With the magical Hall of Fame Bowl season a distant memory, Coach Woody Widenhofer goes down in a blaze of glory with three moral victories to start the new millenium. Then new coach Bobby Johnson rips off nine in his first six seasons — including six moral victories in the last two years. Here it is:
2000 — Vanderbilt 26, No. 25 Tennessee 28 (Nashville)
So the Commodores are hosting the Volunteers, and as usual the crowd is about 85 percent Tennessee fans. Sad but true. And the Vanderbilt chancellor appears on the giant screen in his bow tie and spectacles and welcomes the fans from Knoxville. And then he pokes a finger in the air and says, "This... is... our... house!" And everybody wearing orange laughs and laughs.
2001 — Vanderbilt 9, Alabama 10 (Nashville)
So the Commodores are leading 9-3 late in the game. And they have the ball deep in Crimson Tide territory. And quarterback Greg Zolman pitches the ball and goes out for a pass and he's wide open and he... drops the ball. Alabama roars down the field and scores.
2001 — Vanderbilt 21, Auburn 24 (Nashville)
Vandy's got the ball on fourth and short in Auburn territory. After much debate, the Commodore kicker trots out on the field to try to tie the game. But it's a fake and the holder is running the option and he pitches... to the kicker. Who gets killed. Game over.
2002 — Vanderbilt 17, No. 23 Florida 23 (Nashville)
If any Gator coach besides Galen Hall was capable of losing to the Commodores, it was Ron Zook. Almost.
2004 — Vanderbilt 33, No. 15 Tennessee 38 (Nashville)
At the end of his third straight two-win season, Coach Bobby Johnson continued the Commodore tradition of almost beating the Volunteers.
2005 — Vanderbilt 42, No. 13 Florida 49 (2OT) (Gainesville)
Future NFL quarterback Jay Cutler got hot in Gainesville and tossed a TD pass to future NFL wideout Earl Bennett at the end of the game. While Coach Johnson was drawing up a two-point play to win in regulation, Bennett drew a hotly debated penalty for giving the six-shooter symbol. So Vanderbilt kicked and tied the game. And lost in double overtime.
2006 — Vanderbilt 10, Alabama 13 (Tuscaloosa)
Great game. Commodores look great. Well, except for that long Crimson Tide field goal at the end of the game.
2006 — Vanderbilt 19, Arkansas 21 (Nashville)
In yet another legendary moral victory game, the Vandy kicker boots what looks like the game winning field goal as time expires. But the wind blows the ball back. I'm not kidding. The wind blows the ball back. Arkansas wins.
2006 — Vanderbilt 19, No. 7 Florida 25 (Nashville)
Florida would stomp Ohio State in the national championship game. But the Gators would nearly lose to Vanderbilt in Nashville.
2007 — Vanderbilt 17, Georgia 20 (Nashville)
A year after actually beating the Dawgs in Athens, Vanderbilt leads 17-14 late in the game and has a running back streaking toward the end zone. Until he gets hit hard. And fumbles the football. The Dawgs tie the game with a field goal. And then win it as time expires with another one. And then the Georgia players actually stomp on the Vanderbilt star at midfield. Are you kidding?
2007 — Vanderbilt 20, No. 17 Kentucky 27 (Nashville)
The Commodores outgain the high-powered Wildcat team that had beaten eventual national champion LSU and for much of the game outscore them too. Losses to Kentucky are rarely moral victories, but maybe this one is.
2007 — Vanderbilt 24, No. 19 Tennessee 25 (Knoxville)
The Commodores lead the Volunteers 24-9 going into the fourth quarter. But a roughing the punter penalty sparks the Vols to a touchdown. And another touchdown. And a field goal and the lead. Vandy battles back and kicks a 49-yard field goal as time expires. No good. Another moral victory.
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