Commodore Brunch Week 9: The taste of victory – The Vanderbilt Hustler

After five consecutive losses, Vanderbilt Football finally has something to smile about.
The Commodores traveled to Starkville, Mississippi, on Saturday afternoon to take on Mississippi State, hoping to salvage what has been a miserable season so far. And while the Bulldogs entered the contest having lost four straight games themselves, Vanderbilt had not exactly given its fans much reason to believe it could get the job done. 
But in a game that featured plenty of familiar frustrations, the Commodores found a way to come out on top, earning their first SEC victory of the season with a 25-23 win.
It certainly was not pretty. Vanderbilt built a 16-point halftime lead before nearly giving the game away in the second half, and its offense still struggled to find the end zone consistently. But Saturday also offered a few encouraging signs.
For a team that has struggled to win games throughout the year, finding a way to survive those final minutes is a positive development.
— Mikey Andersen
Whether it was the emergence of a productive running game, the ability to finally close out a competitive contest, or a defense that took advantage of an inexperienced opposing quarterback, Vanderbilt showed some things that the team has been missing throughout much of 2026.
Let us dive into the brunch menu following the Commodores’ much-needed victory.
The meat and potatoes
For much of the 2026 season, Vanderbilt’s run game has been one of its biggest disappointments.
The lack of a reliable rushing attack has put even more pressure on the passing game and true freshman quarterback Jared Curtis — whose rushing ability is a far cry from Diego Pavia’s production a season ago — and made the offense relatively predictable. But the Commodores finally found some production between the tackles Saturday. 
Vanderbilt rushed for 160 yards as a team, averaging just over three yards per carry on 52 attempts. While the average is still low, what stands out is the commitment Vanderbilt made to the run game as a whole. There have been times when the rushing attack has been completely and immediately abandoned, leading to games in which Vanderbilt running backs Sedrick Alexander and MK Young have fewer than 5 carries collectively.
It seems like the Vanderbilt coaching staff realized that is not a winning equation over the bye week. Young led the way with 63 yards, while Alexander added 59 yards and a touchdown. Curtis also contributed 22 yards on the ground.
Because of its newly balanced attack, Vanderbilt had the ability to sustain drives. The team’s 18-play, 87-yard touchdown drive in the first half was its longest of the entire season, and it ended with Alexander punching the ball into the end zone from two yards out.
That type of possession is exactly what Vanderbilt has needed more of so far this season. Rather than relying on Curtis to make difficult throws on third down or attempting to manufacture explosive plays, Vanderbilt controlled possession for nearly 40 minutes. It was a nice change for an offense that has spent far too much time watching its defense on the field.
Of course, 160 rushing yards against a struggling Mississippi State team does not suddenly make Vanderbilt a dominant rushing offense. But after weeks of watching the Commodores struggle to establish any identity offensively, Saturday was a step in the right direction.
Not another half-baked finish
Coming into the game, the Commodores have repeatedly found themselves in situations where they were unable to make the late plays necessary to win. Saturday looked like it might be another example.
Vanderbilt entered halftime with a comfortable 16-0 advantage, having held the Bulldogs to just 71 yards of total offense. But Mississippi State came out of the locker room and quickly started to flip the script, scoring two touchdowns within one minute of game time to make the score 16-14.
The first came on a 65-yard touchdown pass from AJ Swann to Sanfrisco Magee, while the second was a defensive touchdown after Curtis fumbled while being sacked. Suddenly, a game that Vanderbilt had seemingly controlled from the opening kickoff was completely up for grabs, because of familiar issues: allowing explosive plays and making avoidable offensive mistakes.
Fast forward to the end of the game, and the Bulldogs managed to find the end zone with 32 seconds remaining, connecting on a 30-yard touchdown pass — to who else but Magee, again — to make it 25-23.
But when Mississippi State went for two to tie the game, Vanderbilt’s defense went away from their normal zone coverage, playing tight man and bringing pressure, which forced an errant throw from Swann and ended the contest. 
It was far from a perfect game, and the fact that Vanderbilt allowed Mississippi State to get back into the game in the first place put a halt to what could have been a decisive victory. For a team that has struggled to win games throughout the year, finding a way to survive those final minutes is a positive development.
Scrambling State’s eggs
One of the more important factors in Vanderbilt’s victory was its ability to take advantage of Mississippi State’s quarterback situation.
The Bulldogs entered Saturday without their starting quarterback, Kamario Taylor, who had undergone season-ending surgery. In his place was backup Swann, who was tasked with leading an offense that had struggled considerably in recent weeks.
And while Swann certainly had some success through the air, Vanderbilt’s defense also forced him to make mistakes. The Commodores were particularly effective in the first half, holding Mississippi State scoreless and limiting the Bulldogs to just 71 total yards. A big part of that performance came from their ability to pressure Swann and force the offense into uncomfortable situations, which is something the defense has really struggled with up until Saturday.
Perhaps the biggest play of the opening half came when defensive back Jordan Matthews recorded his first career interception, helping to keep the Bulldogs from finding any momentum before halftime. 
Vanderbilt has struggled to consistently generate turnovers this season, and when opposing offenses have found their rhythm, the defense has often had very few answers. However, here we saw a promising young player in the right position to create a turnover with the help of pressure generated by the defensive line.
It was an absolutely necessary result for a team that has faced justifiable criticism this season. I believe if the defense allowed Mississippi State’s backup to throw it around the yard and lead his team to a comeback victory, there would be some very difficult conversations regarding the coaching staff come Monday. But the defense looked refreshed and came out with an aggressive scheme that got the job done.
There is still plenty of work to be done, and one victory over a struggling Mississippi State team does not erase the problems that have plagued this program throughout the season. But for a Vanderbilt team that desperately needed something to go its way, Saturday was a much-needed step forward.
The Black and Gold will look to continue stacking underdog wins as they take on Alabama next Saturday, Nov. 14, at 11:45 a.m. CST at FirstBank Stadium.
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