Vanderbilt throttles Ole Miss

NASHVILLE, Tenn.--Raise your hand if you saw this coming.

If anyone did, they're in a very small minority.

With the help of its baseball coach, Tim Corbin, Vanderbilt, fresh off a poor performance at Missouri, took out a week's worth of frustration in a 38-17 demolition of Ole Miss on Saturday night at Dudley Field.

Ralph Webb ran for 123 yards and three touchdowns, Kyle Shurmur threw for 273 yards and two scores, and the Commodores held Ole Miss to a season low in points, setting up a huge matchup with Tennessee next week that could guarantee VU bowl eligibility.

After holding a 14-10 halftime lead, Vandy stormed out of the locker room and went 90 yards in nine plays, with VU's C.J. Duncan, Caleb Scott and Jared Pinkey all making terrific first-down catches to set up an 11-yard scoring run by Webb.

On the Rebels' next drive, linebacker Zach Cunningham scooped up a fumble originating from a poor exchange between Ole Miss quarterback Shea Patterson and running back Akeem Judd, rumbling to the Ole Miss 29 and setting up Tommy Openshaw's 24-yard field goal.

Finally, Ole Miss scored fro the first time since the first quarter, when Patterson scrambled and heaved a 38-yard scoring throw to tight end Evan Engram in traffic with 14:44 left in the game.

But the Commodores answered, when Webb's 31-yard run set up a 3-yard TD pass from Kyle Shurmur to Bailey McElwain, a throw ruled incomplete on the field before it was overturned by replay officials.

The Rebels likely left Nashville without knowing what hit them. Fresh off a stunning upset of Texas A&M with Patterson taking snaps for the first time as a collegiate, Ole Miss was held to its second-lowest yardage output of the season--and didn't reach that until the game's final drive, one which didn't result in points.

Corbin spoke to the team mid-week and advised the 'Dores to "go back to the middle," a reminder not to get too high, or too low.

That advice came in handy, because the last three quarters were a sharp contrast from the first half of the first quarter.

Ole Miss drove the field quickly on the game's first drive, but stalled inside the VU 10, where Rebel kicker Gary Wunderlich connected on a 23-yard field goal.

Vanderbilt forced a three-and out on the next Rebel possession, but VU's Darrius Sims muffed the ensuing punt, and Ole Miss's Carlos Davis dove on it at the VU 21. One play later, Patterson found running back Akeem Judd wide-open for a 21-yard throw and catch.

But the offense found some life later in the quarter, when Kyle Shurmur, on a play-action pass, found receiver Trent Sherfield wide-open for a 67-yard throw that put VU on the Rebel 4. One play later, Ralph Webb found a hole left of the center, and easily got in the end zone.

Vanderbilt hosts the Vols next week. Tennessee saw its hopes of a Southeastern Conference Eastern Division title fall away with Florida's 16-10 upset of LSU in Baton Rouge.

The Commodores entered the game approximately 10.5-point underdogs.

MS: Gary Wunderlich 23-yd. FG. (9 plays-75 yards, 10:53 left/1st qtr.) MS, 3-0

MS: Akeem Judd 21-yd. pass from Shea Patterson, Wunderlich kick. (1-21, 6:51/1st) MS, 10-0

VU: Ralph Webb 4-yd. run, Tommy Openshaw PAT. (2-76, 0:30/1st) MS, 10-7

VU: Trent Sherfield 5-yd. pass from Kyle Shurmur, Openshaw PAT. (7-72, 6:16/2nd) VU, 14-10

VU: Webb 7-yd. run, Openshaw PAT. (9-90, 4:12/3rd) VU, 21-10

VU: Openshaw 24-yd. FG. (5-21, 8:03/3rd) VU, 24-10

VU: Webb 1-yd. run, Openshaw PAT. (11-72, 2:11/3rd) VU, 31-10

MS: Evan Engram 39-yd. pass from Patterson, Wunderlich PAT. (9-65, 14:44/4th) VU, 31-17

VU: Bailey McElwain 3-yd. TD pass from Shurmur, Openshaw PAT. (8-72, 8:36/4th). VU, 38-17