In a game Vanderbilt needed in every sense of the word, the quarterback whose roller coaster season had mirrored his team's stepped up.

Chris Nickson threw for 155 yards and three touchdowns and ran for 118 yards in the largest offensive output by a single Vanderbilt player this season to lead the team to a 31-24 victory. He moved to a 6-1 record as a starter.

"I'm excited," Nickson said. "I'm excited for this organization, for our fans and for our community. I'm proud of my teammates."

Redshirt junior center Brad Vierling had given the quarterback a vote of confidence after his solid performance in relief against Florida last week, and Nickson didn't disappoint when he again stepped into the starting role.

"I'm very happy for Chris (Nickson)," Vierling said. "He had a tough time last season getting hurt and this year, the same thing. And having him come back and play as well as he did last week, and then this week, couldn't be more happy for a guy like that."

Making his first start in over a month, the redshirt senior was sensational with his arm and his feet. Time after time, he converted first downs in clutch situations, including a fourth-down throw to Renaissance man junior D.J. Moore for the team's first touchdown with a perfectly thrown ball by the right pylon of the end zone.

He hooked up with Moore for another score later in the first quarter, and then threw a 1-yard touchdown pass to redshirt freshman tight end Brandon Barden to give the team a 21-7 lead.

Nickson frustrated the Wildcats to no end with his elusiveness, at one point busting off a 36-yard run to set up another Commodore score that proved to be the winning margin in the fourth quarter. On several occasions, the Commodores effectively used Moore as a decoy, faking a sweep to him and allowing Nickson to show off his mobility.

"Nickson had a field day on us," said Kentucky coach Rich Brooks. "They would fake the speed sweep and bleed the back through to block for him. He hurt us a bunch of times."

It was an especially sweet victory for Nickson, who had been forced to the bench after a shoulder injury that had plagued him for much of the last two seasons forced him to the bench for ineffective play against Auburn and Mississippi State, as well as being with team for five years and finally reaching that elusive bowl eligibility.

"I think it's an extremely great pressure to toss away," he said. "You don't worry about what people have to say, you just go out and play for your teammates and put more wins on the board, and I think that's the big focus."
"We all know that everything's temporary or however you want to phrase it," said coach Bobby Johnson. "You have to be ready to play all the time."

Called upon to play with Mackenzi Adams still nursing a hip pointer, Nickson responded like the veteran he is.

"He had a good week of practice last week," Johsnon said. "He prepared himself and knew he was going to go in there and he did a great job for us."

"It'll take a while to sink in," Nickson said. "In a way we've accomplished a lot. (But) we haven't succeeded to the heights we want to succeed, and I'm sure we're going to continue to strive to put up that effort."