Jared Curtis’ first start at Vanderbilt came with the kind of production and drama that gets noticed across the SEC.
The freshman quarterback was named SEC Freshman of the Week after leading the Commodores to a wild Week 3 comeback win over NC State, according to a media release. In his first career start, Curtis helped Vanderbilt erase a 17-point deficit and finish off what may have been the most chaotic ending to a college football game this season.
The numbers tell the story of a night that started slowly and finished with Curtis making big-time throws. He went 20-for-34 for 277 yards, three passing touchdowns and two interceptions. Vanderbilt needed every bit of it after falling behind 24-7 midway through the third quarter.
Curtis helped spark the rally with a 33-yard completion to Tristen Brown that set up MK Young’s 6-yard touchdown run. On the next drive, he found Junior Sherrill for 38 yards and Brycen Coleman for 18 before hitting Sedrick Alexander on a touchdown pass out of the backfield.
By then, Vanderbilt had clawed back within three points before the fourth quarter even arrived. Curtis kept pushing in the final period, delivering another touchdown strike to Sherrill, a 43-yard throw that brought the Commodores within 31-28.
He also got a chance to engineer a potential game-winning drive, but with 1:04 left, Curtis threw an interception - a freshman mistake in an otherwise revealing debut. That was the full Curtis package: flashes of the five-star talent that made him such a coveted recruit, plus the growing pains that come with a first start.
“I want to credit Jared Curtis for a gutsy performance. There were some freshman moments in there, but some of those throws that he made to get us back in it are throws that he can make,” Vanderbilt head coach Clark Lea said of Curtis’ game in his first start.
“So, it was fun to watch him step into those moments and perform. I think there was a lot of growth for him today, meaning moments where he did things that we can build on.”
It’s the first SEC weekly honor of Curtis’ career, and with his talent, it may not be the last during his time in Nashville. His next chance comes this weekend, when Vanderbilt opens SEC play at Auburn.
Kickoff is set for 3:15 p.m. CT on SEC Network.
In Other News...
Vanderbilt Gets An Early Reality Check Before SEC Pressure Hits
The Commodores are about to get an early test on the road, with Vanderbilt set to face Miami in a preseason exhibition Friday, Oct. 23, at the Watsco Center in Coral Gables. It is the kind of matchup that can tell a team plenty before the games count, especially with both programs coming off strong seasons and carrying spots in ESPNs Way-Too-Early Top 25.
For Vanderbilt, the timing makes the trip even more interesting because the SEC grind is still ahead, and early games like this can help reveal what needs tightening before the pressure ramps up. Miami coach Jai Lucas has already pointed to the value of tough preparation and the need for challenging games before his team opens the season against Florida, which gives this exhibition a little more edge than the usual fall tune-up. [Read more 🡒]
Vanderbilt Had Several Performances SEC Teams Should Notice After This Win
Vanderbilts win over NC State offered more than just a good result for the resume, because several players gave SEC opponents something to file away. The defense made one of the biggest early statements when EDGE Miles Capers forced a fumble that cornerback Cayden Daniels recovered, and Capers added three tackles and a tackle for loss to a disruptive outing.
On the other side of the ball, Sherrill kept building his case as a reliable target by leading the Commodores with six catches for 108 yards and two touchdowns, a sign that his timing with quarterback Jared Curtis is starting to look more natural. Freshman Mason Lewis also turned heads in his first start at STAR, tying for the team lead with eight tackles and giving Vanderbilt another young defender worth watching as the schedule gets tougher. [Read more 🡒]