The MTSU Blue Raiders, coming off a blowout loss to the #17 Oklahoma State Cowboys in Week 1, traveled back home to Tennessee to play at Vanderbilt in Nashville. The first game was expected to be a shootout with both MTSU and OK State wanting to air it out all game long but with Vandy and their pro style offense, it was expected to be a much more grind it out affair.
Vanderbilt would receive the opening kickoff and there was no doubt what their gameplan was going to be: get the ball to junior halfback Ralph Webb. On the second play, Webb was easily able to stiff arm an MTSU linebacker and scamper off to the right for a 13-yard gain and a chain-moving first down. Webb was a workhorse this game and would be the focal point of this Commodore offense all game long. Coach Potter knew he was going to get his touches and was hoping that his front seven would be up to the challenge of slowing Webb down.
After allowing a field goal on the opening drive, the defense was back on the field quickly as MTSU went three-and-out on their first series of the game. Brent Stockstill look unsettled the entire first half and nobody felt that affect more than the defense. Fatigue would be a factor as Vanderbilt continued to chew up clock and pound away with their hammer in Ralph Webb. Late in the first quarter, Webb was able to find paydirt for the game’s first touchdown, a 4-yard rumble into the endzone while carrying two defenders.
The second quarter, MTSU’s defense would continue to hold strong, allowing just a single field goal to this SEC program. Vanderbilt scored a total of 13 points in the opening two frames which is great on its own accord. On the other hand, the offense continued to shoot itself in the foot as Brent Stockstill tossed two first-half interceptions.
The first interception was just a horrible decision as Stock threw into double coverage trying to get his star receiver Richie James involved. Safety Oren Burks was playing centerfield and lept up for the pick, looking as if the ball was delivered specifically for him. It couldn’t have been an easier play for the impact player.
The second interception, again in the red zone, was another ball heading towards James in the end zone. This time the linebacker faked a blitz and then dropped into coverage, fooling Stockstill into thinking the route was open. A leaping grab from the defender and he was able to corral it in and secure the pick as he fell to the ground. More points were left on the field that would come back to haunt this team in the end.
The defense stepped back onto the field to try to close out the half without allowing any more points and once again they answered the call. On a 3rd and long as the Commodores were threatening to get within field goal range, three members of the front seven teamed up for a gang sack on sophomore QB Kyle Shurmur, forcing a punt to end the threat of more points.
Trailing 13-0 at the break, the blame laid squarely on the shoulders of the offense. Expected to be the side of the ball that carried this team, they had done nothing of note in the first half besides blow scoring opportunities and put their defense back on the field early. Nobody was feeling the heat more than Brent Stockstill as his 6-15 for 61 yards and two costly end zone interceptions were as bad as he’s ever been since he’s stepped foot in Murfressboro. The offense needed to clean up their act in the second half or they were staring down another blowout.
Just like last week, the Blue Raiders came out of the locker room determined to run the ball to settle down the offense. Unlike last week, it didn’t result in a fumble on their first carry. I’Tavius Mathers started the drive in style with a 35-yard scamper off the right tackle, finding space and darting away from the Vanderbilt defense. After being pushed out of bounds, he came back to the huddle demanding the rock. The second carry netted the offense a solid 6-yard gain, bringing up 2nd and 4 on the Vanderbilt 27-yard line.
The third play of the series was also a Mathers carry and this one would shift the momentum towards the visitors as the senior back ripped off a 27-yard touchdown and surging life back into this offense! The drive read three carries, 71 yards and a touchdown for the offense, but the credit goes to Mathers and the offensive line. Folks, we have a ball game!
Shurmur, Webb and the Commodore offense came back onto the field, looking to chew up some more clock and eat up yards on the ground. Coach Potter’s defense wasn’t having it as they were able to keep the opposing offense off of the scoreboard yet again. With the offense showing some life and the defense continuing to play at a high level, the Blue Raiders were finding some swagger on the field and on the sideline.
With the defense showing some respect to the run game with Mathers getting loose, MTSU took to the air on their next drive as Stockstill found his favorite target of the night, tight end Terry Pettis, early in the drive for two solid gains. After spreading the ball around and a Mathers scamper sprinkled in, all-conference wideout Richie James finally made an impact on the game as he and his QB hooked up for a 6-yard score that would give the Blue Raiders a 14-13 lead!
The fourth quarter was a dogfight as both teams went back and forth beating each other up. A short field goal for MTSU gave them a 17-13 lead but just 1:37 left in regulation, backup RB Dallas Rivers found the endzone to give the host Commodores a 20-17 edge. MTSU needed to get into field goal range and fast if they had a chance to extend, or possibly win, this game. A huge kick return by reserve receiver Rod Duckworth brought the ball all the way to Vandy’s 49-yard line. Stockstill was able to get the offense all the way down to the 16-yard line with a few seconds remaining but the drive stalled out and settled for three. We have overtime!
The Blue Raiders took the field first in overtime and wasted no time going to work. In an untimed period, you would imagine a team would take their time to call their plays. Not MTSU. They came out with 11-personnel and loved the defensive matchups they had and went no huddle for their entire possession. A couple runs to keep the defense honest opened up the passing game, allowing Stockstill to hit Shane Tucker in the endzone to give MTSU the first points of overtime! The jubilation wouldn’t last long because Vanderbilt, after losing a yard on their opening play, found Webb out of the backfield on a screen pass and he ripped it 26 yards into the endzone.
Feeling the momentum already, Vandy’s offense got to stay on the field and open up the second overtime. Webb continued to pound away at Coach Potter’s defense who was now feeling the fatigue from the first half. A play action pass caught the linebackers cheating up, leaving junior wideout Trent Sherfield wide open in the end zone for the go ahead touchdown, making the score 34-27.
The Blue Raiders offense took the field. Coach Potter had a quick conversation on the sideline with his offensive coordinator. It was a one-way conversation with Potter saying one thing: “When we score, we are going for two.” The confidence in his offense was a sign of their much improved play in the second half, but they needed to find score first. Stockstill hit Pettis on the 5th play of the drive that gave them 1st and goal on the one. Trying to pound the rock in with Mathers failed twice, leaving this team facing a third down from the 4-yard line. Two failed pass attempts into the endzone and the game had ended in utter disappointment. The Vanderbilt Commodores were able to escape this in-state matchup 34-27.