First-year Vanderbilt coach Bill Edwards brought his 4-2 Commodores to Tiger Stadium for a night game November 5, 1949. Except for an interruption during World War II (1941-4), LSU had met Vandy every season since the Southeastern Conference began in 1933.

Gaynell Tinsley's second Tiger team entered the fray 4-2 also, with victories over Rice (14-7), Texas A&M (34-0), North Carolina(13-7), and Mississippi (34-7). The defeats came to Bear Bryant's Kentucky Wildcats (19-0) and Wally Butts' Georgia Bulldogs (7-0). The Tigers sought revenge for the 48-7 shellacking Red Sanders' final Vandy team administered in Nashville during Tinsley's 3-7 maiden voyage in 1947.

As an estimated 34,000 fans shivered in nippy weather, LSU struck swiftly in the first quar­ter to convert two Vandy fumbles into scores. It took LSU only three plays to score after DB Kenny Konz recovered a fumble on the 14. QB Carrol Grif­fith hit HB Billy Baggett in the end zone with a 13y scoring pass six minutes into the game.

Later in the quarter, E Armand Kitto recovered a fumble on the 12. Once again, Griffith hit a third down pass, this one to E Mel Lyle at the goal line. Griffith's kick made the score 13-0.

The Tigers added to their lead in the second period. After a 32y punt out of bounds to start the quarter, LSU drove 43y in only four plays. Griffith tossed to sophomore HB Jim Roshto who rambled to the Vandy 23. After Baggett gained two up the middle, FB Billy West broke through center and ran to the 10 where he fumbled. But Ebert Van Buren (Steve's younger brother) saved the day, covering the pigskin on the half-yard line. Griffith then sneaked over. LSU 19 Vanderbilt 0

An officiating error set up an easy Vanderbilt touchdown. After Lee Hedges intercepted a pass on the LSU 37, Baggett gained one and West four. Griffith then threw to Hedges who made a spectacular catch before being pushed out on the Commodore 25. But the play was called back and the Tigers penalized 15y to the 27. Konz went back to punt on third down but was unable to handle the bad snap. He picked up the ball on the goal line but was downed on the one. The officials, apparently counting the previous play that was nullified as a down, ruled it Vanderbilt's ball. QB Jamie Wade immediately threw a jump pass to Bucky Curtis for the touchown to change the scoreboard to 19-6.

The Tigers started a drive that reached the enemy 41 where Baggett lost a fumble. Passing on every down except one, Wade led Vandy to their second score, which came on 24y con­nection with Curtis who grabbed the ball right before he smashed into the goal post. He was knocked out but held on. The PAT made it 19-13, with all the momentum in Vandy's favor as the teams went to their dressing rooms a few minutes later.

On Vandy's opening possession of the third quarter, T Harold Voss recovered a fumble on the LSU 48. The Bengals then drove relentlessly to extend their lead to 13. Baggett gained seven, then 10 for a first down. Hedges took a pitchout and raced 20y to the 15. With four tackles in the defensive line, two thrusts gained five but that was nullified by an offsides penal­ty. After an incomplete pass, Tinsley decided to go for it on fourth down. Griffith passed to West who was stopped on the five. The measurement showed first down by a foot. After two ground plays gained only a yard, Charley Pevey tossed to Hedges who made a fine running catch in the flat and ran into the end zone. LSU 26 Vanderbilt 13

LSU salted the game away early in the final period. A poor punt late in the third quarter allowed the Tigers to set up shop 40y from pay dirt. Three runs gained a first down before the teams changed ends. After two incompletions, Pevey connected with Lyle for a first-and-goal on the eight. From there, Hedges raced wide around right end and blasted over to make it 33-13 after the conversion.

Vanderbilt threatened when Wade flipped 36y to Nelson Burton who was pushed out on the two. But G Allen Hover recovered a fumble on the next play to bail out the Tigers. The home boys had a final chance when Hover recovered another fumble, this one on a bungled punt reception at the 26. But a fourth down run by West after trying to pass missed a first down by a foot.

FINAL SCORE: LSU 33 VANDERBILT 13

The statistics showed why LSU won.

The snarling Tigers held the visitors to a mere 23y on the ground and rushed for 173 themselves. Wade completed only 13-of-31 passes for 177y. The butter-fingered Dores fumbled eight times and lost six of them.

A week later, Coach Edwards announced that Vanderbilt would never play another night game if he had any say in the matter. Edwards hastened to add that the 20-point defeat in Baton Rouge had nothing to do with his decision, which struck some as sour grapes. Vandy had won its other evening clash, 22-17 over Florida at Jacksonville.

Bill explained his feelings. "Football is strictly an afternoon game. There's nothing attractive about a night game to coaches or players. When playing at night, the players loaf and meals come at the wrong time."