Vanderbilt Football Dominates Second Half, Beats Upset-Minded Delaware – si.com

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NASHVILLE – Vanderbilt football won its second game in its new campaign Saturday as the Commodores beat Delaware by a score of 35-26.
Vanderbilt had to punt on its first two drives, but it got going on its third drive. The Commodores started the possession on the Delaware 41-yard line and went the distance for the first score of the game. Vanderbilt five-star freshman Jared Curtis got the score for Vanderbilt as he picked up a misplayed snap and stretched over the goal line to get Vanderbilt up 7-0.
On the next drive, Vanderbilt started on the Delaware 26-yard line after a Martel Hight interception. Curtis completed a 17-yard pass to Jayvontay Conner on the drive before running back Sedrick Alexander ran the ball nine yards into the end zone, giving Vanderbilt a 14-0 lead.
But Delaware would respond. Multiple times, in fact.
The Blue Hens used a 57-yard pass completion to help cut the Vanderbilt lead to 14-3 before using a 33-yard pass completion two drives later to score their first touchdown and make the score 14-10.
Delaware was not done, though. It blocked a Vanderbilt punt with 20 seconds before halftime and returned it the final couple of yards to the end zone to take a 17-14 lead over Vanderbilt. Things were looking quite concerning for the Commodores in the moment. The fans were booing their own team after taking a knee to go into the locker rooms.
But that concern only lasted for the duration of halftime.
On the first drive of the third quarter, Curtis led a 70-yard touchdown drive that was capped off by a Curtis rushing touchdown to give his team the lead back 21-17. Moments later on the next drive, Vanderbilt linebacker blocked a Delaware punt and fell on the ball in the end zone for another Commodore touchdown. It was as if all anxiety from the fans was wiped away.
If there still was some, it was gone by the next Vanderbilt offensive drive. On the Commodores second and final possession of the third quarter, Curtis led a 60-yard touchdown drive to put Vanderbilt up three scores going into the final 15 minutes.
Delaware did not go quietly into the night. It scored a field goal with 12 minutes left in the game and ended up leading a 80-yard touchdown drive that ended in a 43-yard passing touchdown. Fortunately for Vanderbilt, the Commodores stood tall on Delaware's two-point conversion attempt and the ensuing onside kick.
With the win, Vanderbilt moved to 2-0 on the 2026 season. The Commodores will be back in action with another home game. Vanderbilt will take on NC State at 11:45 a.m. CT.
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Graham Baakko is a writer for Vanderbilt Commodores On SI, primarily covering football, basketball and baseball. Graham is a recent graduate from the University of Alabama, where he wrote for The Crimson White, WVUA-FM, WVUA 23 as he covered a variety of Crimson Tide sports. He also covered South Carolina athletics as a sportswriting intern for GamecockCentral.
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