Vanderbilt rallies for 16-14 victory over Boston College in Music City Bowl

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Vanderbilt displayed a unique ability to forget on Wednesday. As a result, the Commodores, their coaches, their alumni and their fans left LP Field with a memory they’ll cherish for years.

Several of the key performers showed that they don’t dwell on mistakes as the long-moribund program shook off 26 years of futility with a 16-14 victory over Boston College before 54,250 mostly black-and-gold supporters in the Gaylord Hotels Music City Bowl.

The school’s first victory in a bowl game since the 1955 Gator Bowl and just its second all-time gave Vanderbilt (7-6) its first winning season since 1982 and plenty of reasons to look to the future.

“Words can't describe how much this means to this program,” offensive lineman Bradley Vierling, one of the team’s captains, said. “To be 7-6 instead of 6-7, to be winners instead of losers. This means everything. We're loving every second of it.

“We had to win. It was a ‘must’ win.”

The Commodores finally went ahead to stay with 3:26 remaining when kicker Bryant Hahnfeldt made his third – and longest – field goal of the contest, from 45 yards. As he went three-for-three on the day, the senior and the school’s all-time leading scorer hardly looked as if he was haunted by the fact that he made just three field goals (on eight attempts) in the final eight games of the regular season.

The victory was not secure, though, until junior cornerback Myron Lewis intercepted a pass (VU’s third takeaway of the day) with 1:36 to play. It was just 5:02 earlier that Lewis bit on a double move and was beaten for a 55-yard touchdown pass that gave Boston College (9-5) a 14-13 lead.

“We had to get focused and make a play,” Lewis said. “… I feel like a champion. It feels really good.”

The uncommon and somewhat unexpected victory (Boston College had won a bowl game each of the last eight years) was accomplished in most unconventional fashion. Nothing proved that point better than the fact that punter Brett Upson was named the game’s most valuable player.

Other than Hahnfeldt’s field goals, the Commodores’ only other points came when safety Sean Richardson recovered a fumbled punt in the end zone early in the third quarter. That meant all of their points came from special teams.

The offense relied on the combined quarterbacking of fifth-year senior Chris Nickson and redshirt-freshman Larry Smith who rotated in and out of the contest – sometimes on a play-by-play basis.

Mackezi Adams also got one snap. He threw an incomplete pass but drew a roughing the passer penalty, which led to Hahnfeldt’s game-winner four plays later.

Yet VU managed just 200 yards of total offense and was a meager 1-for-15 on third-down conversion attempts. However, the Commodores did not commit a turnover, were not flagged for any penalties and answered within a matter of minutes both times Boston College took the lead.

“All the stats, they don’t count,” BC coach Jeff Jagodzinski said. “What counts is what’s on the scoreboard at the end of 60 minutes.”

That score – 16-14 – now will be etched into the VU record books, not to mention the minds and hearts of those who overcame all the weight of so many past failures.

“We wanted to be called winners; we wanted to be called champions – and we will,” VU coach Bobby Johnson said. “We will be the Music City Bowl champions. We will have a winning season, and all of these things are extremely important to a program trying to move up.

“It may not have been the prettiest victory in the whole world, but it is for us now.”

SCORING SUMMARY

First quarter

VU – Hahnfeldt 42 FG Drive: Seven plays, 34 yards, 3:05.

VU – Hahnfeldt 26 FG Drive: Five plays, 57 yards, 2:46.

Second quarter

BC – Harris 4 pass from Davis (Aponavicius kick) Drive: 17 plays, 63 yards, 6:51.

Third quarter

VU – Richardson recovered fumbled punt in end zone (Hahnfeldt kick)

Fourth quarter

BC – Larmond 55 pass from Davis (Aponavicius kick) Drive: Five plays, 89 yards, 1:08

VU – Hahnfeldt 45 FG Drive: Seven plays, 48 yards, 3:12