Vanderbilt collected its first SEC win of the season with a 10-3 victory against Missouri in Nashville on Saturday.

Here’s a breakdown of what transpired:

5 TAKEAWAYS

  • Vanderbilt’s defense was brilliant: Sure, it would be easy to point to the fact that Missouri has one of the league’s worst offenses to try to diminish the efforts of the Commodores defense on Saturday, but I choose not to do that. Holding an SEC team to three points and less than 200 total yards of offense is a performance to be proud of no matter who the opponent may be. Holding an opponent to 0-for-14 on third-down conversions is a recipe for success every single time.
  • Derek Mason is there for the long haul: Well, at least for the foreseeable future. Fans voiced their displeasure with Mason after what is easily classified as a horrific first season at the helm, but it is hard to argue against the improvements that he has made in his second season, particularly on defensive. Now that he has matched his 2014 win total and has a conference win under his belt, it is safe to say that Mason will get a chance to prove that he is the right man for Vanderbilt.
  • The QB competition appears to be open: After starting the first six games of the season, Johnny McCrary was benched for true freshman Kyle Shurmur. And while Shurmur avoided making big mistakes against one of the best defenses in the league, he also failed to steal the job away with his play. McCrary made several appearances in the game, and was the go-to man when the Commodores were trying to protect a fourth-quarter lead.
  • Time of possession continues to be the key: The Vanderbilt offense hasn’t been overly effective this season in terms of putting points on the board, but one thing new offensive coordinator Andy Ludwig has established is the ability to win the time of possession battle. The Commodores kept the ball for more than 38 minutes in Saturday’s win, which helped keep an already effective defense fresh.
  • The offense is still struggling to finish drives: While holding on to the ball that long is nice, getting just one touchdown and one field goal for all of that effort seems like a small payoff. Vanderbilt’s yardage numbers are up this season, but the Commodores must continue to find ways to finish drives and avoid costly turnovers. Just one turnover against Missouri (a fumble) was a good start.

REPORT CARD

Offense: C — Vanderbilt ran the ball effectively against a very tough run defense, but it still did not score enough points to consider this a successful outing.

Defense: A+ — The Commodores really couldn’t have asked for anything more from their defense in this one. The only points allowed came from a field goal that was set up by a Vanderbilt fumble that created a short field for Missouri.

Special Teams: B — Tommy Openshaw had a great day as the Vanderbilt punter, highlighted by a 78-yard bomb. He was not as successful as the kicker, making just one of three field goal attempts. Vanderbilt recovered a fumble on a punt return.

Coaching: A — It may not have been exactly how he drew it up, but you have to give Derek Mason credit when it is due. He and his staff enjoyed their first win in SEC play, snapping an 11-game losing streak since taking the job last season.

Overall: A — Again, any complaining done about this win is simply nitpicking. The Commodores needed a conference win in the worst way, and it really didn’t matter how it looked on the field. This receives an “A” grade simply for the morale boost it should provide in the locker room.

GAME PLAN

Everyone around the league knew this was going to be a low-scoring, defensive struggle. And that’s just the type of game that Derek Mason, who doubles as a defensive coordinator, likes to play. Offensively, the Commodores successfully established a rushing attack and offensive coordinator Andy Ludwig tried to call high-percentage pass opportunities to keep the Commodores on schedule. On defense, Mason was relentless with his pressure against a true freshman quarterback, daring the Tigers to beat him deep all game. They did not.

GAME BALLS

  • HC Derek Mason: It took 12 tries, but the second-year coach can finally say that he has won a SEC game.
  • RB Ralph Webb: Scored the game’s only touchdown and was the leading rusher with 99 yards.
  • RB/WR Darrius Sims: With 58 yards rushing on nine carries and 29 yards on two catches, he lived up to his billing as a versatile threat for an offense needing one.