NASHVILLE, Tenn. — Like last week, Vanderbilt got off to a slow start, but this result was much different. Austyn Carta-Samuels ran for two touchdowns and threw for another as Vanderbilt beat Austin Peay 38-3 Saturday night.
Leading 3-0 at the end of the first quarter, the Commodores opened the game up in the second, scoring touchdowns on four straight possessions. “It is something that I have noticed this week and last week,” Carta-Samuels said. “Our second quarters have been phenomenal but our first quarters have been slow. It is definitely going to be a focal point moving forward, starting really well at the beginning of practice because that is where everything happens first, and then carrying it over into Saturdays.”
Carta-Samuels, making his third career start for Vanderbilt, had a 1-yard touchdown run with 9:23 remaining in the second. Later on in the quarter he connected with receiver Jordan Matthews on a 39-yard touchdown play.
A week after posting a career-high 178 receiving yards against Mississippi, Matthews caught six balls for 111 yards. The senior has caught a touchdown pass in his last seven games.
Vanderbilt has scored at least 35 points in its last five games.
Carta-Samuels’ second rushing touchdown came with 24 seconds remaining in the first half following an Austin Peay fumble deep inside its own territory.
Playing just the first half, Carta-Samuels finished 14-of-22 passing for 223 yards and the one touchdown.
“We wanted to be 1-0 this week and we were 1-0 this week,” Vanderbilt coach James Franklin said. “Is there a lot of learning on that tape, a lot of things we need to get cleaned up? No doubt about it.”
Austin Peay failed to earn a first down in the first half. The Governors (0-2) finished with just 139 yards of offense in the game.
Governors kicker Walter Spears connected on a 20-yard field goal with 4:33 remaining in the third quarter to account for their only appearance on the scoreboard this season. With their one field goal, they did avoid being shut out in back-to-back contests. Prior to last week, a 45-0 loss at Tennessee, Austin Peay had not been blanked in 84 straight games, dating back to 2005.
Separated by just 50 miles, it was the first meeting between the schools.
— Associated Press
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