TSU Falls to Vanderbilt, 31-27, in Hard-Fought Battle

PHOTO GALLERY 

STATS 

Game 3: Tennessee State 27, Vanderbilt 31
Records: TSU (2-1), VU (3-2)
Venue: Vanderbilt Stadium
Location: Nashville, Tenn.
Weather: Sunny, 63
Kickoff Time: 3:05 p.m.
Attendance: 27,340

NASHVILLE, Tennessee --- The Tennessee State football team went toe-to-toe with SEC foe Vanderbilt, falling by a 31-27 final score in a game that went down to the wire on Saturday at Vanderbilt Stadium. It was the first loss of the season for TSU.

Despite 269 yards passing and three touchdowns from junior quarterback Demry Croft, TSU (2-1) could not overcome the balanced attack of Vanderbilt (3-2).

TSU held a 13-7 halftime edge, but the Commodores bounced back by outscoring the Tigers, 24-14, in the second half.

The Tigers took a 27-24 lead with 8:02 to play on a 1-yard touchdown pass from Croft to Andrew Knox. On Vanderbilt’s ensuing possession, however, the Commodores took the lead for good with a touchdown pass with 6:20 left.

Dajour Nesbeth led TSU’s defense with 10 tackles and an interception. Terry Straughter also recorded an interception for the Tigers.

 FIRST QUARTER

• Tennessee State started with the ball and had some success until a penalty to stalled the drive.
• The defense stood tall on Vanderbilt’s first possession as Terry Straughter intercepted a Kyle Shirmer fourth down pass attempt.
• The Tigers have stopped their opponents on four straight fourth down attempts, dating back to the opening season win against Bethune-Cookman.
• The Tigers moved down to the Commodores 25 on a pair of Te’kendrick Roberson runs and a 20 yard pass play from Demry Croft to Treon Harris.
• Antonio Zita fell short on his 46 yard field goal attempt with 5:08 remaining in the quarter.
• Dajour Nesbeth stepped in front of Shirmer pass in the end zone for an interception and returned it 65 yards to the Vanderbilt 35.
• After a DeMarco Corbin eight yard run and a 10 yard dash by Croft, the Tigers moved to the five as Croft hit Stephen Newbold for 12 yards.
• The quarter ended with The Tigers facing a second and goal from the five.
• TSU outgained Vanderbilt 88-75 in the quarter.

SECOND QUARTER

• On the second play of the quarter, Croft found Newbold in the end zone as the Tigers took a 7-0 lead.
• The Commodores responded with a seven play, 75 yard scoring drive to even the score at 7-7 with 11:23 on the clock.
• The Tigers came right back and scored in 4:51, to retake the lead at 13-6.
• The drive opened with a 12 yard pass play from Croft to Newbold and a 12 yard rush by the signal caller.
• Croft continued the drive with three passes to Harris for 12, seven and 31 yards, the last for a touchdown.
• Vanderbilt drove back down the field on their next possession, but the defense forced a field goal attempt which sailed wide right.
• The Commodores charged back down on their next series and kicked a 20 yard field goal just before half to cut into the Tigers lead, 13-10.

THIRD QUARTER

• Vanderbilt opened fast in the second half as they capped off a 76 yard scoring drive with a 38 yard touchdown pass, taking a 17-13 lead.
• The Commodores added another touchdown, a 78 yard rushing touchdown, two plays after stopping the Tigers at midfield.
• The Tigers bounced back, using an acrobatic catch by Steven Newbold for 20 yards to keep the drive alive.
• The play was called incomplete on the field and was overturned in review.
• Croft completed back-to-back passes to Newbold and DeVon Johnson for 15 and 20 yards, respectively, moving the ball to the VU two yard line.
• Corbin hit pay dirt on the next play, crashing through the middle of the line for a two yard touchdown blast.
• The quarter ended with the Tigers trailing 24-20.

NOTES

• TSU’s captains were Demry Croft, Micheal Hughes, Thomas Burton and LaQuarius Cook.
• TSU won the coin toss and elected to receive the opening kickoff.
• Saturday’s game aired live on SEC Network Alternate.
• Tennessee State is 0-3 in the all-time series versus Vanderbilt.
• Treon Harris made his first start of the season at wide receiver. Neiman Armstrong (CB) and Jeremiah Caine (DL) also made their first starts of the season for the Tigers.
• Tennessee State received votes in the most-recent STATS FCS Top 25 poll.
• TSU’s defense has an interception in two of the first three games this season. It is the second time this season TSU has posted multiple interceptions.
• TSU led at the half for the second time this season.

 WHAT’S NEXT

TSU travels to Austin Peay for an Oct. 6 game in Clarksville, Tenn. at 6 p.m. 

QUOTES
RUNNING BACK DEMARCO CORBIN
(on scoring in three-consecutive games)
“It’s been a good feeling. For the past few years in college football, this has been my job. When we get near the goal line, it’s time to go. I think I’ve shown (the coaching staff) that they can trust me, and hopefully I can continue to show them that.”

(on playing a close game with an SEC opponent)
“To me, that shows me this is a special teams. It shows we can do some big things if we all believe.”

OFFENSIVE LINEMAN CHIDI OKEKE
(on the offense moving the ball)
“We do what we have to do all week. We watched Vanderbilt’s defense, and we believed we could match up with them and actually beat them. We kept what we were doing in practice and did it in the game.”

(on if the game gives him confidence)
“It gives me confidence moving forward because if we can play this way against OVC teams, it will be tough for them to match up with us.”

DEFENSIVE BACK LAQUARIUS COOK
(on the defense getting take aways)
“It’s pretty cool that we could do that against an SEC opponent, but we still came out trying to be the best we can be and give them nothing.”

(on building confidence from the game)
“It’s alright to play a close game, but we came here to win. We didn’t come here to play a close game.”

TENNESSEE STATE UNIVERSITY ATHLETIC MEDIA COMMUNICATIONS