VANDERBILT SEASON REVIEW: 10 defensive plays to forget

This is tough, because you can't fault our defense. Those guys performed brilliantly this season and we're going to a bowl because of them. And their statistics would have been much better if the offense hadn't gone three and out so many times.

But nobody's perfect, and here are 10 defensive plays that Commodore fans would like to forget:

1. DORES COLLAPSE ON THIRD DOWN (AT MISS STATE 10/11): On the opening drive of the second half, State quarterback Tyson Lee twice ran for first downs on third and long, setting up a touchdown pass to give the Bulldogs a 10-7 lead

2. D-LINE GETS DEMOLISHED (TENNESSEE 11/22): With the game scoreless at the end of the first quarter, Phil Fulmer went to the ground, calling for nine straight running plays. Vanderbilt can’t slow down the Vols, allowing 65 yards, including running Montario Hardesty’s 8 yard touchdown.

3. DORES CAN’T STOP AIRBORNE DOGS (AT MISS STATE 10/11): On third and 10 late in the game, Tyson Lee goes to the air for the first down and then the Bulldogs fall on the ball and run out the clock.

4. SECONDARY LEAVES GATOR ALL ALONE (FLORIDA 11/8): When Tim Tebow tossed a 41-yard pass to David Nelson at the end of the first half, nobody was withing 20 yards of the Gator receiver. Halftime score: 35-0 Florida.

5. COVERAGE BUST GETS STAFFORD ON TRACK (AT GEORGIA 10/18): With the Commodore defense hanging tough against Georgia in the first quarter, Matthew Stafford took advantage of busted coverage and hit A.J. Green for 49 yards. A few plays later, Georgia took a 7-0 lead.

6. TEBOW RUNS OVER DORES (FLORIDA 11/8): The Commodores couldn’t tackle Tim Tebow on his way to a 26-yard touchdown that put Florida up 14-0 early in the first quarter.

7. CLEMENT SHREDS DORE D EARLY (RICE 9/13): On his opening drive, Rice quarterback Chase Clement torched the Commodore defense for 63 yards on three completions, the last going for a 26-yard touchdown to give the Owls a 7-point lead.

8. SHAKY OFFENSE SHAKES UP DORES (AUBURN 10/4): Against a shaky Auburn offense that scored just 3 points a couple of weeks earlier against Miss State, Vanderbilt surrendered a 28-yard touchdown yard pass to give the Tigers a 14-0 first quarter lead.

9. COBB RUNS THROUGH DORES (AT KENTUCKY 11/15): Early in the fourth quarter, the Vanderbilt defense couldn’t stop freshman quarterback Randall Cobb, allowing him to move the Cats 48 yards in three plays, ending with his 10-yd touchdown run, to cut the Vanderbilt lead to 7.

10. OK, WE CAN'T THINK OF TEN. That's how good our defense was this season. Take a bow, guys.