Nashville, TENN--Vanderbilt came out and flexed its muscles on Saturday.
It felt as if life was as it should be for head coach Clark Lea's team as it took down Alcorn State 55-0 in a game that had the largest margin of victory in Lea's tenure as Vanderbilt head coach.
It just looked easy for Lea's team on Saturday afternoon. It seemed to get every break, it created its own with physicality that was unmatched and it was fun.
That's not a word that could've described Vanderbilt's program for much of Lea's tenure. Saturday was different, though.
Diego Pavia jogged in to the end zone and jumped into the stands for what was later termed "the Commodore leap", tight end Eli Stowers found Cole Spence in the end zone for a touchdown pass on a trick play, Vanderbilt played with confidence and a sense of urgency.
All was as it should've been as the Commodores took over a game in which they were 33.5-point favorites.
Vanderbilt's operations team was even left saying 'oh crap' as the scores piled up and the team's figurative fireworks outlasted the literal ones. For once, Vanderbilt football is fun.
Lea's plea to the Nashville community from a week ago to show up hit home. Vanderbilt's stadium that was overrun by maroon last weekend was black, gold and energy-filled on Saturday.
It was as it should be in the stands and on the field.
Vanderbilt dominated on Saturday night. It felt as if offensive coordinator Tim Beck's offense had its pick of running it all day on Alcorn State or lighting it up downfield. Regardless of how it did it, as the two teams took the field on Saturday night it was apparent Vanderbilt was always going to win this one handily.
The only way it wouldn't is if it stopped itself. The fact that it didn't was a testament to its mental makeup.
A year ago Lea's team came out in a game like this and played with its food for a half against Alabama A&M, that one made you think 'oh no.'
A year and five days after that outing things seem different for this program, Lea's team came out and did what it was supposed to.
Vanderbilt walked into FirstBank Stadium and took care of business in a way that the demons of its past likely whispered in its ear that it couldn't.
The Commodores outgained Alcorn State 269-45 and led 34-0 as the starters were removed. Lea's team continued to pour it on with a 56-yard rushing touchdown by starting quarterback Nate Johnson and a 57-yard punt return by sophomore corner Martel Hight in which he was untouched.
Those two plays felt like a microcosm of Saturday night. It was complete domination in every facet on Saturday in Nashville.
Life was as it should've been on West End.
