Final From Murfreesboro: Vandy 28 Middle Tennessee State 6

[jbcarol]

https://twitter.com/AdamSparks/status/903601716100255744

Adam Sparks (Vanderbilt beat reporter)

Vanderbilt 37, MTSU 35: A back-and-forth thriller kicks off the season in the right way. Ralph Webb is the difference with a third straight strong performance in this series.

Joe Rexrode (columnist)

Vanderbilt 31, MTSU 27: Both offenses are going to get things done, and the Blue Raiders have a real opportunity with a home night game. But Kyle Shurmur, Ralph Webb and Vandy have enough balance to prevail.

TV: The game will be shown on the CBS Sports Network, which is available on the following channels: 643 AT&T U-Verse, 207 Charter Spectrum, 620 TDS, 158 Dish, 221 DirecTV, 734 Comcast/XFinity.

ODDS: Vanderbilt favorite by 3.5

[jbcarol]

Vandy 14  MTSU 0  7:14  1st

[jbcarol]

Adam Sparks‏ @AdamSparks

Vandy 14, MTSU 0. 2Q. Vandy's Bryce Lewis gets INT. Dores convert into into quick Webb TD. Follow at

[jbcarol]

 Adam Sparks‏ @AdamSparks

Vandy's 14 points tied for most scored in 1st quarter since Sept. 20, 2014 vs. South Carolina.

[jbcarol]

TD pass from Shurmur to Lipscomb

[jbcarol]

Vandy 21 MTSU 0  11:53 2nd

[jbcarol]

Adam Sparks‏ @AdamSparks

Total yards
Vandy: 245
MTSU: 72
More halftime stats at

[jbcarol]

Vandy 28  MTSU 0  11:00 3rd

[jbcarol]

 Adam Sparks‏ @AdamSparks 26m26 minutes ago

Kyle Shurmur 15-of-20 passing for 277 yards, 3 TDs (career high), 0 INTs.

[jbcarol]

Erik Bacharach‏ @ErikBacharach

Tonight's attendance: 26,717. 6th-largest crowd in Floyd Stadium history. http://www.dnj.com/story/sports/college/vanderbilt/2017/09/02/live-updates-vanderbilt-vs-mtsu/615838001/ ...

[jbcarol]

Vandy 28  MTSU 6  9:55 4th

[jbcarol]

Vandy gets their fourth sack.

Still up 22 with under 5:00 to go and the ball.

[jbcarol]

Final from Murfreesboro:

Vandy 28  MTSU 6

[jbcarol]

Fireworks late as MTSU threw to the end zone inside a minute and a game day producer signaled to set off the sirens and pyro.  The pass was incomplete.

[jbcarol]

 Adam Sparks‏ @AdamSparks 17m17 minutes ago

FINAL: Vandy beat MTSU 28-6. It was Commodores' first season-opening win since 2011.

[jbcarol]

 Adam Sparks‏ @AdamSparks 44m44 minutes ago

Best & Worst from opener: @VandyFootball's comical QB, premature fireworks, press box cookies and more. http://tnne.ws/2wyXOp1

BEST OF THE NIGHT
Ralph Webb's catch and Kyle Shurmur's joke

Webb became the first Vanderbilt running back to post 100 receiving yards in a game since Rodney Williams in 2001. Webb had three catches for 104 yards, including a career-long 73-yard reception.

After the win, quarterback Kyle Shurmur joked to reporters, "All you guys ever talked about is how Ralph is a receiver now." [Ha! Ha!]

Strong, though late-arriving, crowd

The game drew an attendance of 26,717, the sixth-largest crowd in Floyd Stadium history. Fans came late, many of them around the end of the first quarter. And that's a shame for MTSU fans, as they arrived with their team already trailing 14-0.

WORST OF THE NIGHT
Premature fireworks

MTSU didn't have many highlights, so it was eager to celebrate anything it could. It was a little too eager, in fact. A Brent Stockstill pass initially looked to be caught by Ty Lee for a 19-yard touchdown with 49 seconds remaining, but it was juggled and dropped out of the side of the end zone. However, fireworks were immediately fired over Floyd Stadium — about 20 bursts over 30 seconds — until MTSU finally took a timeout as the premature celebration awkwardly faded.

Oh, that losing feeling

Give MTSU quarterback Brent Stockstill credit for saying exactly how he felt. But his words during the post-game press conference painted the worst feeling of the night.
"We played terrible. For lack of a better term, just embarrassing," Stockstill said. "The most embarrassing thing I've ever been a part of. It's just unacceptable. We can't take anything from it."

[vandybuff]

JB -- thank you for the vintage photo of the radio crew.  Currently Joe Fisher is the broadcaster.  A very good and nice man and very able sportscaster.  Soon after Paul Eels' death, Joe came by a tailgate long before game time.  In the conversation, he mentioned what respect he had for Mr. Eels - what a fine man and broadcaster ... and would be sorely missed buy all the profession.  So true.