Vanderbilt wins first season opener in 8 years

On Thursday night, the Commodores looked like they had seen more than enough.

Jeff Jennings scored from 5 yards out with 1:48 to play, helping Vanderbilt beat Wake Forest 24-20 and win a season opener for the first time in eight years.

Jay Cutler threw for 276 yards and a score while running for 89 more for the Commodores. Jennings ran for just 43 yards, but finished with two scores — the last helping Vanderbilt shake off a blown 11-point, third-quarter lead.

Herdley Harrison added a key 18-yard sack on the Demon Deacons’ final drive after Wake Forest had pushed to the Commodores’ 30 with less than a minute to play.

It all added up to a satisfying finish for a program that had lost 38 of 46 games dating back to 2001, including five by five or fewer points last season.

“That’s in the past,” Cutler said. “We knew our offense and defense were capable of making plays when they had to. I’m just really proud of these guys right now. They stepped up and, when the game was on the line, we pulled it out.”

Micah Andrews ran for a career-best 254 yards on 34 carries for the Demon Deacons, who appeared ready to shake their own late-game troubles from last year and stay unbeaten in home openers under fifth-year coach Jim Grobe.

The Demon Deacons lost six games by seven or fewer points in 2004, and added another game to that disappointing pile despite tallying 472 total yards Thursday.

“I wish I could take some of them back and get the ‘W’,” Andrews said of his rushing total, which was the second-highest in school history.

Vanderbilt appeared headed for another late disappointment when Benjamin Mauk scored on a 1-yard keeper for a 20-17 lead with 10 minutes left. But after letting Andrews — who was starting in place of suspended two-time all-Atlantic Coast Conference running back Chris Barclay — run all over it for most of the game, the Commodores’ defense stiffened to force a punt.

Trailing by three with 3:16 left, the Commodores put together a four-play, 49-yard drive, starting with a 28-yard pass from Cutler to Earl Bennett. Then, after Cutler connected with George Smith for a 7-yard gain, Jennings carried twice for the final 14 yards and a 24-20 lead.

“We worked hard this summer on finishing and carrying through the end of the fourth quarter,” Jennings said. “The line fought real well. It opened it up real nice for me, and I was able to get loose.”

The Demon Deacons tried to answer, getting several clutch throws from Mauk to reach the 30. But on a second-and-10, Harrison beat Wesley Bryant around the left side and ran a retreating Mauk down near midfield with 31 seconds left.

After Mauk threw a third-down incompletion, his final heave to Chris Davis was broken up at the goal line by Josh Allen. Cory Randolph, who split time with Mauk at quarterback before moving to wideout this year, made a diving stab at the deflected ball only to be ruled out of bounds near the 2.

The play stood up after a review, sending the Commodores into sideline celebration.

Jennings’ 10-yard run with five minutes left in the third quarter gave Vanderbilt a 17-6 lead, but the Demon Deacons put together a pair of touchdown drives to push ahead. Ultimately, however, Wake Forest was undone by small breakdowns throughout the game, including a fumble by Mauk inside Vanderbilt’s 5 in the third quarter and a delay-of-game penalty as it lined up a 50-yard field goal in the second.

The Demon Deacons also failed to get any pressure on Cutler, who was not sacked and had plenty of time to throw the football.

“There are no excuses whatsoever,” Grobe said. “We made too many mistakes to win.”