The Sports Xchange
Sep 19, 2015
NASHVILLE, Tenn. -- Once Vanderbilt turned things into a game of pitch and catch between Johnny McCrary and Trent Sherfield, there was little Austin Peay could do to stop it, as the Commodores turned a close game into a 47-7 rout of the Governors at Vanderbilt Stadium on Saturday afternoon.
Sherfield broke a school record with 240 receiving yards on 16 catches, 15 coming on passed from McCrary, who set career highs in completions (28) and yards 368. McCrary, a sophomore, threw a pair of touchdown passes and running back Ralph Webb set a career high with three touchdowns.
Things started slowly for VU, thanks to a costly mistake and a running game that never got on track. Vanderbilt's Ryan White fumbled a pooch punt at the Commodore 17-yard line, setting up Trey Taylor's 14-yard scoring toss to Rashaan Coleman that gave the Governors a 7-3 lead with 11:26 left in the second quarter.
But Vandy answered on its next drive. McCrary's 43-yard toss to tight end DeAndre Woods put VU in Governor territory, setting up a 3-yard scoring run by Webb. The sophomore running back added a 9-yard catch for a score that put VU up 19-7 just before the break, thanks also to a pair of field goals by Tommy Openshaw.
Webb's 2-yard scoring run opened the second half, and McCrary's beautiful 26-yard strike to Sherfield and his 16-yard touchdown scramble put the game out of reach by the end of the third.
The win snapped a five-game losing streak for the Commodores (1-2), who'll travel to Ole Miss next week. Austin Peay (0-3) has lost eight straight.