(9:01) Special teams not so special
Bryant Hahnfeldt just missed a 23-yard field goal wide left. The Rebels still have a chance, trailing 24-17 with less than four minutes to go.
The Commodores botched another field goal earlier in the game.
(8:58) Nickson continues to impress
Forced out of the pocket, Chris Nickson bought enough time to find Earl Bennett open over the middle. Bennett has 11 catches for 102 yards.
(8:55) Human joystick
Chris Nickson just looked like a human joystick, making three or four Ole Miss feel stupid en route to rushing for a first down.
(8:50) And they're back...
Vanderbilt thought it had forced a three-and-out when Ole Miss converted a fake punt to extend the drive. The next play Brent Schaeffer found Mike Wallace for a 54-yard touchdown to bring the Rebels within seven. There are 10 minutes remaining.
(8:42) Touchdown Commodores!
Vanderbilt capitalized on D.J. Moore's interception as Cassen Jackson-Garrison scored from nine yards to give the Commodores a 24-10 lead with 12:58 remaining in the game.
Jackson-Garrison has looked extremely impressive tonight, running hard and making all the right reads.
(8:40) Moore comes up big
Just as I was wondering if the Vanderbilt defense could force a turnover, cornerback D.J. Moore stepped in front of Seth Adams' pass. It was the second interception on the season for Moore.
The Commodores have great field position, as well.
(8:32) Vanderbilt 17, Ole Miss 10
The Commodores couldn't find the end zone, but still managed to extend the lead to seven on Bryant Hahnfeldt's 24-yard field goal.
There is 14:51 left in the game. Let's see if the defense can come up with a turnover here...
(8:30) Third Quarter Update
Vanderbilt leads 14-10 after three quarters of play. The Commodores are driving after Chris Nickson ran for 13 yards on fourth down.
(8:13) The Rebels are coming...
Quarterback Seth Adams connected with wide receiver Mike Wallace for a 36-yard touchdown, cutting the Commodores' lead to four with less than six minutes remaining in the third quarter.
(8:11) Vandy turnover
Chris Nickson didn't see Dustin Mouzon coming. The cornerback came on a blitz and blindsided Nickson, knocking the ball loose. Ole Miss recovered, thus halting what had been a successful Vanderbilt drive.
(7:45) Halftime Update
The Commodores are off to a strong start in this critical SEC contest, leading the Rebels 14-3. The offense has looked crisp and the defense has come up with a couple of big stops to keep Ole Miss out of the end zone.
-Chris Nickson is 11-for-14 for 130 yards.
-Earl Bennett has seven catches for 58 yards.
-Cassen Jackson-Garrison has rushed for 32 yards on seven carries.
-Jonathan Goff has 11 tackles.
(7:30) Vandy 14, Ole Miss 3
Vanderbilt failed to extend its lead late in the first half on a botched hold by Mackenzi Adams.
(7:07) Vandy defense makes stand
With the crowd on its feet and sideline fired up, the Vanderbilt defense stopped Ole Miss on third down and did it again on fourth down. Safety Reshard Langford came off to edge to wrap up BenJarvis Green-Ellis behind the line of scrimmage.
The Commodores take over on their own 39-yard line with a chance to extend the lead.
(6:56) Vanderbilt 14, Ole Miss 3
The Vanderbilt offense marched down the field once again, scoring on an eight-yard run by Cassen Jackson-Garrison. The senior running back took the hit from an Ole Miss defender and spun off into the end zone.
Chris Nickson, who appeared healthy, led an effective drive, at one point connecting with Brad Allen on fourth down to keep the chains moving.
(6:45) End of First Quarter
Vanderbilt leads 7-3 after 15 minutes. Here are few thoughts:
-The Commodores need Chris Nickson to stay healthy. The quarterback has looked very sharp in both series, completing all four passes for 49 yards. He sat out one series with an apparent sprained shoulder and Vandy went three and out.
-The Vandy defense has looked shaky, but has buckled down when its matters most, thus keeping Ole Miss out of the end zone.
-Running back Jeff Jennings has not moved from the sideline as he appears to be suffering from a left ankle injury. Cassen Jackson-Garrison and Jared Hawkins have been impressive, but Vandy misses Jennings in short-yardage situations.
-Jonathan Goff has seven tackles and one sack.
(6:41) Vandy 7, Ole Miss 3
Facing a fourth and three from the Vanderbilt 13-yard line, Ole Miss considered going for it before opting for a 30-yard field goal. Turned out to a bad decision as Joshua Shene missed wide right. Score remains 7-3 Commodores.
Chris Nickson is back in the lineup, but running back Jeff Jennings seems to be nursing a left ankle injury and has not seen action.
(6:25) Nickson hurt
Chris Nickson appears to have suffered a sprained shoulder on the last drive. Backup quarterback Mackenzi Adams is in the game. Stay tuned for more details.
(6:24) Vanderbilt 7, Ole Miss 3
Linebacker Jonathan Goff came up with a huge sack on third down to halt the Rebel drive. Joshua Shene put Ole Miss on the board with a 34-yard field goal.
Say what you want about the Vanderbilt defense - it doesn't like giving up touchdowns.
(6:13) Vanderbilt 7, Ole Miss 0
If the first drive is any indication, Vanderbilt has come to play. The Commodores marched down field at will, scoring on a three-yard run by Chris Nickson.
D.J. Moore had a long kick return, Cassen Jackson-Garrison and Jared Hawkins had big gains on the ground and Nickson found George Smith over the middle on third down to keep the drive going.
On the touchdown, Nickson rolled right and when nobody was open, kept it himself and leapt over the pylon. It did not look like Nickson's hamstring injury affected him one bit.
(6:03) Game time
Good evening, folks. We're just a few minutes away from kickoff here at Vanderbilt where the Commodores (1-1) take on the Ole Miss Rebels (1-1).
You cannot emphasize enough how important of a game this is for both teams, especially Vanderbilt. For a squad that has set its sights on a bowl berth, it simply has to win this one.
Make sure to check back here throughout the game as I'll be posting updates.
