VandySports.com - Vanderbilt falls in Columbia, 14-10

October 24, 2009

Jesse W. Johnson
VandySports.com Publisher

Vanderbilt had plenty of chances to pick up its first Southeastern Conference win of the season but could not pull through in the end, dropping a 14-10 contest at No.23 South Carolina on Saturday night.

The Commodores, who now sit at a disappointing 2-6 on the year, gave up a season worst 431 yards of offense to the Gamecocks and failed to score an offensive touchdown of its own for the third time this season. Vanderbilt's struggling offense drove the ball inside the Gamecocks 25-yard line on three seperate occasions but dropped passes, missed field goals and a costly penalty kept the 'Dores out of the end zone. The Commodores final drive was one of the three in which Vanderbilt got to the 25 and got nothing.

After the Commodore defense stopped the Gamecocks on a 4th down at the Vanderbilt 29-yard line, the Commodores took over with a little over four minutes left on the clock and began to mount a drive through the air. Sophomore quarterback Larry Smith found freshman receiver John Cole on a seven-yard out pass on first down and later picked up a first down on a four-yard run. A few plays later, Smith found Cole again for a 15-yard play and followed that with another first down pass to freshman Collin Ashley at the Gamecocks 25 and with a little over two minutes to go in the game.

However, after the Gamecocks called a timeout, Vanderbilt's next two pass attempts resulted in only a minimum gain. On 3rd and 8, the Commodores called for another pass play but this time the Gamecocks overloaded the offensive line, sending over six players rushing at the young signal caller. Smith, trying to avoid a huge sack, threw the ball away but was flagged for intentional grounding since he was still within the tackle box and the ball didn't pass the line of scrimmage. The 15-yard, so-foul penalty resulted in a 4th and 32 and all but doomed the Commodores. Vanderbilt tried to run a deep pass play but Smith was flushed from the pocket by a Gamecock defender and in his attempts to buy time for a Commodore receiver, he was forced to sidelines and eventually stepped out when he attempted to run the ball during the dying moments of the play.

Vanderbilt had established a 10-7 lead earlier in the third quarter when redshirt freshman kicker Ryan Fowler was successful on a 21-yard attempt. Vanderbilt running back Warren Norman drove the Commodores to the Gamecocks 3-yard line on five straight runs totaling 40 yards, but Norman was stopped for no gain on a 2nd down and Smith's pass to tight end Brandon Barden went incomplete on 3rd down. Fowler had missed a 26-yard field goal attempt earlier in the game.

Norman, making his third start of his career, had another standout game at both running back and as the Commodores kick returner. The true freshman rushed for 83 yards on 15 carries and scored the Commodores lone touchdown on a 99-yard kickoff return in the second quarter. The return was the second longest in Vanderbilt's history, trailing only Preston Brown's 100-yard return against Ole Miss in 1977.

Norman's big return came right after the Gamecocks were awarded a touchdown on a 35-yard pass play by quarterback Stephen Garcia to receiver D.L. Moore. Though replay evidence seemed to clearly show that Moore did not have possession of the ball until after his foot had already touched the sideline, the officials ruled it was a in-bounds catch and a touchdown. It was the second time that replay did not work for the Commodores as Vanderbilt appeared to have forced a fumble during the game's first drive but the officials ruled South Carolina running back Kenny Miles to be down before the fumble.

South Carolina won the game on another big pass play in the fourth quarter when Garcia found true freshman Alshon Jeffery for a 43-yard touchdown on a 3rd and 20. The play capped a 99-yard, 5-play drive for the Gamecocks. Vanderbilt had its chance to stop the drive a few plays earlier when the Commodores nearly picked off a bad pass by Garcia. With virtually no South Carolina receiver in the area, Garcia forced a pass down the field and Commodore safety Joel Caldwell appeared to be in perfect position to pick it off. However, the fifth-year senior let the ball slip out of his hands and Carolina was able to continue its drive.

Jeffery burned the Commodores secondary for 162 yards on eight catches. The former bluechip prospect took advantage of some misplays by fellow Vanderbilt true freshman corner Eddie Foster. Running back Kenny Miles ended up with 101 yards on 18 carries while Garcia completed 22-of-33 passes for 313 yards and two scores. It was the first time the Commodore defense has given up 300 yards through the air since the 2006 season.

Vanderbilt's Larry Smith finished with 132 yards passing, completing 17-of-34 attempts. He also rushed for 45 yards on 15 carries.

For the second straight game, the Commodore offense actually won the time of possession for first three quarters but saw the opposing offense have the ball for two-thirds of the final quarter.

The loss for Vanderbilt ensures a losing season in Southeastern Conference play after finishing at 4-4 in the league last season. The Commodores will now have to somehow win its next four games to break even on the season overall.

The win moves South Carolina to 3-2 in SEC play and 6-2 overall, ensuring bowl eligibility for the sixth straight year.

Vanderbilt hosts No.11 Georgia Tech next Saturday at 6 p.m. CST.

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