The Sports Corner

2008 Music City Bowl Preview

Boston College 9-4 (5-3) vs. Vanderbilt 6-6 (4-4)

Wednesday, December 31, 12:30 p.m. PST.

LP Field, Nashville, Tennessee.

ACC Atlantic #1 vs. SEC East #3 (tie)

Coaches: Jeff Jagodzinski (20-7) vs. Bobby Johnson (26-56)

Quarterbacks: Dominique Davis vs. Chris Nickson/Mackenzi Adams/Larry Smith

The line: BC -4

Payout: $1.7 million

This bowl is probably more known for its sponsor, Gaylord Hotels, than anything else. But this year there’s a reason to watch. Vanderbilt’s first bowl game since the 1982 Hall of Fame Bowl, which they lost 26-28 to Air Force. You have to go all the way back to 1955 to find the only bowl win in Vanderbilt’s history, a 25-13 win over Auburn in the Gator Bowl. If there’s one thing that’s strange about this game, it’s the point spread (BC -4). One would expect a team who came within a game of the ACC title to be heavy favourites over a team that lost six of its last seven games, as Vandy did. Boston College should be very nervous.

The crowd will be full of Vanderbilt fans, seeing as Vandy is in Nashville, while it was reported in the Boston Globe that BC Athletic Director Gene DeFilippo said they would only sell about 2,000 tickets. Make no mistake about it, this is a huge game for Vanderbilt and if BC doesn’t show up, they’re in for a beat down.

Not even the great Jay Cutler could take the Commodores to a bowl game. Vandy has done this with a revolving door at QB. Regulars Chris Nickson and Mackenzi Adams are recovering from injuries so it may be up to redshirt-freshman Larry Smith, who got his first game experience since high school in the last game of this season against Wake Forest. He went 9-17 for just 46 yards, throwing a touchdown and an interception. 

Don’t read too much into BC’s bowl winning streak, which stands at 8, much of that was down under previous head coach Tom O’Brien. They’ll have to go with inexperience at QB as well. Redshirt-freshman Dominique Davis played the last three games of the season after starter Chris Crane’s season was shelved with a broken collarbone. Davis had his moments but he also showed his lack of polish. BC is going to try to win this game with their backfield tandem of freshmen, a couple of sub 5′9 runners, Montel Harris and Josh Haden. Harris has run his way to the BC freshman rushing record, with 832 yards. If BC can establish the run early, it’s going to be a long day for Vandy. 

My feeling is Vandy will be asking much more of Smith than the BC coaching staff will of Davis. BC has one of the best run defenses in the country. Trying to run against defensive tackles Ron Brace and BJ Raji is like slamming your head against a wall repeatedly. Virginia Tech may have drawn a blueprint for running against BC, and if that’s the case, godspeed. I sure as hell wouldn’t send my backs into battle against those two, it’s suicide, not to mention linebacker Mark Herzlich, who looks like he’s escaped from an insane asylum when he’s on the field. Vandy will have to get something going through the air, and that’s where corner DJ Moore comes in. 

Moore, a junior, might take his game to the NFL next year. How better to showcase his skills than by giving his team an offensive spark that they so dearly need. Moore has played some offense this year and he caught two touchdown passes in the win over Kentucky. Vandy won’t beat BC without a passing game and Moore, the best athlete on the team, might be the only one who can help in that regard. Defensively, his strong suit, how better to prove he’s NFL-ready than by locking down BC receiver Rich Gunnell (49 catches, 4 TDs). 

It might sound crazy, but with the help of the home crowd, Vanderbilt gives their fans a reason to cheer and something to look forward to in 2009. 

Commodores finally win a bowl game (!) 13-10.