Vanderbilt appeared to turn a real corner late last season in wins over Ole Miss and Tennessee to finally earn bowl eligibility under coach Derek Mason. While the defense and running back Ralph Webb have been carrying their weight for some time, the difference for the Commodores has been the emergence of quarterback Kyle Shurmur.

His performances against the Rebels, and in particular the Vols, left no doubt that he would be the team’s quarterback heading into the 2017 season. Following a terrific performance in the season opener against Middle Tennessee State, Shurmur outdid himself Saturday against Alabama A&M.

If you missed the game, the Commodores won 42-0, you missed one heck of a performance from Shurmur. The Vandy QB completed 15-of-18 passes, giving him the new school record for completion percentage in a game.

With Kansas State scheduled to travel to Nashville next weekend, the difference between a win and a loss could very well be Shurmur’s performance against the Wildcats.