Vanderbilt routs Massachusetts on Saturday night

NASHVILLE, Tenn. - Vanderbilt scored on four out of five touches between offense, defense and special teams in a 5:29 span in the third quarter, and quarterback Jordan Rodgers hit 17-of-21 passes for 217 yards and two touchdowns, as the Commodores routed winless Massachusetts by a 49-7 score on Saturday evening at Dudley Field.

Receiver Chris Boyd started the scoring flurry with 6:34 left in the third quarter, hauling in a 14-yard reception from Rodgers. Defensive back Trey Wilson continued it by picking off a Mike Wegzyn pass and running 17 yards untouched to put Vandy up, 35-0, with 5:07 left in the third quarter.

After another punt, Brian Kimbrow raced 74 yards untouched for a score on Vandy's next offensive snap. After UMass punted on the following series, Jonathan Krause raced 40 yards (again, untouched) on a short, line-drive punt.

The only non-scoring touch in that spurt was Krause's minus-2 yard punt return preceding Kimbrow's run.

The Commodores (4-4) out-gained the Minutemen, 443-264. Jordan Matthews accounted for 112 of those yards on 10 catches.

Wesley Tate raced 25 yards for the game's first score with 5:34 left in the first quarter. The Commodores added another 25-yard score on a Rodgers-to-Kris Kentera touchdown pass with 1:53 left in the half.

On the ensuing kickoff, Darreon Herring forced a fumble, and Casey Hughes recovered at the UMass 24. Three plays later, Rodgers darted in from four yards out and Vandy took a 21-0 lead with 58 seconds left in the half.

Rodgers hit Boyd with his third quarter score, and the rout was on.

A.J. Doyle hit Deion Walker with 6:05 left in the game for the only score by the Minutemen.

The Commodores played most of the evening without all-time leading rusher Zac Stacy, who left with a leg issue during the first drive of the game and did not return.