10 teams
that have been upset early on. Now the Rebels hope to join those
other squads with a bounce-back effort of their own.

After tumbling in the rankings, No. 21 Mississippi looks to earn
its first SEC victory of the season Saturday night against
Vanderbilt.

Mississippi (2-1, 0-1) entered its last game ranked fourth, but
a 16-10 loss to South Carolina on Sept. 24 ended an eight-game
winning streak and likely any notion it had of challenging for
the national title.

"I never did sense that we were feeling a lot of pressure,"
coach Houston Nutt said. "Now it is what it is. You've lost your
first conference game. You've got to work hard and win the next
conference game."

Two days later, then-No. 5 Penn State lost to Iowa. The Rebels
and Nittany Lions are among the many highly touted teams that
have fallen victim to unexpected defeats early this season.

Oklahoma was ranked third going into its opener but lost to BYU.
Oklahoma State fell out of the No. 5 spot after a loss to
Houston on Sept. 12, and then-No. 3 Southern California was
upset at Washington the following week.

Those teams, though, went on to win their ensuing games by an
average of 34.0 points.

Mississippi may have a difficult time rebounding unless Jevan
Snead and the offense get back on track. Snead missed six
straight throws during one stretch against the Gamecocks as the
Rebels struggled after averaging 48.5 points and 424.5 yards in
the first two weeks.

Snead had thrown at least two touchdown passes in eight straight
games, but that streak came to an end in front of a national
audience eager to see a player that created a large amount of
buzz entering the season. He went 7 for 21 for 107 yards and has
completed 49.3 percent of his passes on the season.

In 2008, Snead threw for 2,762 yards and 26 TDs while getting
picked off 13 times.

"I don't know really why it's like that right now," Snead said.
"If you'll remember we started off kind of slow last year. I was
hoping to get into a rhythm quicker this year but obviously
haven't been able to do that. That's one of the things we're
trying to correct. We're trying to get into a rhythm not only on
offense, but as a team."

Snead did throw a TD pass, a 45-yarder to Markeith Summers with
9:47 left in the fourth quarter. That gave him at least one in
12 straight games, four shy of Eli Manning's school record.

Vanderbilt (2-2, 0-2) was the last team to hold Snead without a
TD, picking him off four times in a 23-17 win at Mississippi on
Sept. 20, 2008.

While the Rebels' offense must find a way to correct its
mistakes, the team continues to get steady effort from its
defense. Ole Miss held South Carolina to 65 yards on 34 carries
and 285 yards overall.

The Rebels rank second in the SEC in scoring defense, limiting
teams to 12.0 points per game.

Vanderbilt was held to 12 points in losing two straight before
beating Rice 36-17 last Saturday. The Commodores ran the ball 43
times for 216 yards, getting a boost from the return of Jared
Hawkins.

Hawkins, a senior, had 61 yards on 11 carries after missing the
first three games with a foot injury. He's Vanderbilt's top
returning rusher after gaining 623 yards in '08.

"He looked fresh and ready to go," coach Bobby Johnson said.
"It's great to have a tailback with experience out on the field
like Jared has."

Freshmen Warren Norman and Zac Stacy were carrying the load in
Hawkins' absence. Norman had a game-high 119 yards on the ground
against Rice and leads the team with 253.

Stacy saw his playing time decrease with Hawkins' return,
gaining five yards on four carries. He's second on the team with
243 rushing yards.

Vanderbilt had 131 yards on the ground in last year's meeting
with Mississippi, which leads the series 46-35-2.]]></description>
				<category><![CDATA[ncaaf]]></category>
				<link>http://areyouwatchingthis.com/ncaaf/news/123184-Mississippi-Vanderbilt-Preview</link>
				<guid>http://areyouwatchingthis.com/ncaaf/news/123184-Mississippi-Vanderbilt-Preview</guid>
				<pubDate>Tue, 29 Sep 2009 18:26:33 GMT</pubDate>
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				<title><![CDATA[Vanderbilt runs past Rice for easy win, 36-17]]></title>
				<description><![CDATA[HOUSTON(AP) -- Vanderbilt ran the ball 43 times for 216 yards,
scored four rushing touchdowns and beat Rice 36-17 Saturday
night in Houston.

Warren Norman ran the ball 11 times for a game-high 119 yards
and scored a 58-yard touchdown early in the fourth quarter to
break the game open for the Commodores (2-2), who snapped a
two-game losing streak. Kennard Reeves, John Cole and
quarterback Larry Smith each scored on the ground for
Vanderbilt.

Charles Ross had seven carries for 63 yards and a touchdown for
Rice (0-4).

John Thomas Shepherd was one of two quarterbacks who played for
the Owls, who managed just 17 first downs, were intercepted four
times and converted just 3 of 18 times on third down in their
home opener. Shepherd completed 6 of 14 passes for 58 yards and
a touchdown.

Cole scored from 31 yards on a reverse less than three minutes
into the game. Ross ran for a 48-yard TD to tie the game later
in the first quarter, but the Commodores went on to take a 30-10
lead. Reeves' 11-yard touchdown run capped the scoring.]]></description>
				<category><![CDATA[ncaaf]]></category>
				<link>http://areyouwatchingthis.com/ncaaf/news/122638-Vanderbilt-runs-past-Rice-for-easy-win-36-17</link>
				<guid>http://areyouwatchingthis.com/ncaaf/news/122638-Vanderbilt-runs-past-Rice-for-easy-win-36-17</guid>
				<pubDate>Sun, 27 Sep 2009 04:10:27 GMT</pubDate>
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				<title><![CDATA[Mississippi State gets Mullen first SEC win 15-3]]></title>
				<description><![CDATA[NASHVILLE, Tenn.(AP) -- Mississippi State Dan Mullen won his first
game in the Southeastern Conference and didn't care much what it
looked like.

"Any victory is an unbelievable feeling," Mullen said.

Tyson Lee ran 22 yards for a touchdown to seal a 15-3 victory
Saturday against Vanderbilt for Mississippi State's first-year
coach.

Sean Brauchle made three field goals for the Bulldogs, the
longest from 49 yards, and Anthony Dixon rushed for 123 yards on
21 carries.

"We talked about relentless effort, and the fact that we had to
keep punching and keep battling," defensive back Zach Smith
said. That's what we did which caused us to win."

Christian Ducre had 62 rushing yards on nine carries, and
quarterback Chris Relf added 44 yards on nine attempts as the
Bulldogs (2-1, 1-1 Southeastern) gained 259 of their 340 yards
on the ground.

"We were able to run the ball well, and that's a strong point
with our running backs," said Mullen, who was offensive
coordinator for Florida's last two national title teams. "The
defense was able to get off the quickly and get our offense
right back out there."

Vanderbilt (1-2, 0-2) scored after defensive end Tim Fugger
recovered a fumble at Mississippi State's 6. The Commodores
gained three yards on three runs before Ryan Fowler kicked a
20-yard field goal to tie it in the second quarter.

"The best way I can say this is we got it handed to us
(Saturday) night," coach Bobby Johnson said. "They came out and
just were more physical than we were, executed better than we
did, coached better than we did, played better than we did."

The Commodores allowed just two third-down conversions on 15
attempts.

Brauchle made a 44-yard field goal on the first play of the
second quarter and a 27-yarder with 2:14 remaining before
halftime.

Ten of Vanderbilt's its first 11 possessions ended with punts.

Larry Smith was 12 for 31 attempts for 123 yards for Vanderbilt.
He was intercepted once. Warren Norman was the Commodores'
leading rusher with 26 yards on seven carries.

"We played poorly, didn't execute," Smith said. "We didn't throw
the ball well, didn't catch the ball at all. Just overall, on
the offensive side of the ball we played poorly."]]></description>
				<category><![CDATA[ncaaf]]></category>
				<link>http://areyouwatchingthis.com/ncaaf/news/120969-Mississippi-State-gets-Mullen-first-SEC-win-15-3</link>
				<guid>http://areyouwatchingthis.com/ncaaf/news/120969-Mississippi-State-gets-Mullen-first-SEC-win-15-3</guid>
				<pubDate>Sun, 20 Sep 2009 03:52:53 GMT</pubDate>
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				<title><![CDATA[No. 11 LSU wears down scrappy Vanderbilt, 23-9]]></title>
				<description><![CDATA[By BRETT MARTEL
AP Sports Writer

BATON ROUGE, La.(AP) -- Undefeated, yet so unsatisfied.

LSU needed Keiland Williams' late touchdown to put away
Vanderbilt, 23-9 on a rain-soaked Saturday night, marking the
second night this year that the 11th-ranked Tigers allowed an
underdog to hang around.

"Any time you play imperfectly and you come to the postgame, you
have to recognize that first things first - you'd much rather
win than do any other thing," LSU coach Les Miles said. "That
being said, I think we've got to play better. ... There were no
style points for this one. That's a fact."

The Commodores (1-1, 0-1 Southeastern Conference) trailed by
only one touchdown midway through the fourth quarter as they
attempted to win in Tiger Stadium for the first time since 1951.

LSU (2-0, 1-0) made it a two-touchdown game with 6:01 to go
after Williams' second score. He slipped a tackle at the line of
scrimmage, cut back, then faked a defender to the ground before
hurdling over him and into the end zone for a 14-yard TD.
Williams finished with 72 yards rushing and was the only LSU
player to get into the end zone.

"Boy he made some great cuts," Miles said. "In my opinion, that
was the running back that Keiland Williams can be - very elusive
and explosive and running with power. I hope that continues."

Larry Smith scored Vanderbilt's only touchdown on a 6-yard
quarterback keeper in the first half. Vanderbilt freshman Zac
Stacy rushed for 89 yards.

"We had several opportunities to get back in the game and we
just failed to," Smith said.

LSU's Charles Scott did not have one of his better days,
finishing with 49 yards rushing, but powered through the line to
convert a pair of third-and-short runs on LSU's final scoring
drive.

That drive seemed to have stalled on Joel Caldwell's diving
interception near the goal line, but linebacker Chris Marve was
called for defensive holding, giving the Tigers a first down on
the Vanderbilt 24 line.

For most of the game, however, Vanderbilt's defense kept the
Commodores close with clutch stops, at times frustrating an LSU
crowd still waiting to see the Tigers explode following a
nervous 31-23 victory at Washington a week earlier. They'll have
to wait at least until unbeaten Louisiana-Lafayette comes to
Baton Rouge next weekend.

LSU quarterback Jordan Jefferson had trouble finding open
receivers downfield, constantly checking down to receivers
running short routes. He was 20 of 29 for 138 yards. He did not
throw an interception but was sacked three times. His longest
completion went for 30 yards to R.J. Jackson late in the first
half, setting up the second of Josh Jasper's three field goals.

Freshman quarterback Russell Shepard made his debut in the
wildcat formation. He carried three times for 27 yards. He also
had a 6-yard reception, but fumbled on that play, stalling a
promising drive.

LSU made five trips inside the Vanderbilt 20, and three of the
first four ended in field goals.

Jasper connected from 32, 22 and 24 yards, the last one putting
LSU up 16-7 in the third quarter.

Vanderbilt got back within a touchdown when LSU long snapper
Alex Russian sent the ball sailing over punter Derek Helton's
head for a safety.

Early in the fourth, Vanderbilt was driving for a potential
tying score when Alex Washington bobbled a first-down catch at
the LSU 15-yard line and defensive back Brandon Taylor picked it
off.

"We've got to catch the ball better," Vanderbilt coach Bobby
Johnson said. "We dropped several first downs, the ball went
through our hands for an interception. ... We had a good chance
to either score a touchdown or a field goal and make it a little
tighter."

It was a respectable performance for the Commodores, though not
as good as they'd hoped after their 45-0 victory over Western
Carolina last week. Penalties haunted them. They committed seven
for 52 yards, and several sustained LSU scoring drives.

Though in some cases, Johnson chalked up the flags to "just
people going hard, trying to make plays."

Vanderbilt yielded its first points of the season late in the
first quarter after committing a pair of face mask penalties
during an LSU drive capped by Williams' 6-yard run.

Vanderbilt cut its deficit to 10-7 when Smith scored easily on a
6-yard keeper as LSU bit on a fake to Stacy.

LSU's defense shut out the Vanderbilt offense in the second
half, however, and allowed Smith little success through the air.
He finished 11-of-24 passing for 88 yards and one interception.

Both teams lost regulars to injuries. Vanderbilt right tackle
James Williams broke his right ankle, while Miles said LSU
running back Richard Murphy could miss the next two games with
an undisclosed injury.]]></description>
				<category><![CDATA[ncaaf]]></category>
				<link>http://areyouwatchingthis.com/ncaaf/news/119943-No-11-LSU-wears-down-scrappy-Vanderbilt-23-9</link>
				<guid>http://areyouwatchingthis.com/ncaaf/news/119943-No-11-LSU-wears-down-scrappy-Vanderbilt-23-9</guid>
				<pubDate>Tue, 15 Sep 2009 21:38:17 GMT</pubDate>
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