Vanderbilt football defeated Austin Peay 28-9 in a weather-shortened game after it was called with 2:16 remaining in the fourth quarter of the season opener Sept. 5 at FirstBank Stadium.
As promised, the Commodores (1-0) played two quarterbacks, with both five-star freshman Jared Curtis and senior Blaze Berlowitz seeing action.
Vanderbilt's defense clamped down after halftime, allowing the Commodores to increase their lead from 15-9 to 28-9.
Here were five things we noticed:
How each quarterback performed
Berlowitz and Curtis each displayed strengths and weaknesses.
Berlowitz was mostly effective running an offense based around rushes and short passes. Most of his long passing plays were aided by yards after the catch. He largely stayed ahead of the chains and avoided turnovers.
However, when it came time for third downs, he looked reluctant to throw the ball no matter the distance, often bailing out of the pocket and opting to run instead. That was partially successful.
Immediately after coming in, Curtis made a 17-yard completion. He also showed his ability to be a physical runner by trucking an Austin Peay defender, but he did not lead a scoring drive.
The two touchdown drives and two field goal drives were led by Berlowitz, who finished 11-for-16 passing for 149 yards. He also ran 11 times for 45 yards and one touchdown. Curtis was 7-for-9 for 60 yards passing and ran three times for 22 yards.
Neither quarterback took a sack.
Less usage of tight ends with Cole Spence out
Cole Spence didn't dress for the game, which left Vanderbilt thin at tight end. It used tight ends as receivers or rushers (on end-around plays) much less than in 2025.
The Commodores did make use of tight ends as blockers and even used a tackle-eligible wrinkle in one run play, but this season's offense looks like it will be all about the running backs and less about the tight ends.
Jayvontay Conner was the primary tight end receiving target (four catches, 30 yards), and Maurice Veney also had a catch for 20 yards.
Welcome back, 2024 offense
The offense Vanderbilt ran against Austin Peay looked a lot like the offense from 2024, relying heavily on the run game and chewing clock through a slow tempo.
There are plenty of advantages to that offense. It's the reason the Commodores beat Alabama in 2024. But with that style of play, it's hard for whichever team gets behind early to come back. Without a reliable way to convert third-and-longs and without a ton of explosive plays, the Commodores will need to stay on schedule.
Special teams made a big difference
Vanderbilt's special teams were its biggest advantage over Austin Peay. Junior Sherrill had a 43-yard kick return and Josiah Broxton had a punt return touchdown.
Brock Taylor also made two field goals, leaving little doubt about whether the Commodores could rely on their kicker.
Vanderbilt's defense clamped down in the second half
Though the Commodores' defense had some shaky moments, the unit locked in after halftime. Austin Peay gained just two first downs in the second half, allowing them to hold the ball for most of the half.
Vanderbilt tackled cleanly, which was an issue at many points in 2025, and was effective at stopping the run. Transfers Brian Allen Jr. and Edwin Kolenge both looked good in the pass rush.
Aria Gerson covers Vanderbilt athletics for The Tennessean. Contact her at agerson@gannett.com or on X @aria_gerson.
This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: How quarterbacks did, other quick takes from Vanderbilt football win vs Austin Peay
