Running back Cassen Jackson-Garrison said he was "dumbfounded." Wide receiver Earl Bennett said he was "disappointed." Theo Horrocks put it "near the top" in terms of frustration.

Ask any Vanderbilt football player, and they'll tell you just how maddening last year's 17-10 loss to Ole Miss was.

"I think everyone knows, you look at the numbers, we pretty much dominated the game," said free safety Ryan Hamilton. "I know I'm still a little annoyed, just thinking about it, I still get mad."

Vanderbilt outgained Ole Miss 400-179 offensively. It had 23 first downs while Ole Miss had just seven.

The Commodores had 74 plays compared to the Rebels' 47. Brent Shaeffer looked, well, pathetic, going 3 for 8 with two interceptions.

It was clear who the better team was that Saturday, yet in ways only explicable to programs that haven't been to a bowl since 1982, Vanderbilt lost.

"Ole Miss slipped away from us last year," said offensive tackle Chris Williams. "Turnovers made the difference in that game last year."
There was an iffy Mackenzi Adams' option pitch when Vanderbilt was close to scoring before halftime. There was a muffed punt.

There were multiple fumbles, two missed field goals and a strip by Ole Miss linebacker Rory Johnson. And don't think this hasn't escaped Vanderbilt's memory.

"You feel like you owe a team," Williams said. "You want to go out and beat them real good. You want to step it up and get revenge a little bit because we should have won that game last year."

Combine that with last week's not-so-stellar performance against Alabama, and you have a team itching to hit the field. Kickoff is set for 6:00 Saturday at Vanderbilt Stadium.

"You put last week's game and last year's game against Ole Miss together, I think everyone's determined to beat them pretty good," Hamilton said.

The past eight meetings between these two have been decided by a slim 5.6-point average margin. Whether Vanderbilt was outmanned by a Deuce McAlister or Eli Manning led team or up against the less imposing teams Ole Miss has put out the past two years, this game has managed to come down to the very end.

But after last year's heartbreaker, these Commodores are hoping clutch performances won't be necessary.

"I want to try to bury them in the first quarter," Hamilton said. "I'm not trying to make it a close game at all, and I think everyone else feels the same way."