Vanderbilt Opens 2026 Season With 28-9 Win Over Austin Peay – rutherfordsource.com

September 5, 2026 – Vanderbilt opened the 2026 season with a 28-9 victory over Austin Peay in front of 35,000 fans at FirstBank Stadium in Nashville. The Commodores (1-0, 0-0 SEC) controlled all three phases, holding the Governors (1-1, 0-0 UAC) to 178 total yards while racking up 396 on offense. More Sports News
Berlowitz also carried 11 times for 45 yards and a touchdown, combining for 194 total yards in his first collegiate start. Curtis relieved him in the second half, adding 60 passing yards and rushing for 22 more on the ground.
Alexander led Vanderbilt’s ground game with 60 yards and a third-quarter touchdown — the 22nd rushing score of his career, moving him past Ke’Shawn Vaughn into fourth on Vanderbilt’s all-time list. The Commodores rushed for 187 yards on 38 carries as a team, averaging 4.9 yards per attempt.
Vanderbilt’s defense held Austin Peay to 178 total yards and recorded 5.0 sacks as a team. Ouattara led with 2.0 sacks, while Brian Allen added a full sack and Nick Rinaldi, Glenn Seabrooks III, Edwin Kolenge, and Hayden Bray each contributed half a sack. Rinaldi and CJ Heard paced the defense with six tackles apiece. The Commodores held Austin Peay to a 1-of-10 mark on third downs and blanked them in the red zone.
The game was called with 2:16 remaining following a lightning delay, with both teams agreeing to end the contest. Vanderbilt has now won nine straight home games, the longest such streak since the program won nine consecutive at home across the 1973–75 seasons.
The Commodores return to action Saturday at home against Delaware. Kickoff is set for 3:15 p.m. CT.
Source: Vanderbilt
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