David Ammenheuser

dammenheus@tennessean.com

Tennessean sports editor Dave Ammenheuser's running blog of Vanderbilt's45-34 win over Tennessee on Saturday at Vanderbilt Stadium.

The victory improved the Commodores' record to 6-6, making them bowl eligible. The Commodores set numerous statistical records in the game, including most points against a SEC team since 1971 when they scored 49 against Mississippi State and the most against Tennessee since scoring 51 in 1923.

Kyle Shurmur completed 21 of 34 passes for 416 yards and two touchdowns. Ralph Webb ran for 114 yards and two touchdowns. Trent Sherfield caught nine passes for 184 yards and Caleb Scott caught four passes for 117 yards.

Tennessee finished the regular season with an 8-4 record, losing to Vanderbilt for the third time in five seasons. Joshua Dobbs completed 31 of 34 passes for 340 yards and two touchdowns in his final regular-season game as a Vol.

Josh Malone had seven receptions for 121 yards and a touchdown. Alvin Kamara rushed for 69 yards and two touchdowns and also caught eight passes for 72 yards and a touchdown.

FOURTH QUARTER

VANDERBILT 45, TENNESSEE 34

VANDY (VU 12): Webb runs for gain of 14 for a first down. Timeout Tennessee. Webb runs for 2. Second-and-eight. Timeout Tennessee. 1:19 left. Webb runs out the clock. Game over. Commodores win.

VOLS (UT 28): Dobbs to Croom for 18 yards and a first down. 3:48 left. Dobbs to Kamara for gain of 2. 3:30 left. Dobbs pass to Croom to the VU 49. Third-and-one. 3:04 left. Dobbs pass to Kamra gains first down. Dobbs pass to Maone gains another first down at the VU 19. 2:31 left. Timeout Vanderbilt No. 1. Dobbs pass to Kamara gains 1. 2:12 left. Dobbs pass to Kelly gains 1. Third-and-8. 1:55 left. Dobbs runs for 4 yards. Fourth-and-4. Timeouot Tennessee (No. 1). 1:37 left. Dobbs pass to Kamara for a gain of 1. Ball turns over on downs. 1:31 left.

VANDY (VU 20): Sims runs for 2. Sims runs for 7. Third-and-1. Rivers runs for a first down to the UT 32. Webb runs for 4. Second-and-6. Webb runs for a 28-yard touchdown run. Openshaw's extra point gives Vandy a 45-34 lead with 4:06 left.

VOLS (UT 16): Kamara no gain on run. Dobbs pass to Kamara gain of 12. Kamara runs for 7 to the UT 35. Dobbs pass to Wolf for 11 yards and a first down at the UT 46. Kelly gains 2. Dobbs runs for a first down to the VU 43. Kamara runs for a first down to the VU 26. Dobbs runs for a first down to the VU 12. Dobbs loses 1. Second-and-11. Dobbs sacked for a loss of 6. Third-and-17. Dobbs pass incomplete (just his third of the game, 23 of 26 for 284 yards). Medley kicks 37-yard field goal attempt hits right upright. 6:46 remaining.

VANDY (UT 49): Shurmur's pass is incomplete. Offsides penalty on Vols. Webb runs for 6. Shurmur pass to Scott for 16 yards and a first down at the UT 23. Shurmur's pass is incomplete. Blasingame runs for 4. Third-and-6 at the UT 19. Shurmur''s pass complete to S herfield for a first down at UT 3. First-and-goal. Sims runs for 3-yard touchdown. Openshaw's kick gives Vanderbilt a 38-34 lead with 12:15 left.

THIRD QUARTER

TENNESSEE 34, VANDERBILT 31

VOLS (UT 20) Dobbs pass to Malone for 16, Kelly runs for 11. First-and-10 at the UT 47. Dobbs runs, fumbles at UT 49. Final play of the quarter.

VANDY (VU 17): Shurmur's pass is incomplete. Webb runs for 5. Shurmur's pass to Sherfield for 8 and a first down. Webb runs for 3, then 13 more and a Vandy first down at the VU 45. Shurmur's pass is incomplete. And another incomplete pass. Third-and-10. Shurmur to Webb for 11 yards and a first down at the UT 44. Shurmur pass to Sherfield for 32 yards to the UT 12. Blasingame runs for a 12-yard touchdown run. Openshaw's kick pulls the Commodores within 34-31 with 49 seconds left.

VOLS (UT 14): A Kelly run and a face mask penalty moves the ball to the UT 42. Kelly runs for 7, then 2. On third-and-1, Kamara runs for 13 and a firt down at the VU 37 with 5:51 left. Timeout Vandy (No. 1). Dobbs pass to Jennings to the VU 9. First-and-goal. Kamara stopped. Second-and-goal. Dobbs gains 2. Dobbs pass incomplete. Medley kicks 25-yard field goal for a UT 34-24 lead with 3:57 left in the quarter.

VANDY (VU 11): Webb rushes for a loss of 1, then for a loss of 2. Third-and-13. Shurmur runs out of trouble, then connects with Duncan for a 14-yard gain and a first down. Shurmer connects with Sherfield fr a gain of 16. First down at the VU 38. Webbl oses 1. Shurmur's pass is incomplete to Pinkney. Third-and-11. Shurmur pass to Pinkney for 14 and another first down. At the UT 49, Sherfield option pass is incomplete. Webb runs for 2. Shurmur's pass to Lipscomb is incomplete. Fourth down. Loy punts to fair catch at the UT 14.

VOLS (50): Dobbs for gain of 1. Second-and-9. Dobbs to Wolf for 13 and a first down at the VU 36. Dobbs runs for 4. Dobbs to Croom loses 2. Third down. Dobbs sacked for a loss of 7. Fourth-and-15 at the Vandy 41. Daniel punts to VU 11 where Lipscomb makes a fair catch.

SECOND QUARTER

TENNESSEE 31, VANDERBILT 24

VANDY (VU 25): Webb runs for 5. Shurmur passes to Scott for 16 and a first down at the VU 46. Timeout Vanderbilt (No. 1). Pass incomplete. Shurmur's pass to Sherfield for 6. Barnett sacks Shurmur on the final play of the half.

VOLS (UT 28): Holding penalty on first down makes it first-and-20. Dobbs pass to Croom gains 2. Second-and-18. Dobbs to Jennings picks up 14. Third-and-4 at the UT 34. Dobbs pass to Kamara gains 21 and a first down at the VU 45. Kelly runs up the middle for 8 to the VU 37. Dobbs to Wolf for no gain. Third-and-2. Kamara runs for first down to the 27. Dobbs connects with Josh Malone on a 27-yard touchdown. Medley's kick puts the Vols back on top, 31-24 with 0:54 left in the half.

VANDY (UT 25): Webb runs for 17 yards to set the Commodores' all-time rushing record. Shurmur's pass to Scott for 40 yards to the UT 16. Shurmur's pass to Sims doesn't gain anything. Sims gains 3 to the UT 13. Third-and-7. Shurmur's pass is incomplete. Openshaw boots 31-yard field goal to tie the game at 24 with 3:50 left.

UT (VANDY 27): Byrd returns kick for 67 yards to the VU 27. Kamara runs for 4. Dobbs pass incomplete (his first incomplete pass). Dobbs pass to Kamara gains 2 to the VU 22. Fourth-and-4. Medley kicks a 41-yard field goal with 6:33 left for a UT 24-21 lead.

VANDY (VU 20): Shurmur to Sherfield for 76 yards and a first-and-goal at the UT 4. Shurmur's pass is incomplete, but Commodores are penalized for illegal receiver downfield. First-and-goal at the 9. Webb runs 9 yards for the touchdown. Openshaw's kick ties the game 21-21 with 7:57 left in the quarter.

VOLS (UT 25): Dobbs to Jennings for 8 yards. Kelly loses 2. Third-and-four. Dobbs to Malone for 1 yard. Fourth-and-three. Punt is fair caught at the VU 20.

VANDY (VU 24): Rivers gains 1. Shurmur's pass to Caleb Scott for 45 yards and a first down. Rivers gains 1. Shurmur's pass is incomplete. On third down, Shurmur connects on 8-yard pass to the 13 and a first down. Sims loses 7. Shurmur connects with Sam Dobbs for a 20-yard touchdown pass. Openshaw's kick pulls the Commodores within 21-14 with 10:30 left.

VOLS (VU 26): Dobbs connects with Malone on a 26-yard pass play, moving the ball to the VU 1. Kamara dives into the end zone, his third touchdown of the game. Medley's kick increases UT's lead to 21-7 with 13:59 remaining in the half.

VANDY (VU 17): Shurmur's pass is intercepted by Abernathy at the VU 27.

VOLS (VU 31): False start pushes ball back 5. Dobbs gains 11 on first down. Second-and-4 at the VU 26. Kelly fumbles. Vanderbilt's Cunningham recovers fumble at the VU 17.

FIRST QUARTER

TENNESSEE 14, VANDERBILT 7

VOLS (VU 48): Kelly rushes for 2. Dobbs to Croom for 14-yard gain (Dobbs is 8 of 8 for 105 yards). End of the quarter.

VANDY (UT 19): Sims loses 1, Webb loses 2. Third-and-13. False start moves ball back 5 more yards. Third-and-18. Shurmur's pass to Sherfield gains 4. Fourth-and-14. Punt to the Vandy 48.

VOLS (UT25): Dobbs to Malone picks up 6 yards. Jennings for 2 more. Third-and-2 at the UT 33. Dobbs pass to Croom for a first down at the UT 42. Dobbs pass to Malone for first down to the VU 35. Dobbs pass to Croom loses 2. Second-and-12. Dobbs runs out of trouble and gains 16 for a first down to the VU 21. Dobbs passes to Kamara and Kamara does everything else. Commodores miss six tackles on the 21-yard touchdown. Medley's kick pushes UT ahead 14-7 with 3:40 left in the quarter.

VANDY (VU 25): Shurmur's pass to Sherfield picks up 18 yards and a first down at the VU 43. Rivers runs for 1. Second-and-9. Shurmur's pass knocked down by Derek Barnett. Shurmur's screen pass to Webb picks up first down at UT 46. Shurmur's pass to Pinkney for first down at UT 18. Shurmyr's pass to Bailey McElwain for 18-yard touchdown. Tommy Openshaw's extra point is good. We're tied 7-7.

VOLS (UT 44): Dobbs pass complete to Wolf for gain of 9 to the VU 47. Kamara runs for the first down to the VU 43. Dobbs pass Jennings picks up 25 yards to the VU 18. Dobbs runs for four to the 14. Kamara runs 14 yards for the touchdown. Medley's extra point gives UT a 7-0 lead with 9:15 left.

VANDY (VU 21): Ralph Webb runs for 11 and a first down. Tight end Sam Dobbs runs for 5 around the right end. Illegal formation moves ball back 5 yards. Second-and-10. Kyle Shurmur's pass is incomplete. Shurmur's pass is incomplete, but UT's Williams flagged for pass interference. First-and-10 at the VU 47. Sims runs for 9 on first down. Webb's second-down run is half-yard short. Rivers for no gain. Webb stopped at line, just short of first down. Ball is over to downs to UT. 11:05 remaining.

BOWL ELIGIBLE

Vanderbilt qualified for its first bowl game in the Coach Derek Mason era on Saturday.

Although Vanderbilt took a 5-6 record into Saturday's night game against visiting Tennessee, the Commodores earned one of the 80 bowl berths when North Texas lost to UTEP, SMU lost to Navy and Duke lost to Miami.

With so many bowl spots available (80 teams needed), there won't be enough six-win automatic-bowl-eligible teams available.

And that's when the team's Academic Progress Rate (APR) comes in handy. With the nation's fifth-highest APR, the Commodores is one of the first five-win teams invited to a bowl game.

It's the eighth time the Commodores have qualified for a bowl. They last played a bowl game after the 2013 season when they beat Houston 41-24 in the BBVA Compass Bowl in Birmingham, Ala.

PREGAME INFO

Tennessee visits Vanderbilt on Saturday in the final regular-season game of the season.

Kickoff is

at 6:30 p.m. in Nashville (7:30 p.m. Knoxville)

TV: The game will be shown on the SEC Network

VOLS RADIO: FM 104.5 (Nashville); FM 99.1 (Knoxville); AM 1400 (Clarksville); Full list of Vol Radio Network

COMMODORES RADIO: 1510 AM, 560 AM, 95.9 FM; Full list of Vanderbilt Network.

STREAMING: Watch ESPN

ODDS: Tennessee favorite by 10 points