Shurmur's record-setting day helps Vandy thump Vols
NASHVILLE, Tenn.—Wins have been easier for Vanderbilt to come by against Tennessee of late. And the Commodores saved their best from Saturday.
Quarterback Kyle Shurmur completed 31 of 35 passes for 367 yards, three touchdowns and no interceptions, leading the Commodores to a 38-13 rout of Tennessee.
The Commodore defense also did its part, forcing a turnover and holding UT to just 242 yards. Vanderbilt held the ball for a whopping 43:03 and had 467 yards of total offense.
It’s Vandy’s most lopsided win in the series since a 26-0 victory in 1954, and the first time VU has beaten the Vols three times in a row since Vanderbilt won six consecutive from 1920 to 1926.
VU improved to 6-6, 3-5 in the Southeastern Conference. A representative from the Liberty Bowl was on hand at the post-game press conference.
The Commodores were rarely challenged from the start. Leading 17-0, Vandy gave up a 75-yard run to Ty Chandler on the first play of the second half. The Commodores then drove to the Vol 2, where kicker Ryley Guay clanked one off the right upright.
But the bleeding soon stopped. Shurmur hit Amir Abdur-Rahman on a beautiful 26-yard throw to the front corner of the right end zone. A 2-yard Khari Blasingame touchdown run with 9:02 left put Vanderbilt up, 31-7.
Shurmur finished things off with a 2-yard touchdown throw to tight end Cody Markel with 2:33 left.
Shurmur hit his first 15 throws. One was a beauty down the left sideline to tight end Jared Pinkney for the game’s first score.
The defense also came to play. The Commodores held UT to six first downs and 104 first-half yards. Safety Frank Coppet picked the Vols’ Jarrett Guarantano with 14 seconds left in the half to snuff out a late drive.
SCORING SUMMARY
VU: Jared Pinkney 17-yd. pass from Kyle Shurmur, Ryley Guay PAT. (11 plays-84 yds.-7:04 time of possession, 1:38/1st qtr.) VU, 7-0
VU: Kalija Lipscomb 2-yard run, Guay PAT. (10-66-5:21, 10:33/2nd) VU, 14-0
VU: Guay 43-yd. FG (13-55-5:32, 0:51/2nd) VU, 17-0
TN: Ty Chandler 75-yard run, Brett Cimaglia PAT. VU, 17-7 (1-75-14:48/3rd), VU, 17-7
VU: Amir Abdur-Rahman 26-yd. pass from Shurmur, Guay PAT. (3-48-0:33, 14:29/4th) VU, 24-7
VU: Khari Blasingame 1-yd. run, Guay PAT. (8-63-4:25, 9:02/4th) VU, 31-7
TN: Marquez Calloway 17-yard pass from Jarrett Guarantano, 2-point conversion pass failed. (3-75-0:31, 8:31/4th)
VU: Cody Markel 1-yard pass from Shurmur, Guay PAT. (10-49-5:58, 2:33/4th)