Vanderbilt beats NC State 38-24 in Music City Bowl for best season since 1915 at 9-4

Vanderbilt head coach James Franklin, second from right, leads his team onto the field for the Music City Bowl NCAA college football game against North Carolina State, Monday, Dec. 31, 2012, in Nashville, Tenn. (AP Photo/Mark Humphrey) (The Associated Press)

Vanderbilt head coach James Franklin watches from the sideline in the first quarter of the Music City Bowl NCAA college football game against North Carolina State, Monday, Dec. 31, 2012, in Nashville, Tenn. (AP Photo/Mark Humphrey) (The Associated Press)

NASHVILLE, Tenn. – Jordan Rodgers threw two touchdown passes and ran for another score as the Vanderbilt Commodores capped their best season in nearly a century Monday by beating North Carolina State 38-24 in the Music City Bowl.

The Commodores finished 9-4 for their best record since going 9-1 in 1915, and it's only the third time the smallest and only private university in the Southeastern Conference has won as many as nine games in a season. They also finished with seven straight wins, their longest streak since winning eight in 1948.

Vanderbilt forced a season-high five turnovers, including four in the first half, and turned those into 17 points.

N.C. State (7-6) wrapped up the season under interim coach Dana Bible snapping a two-game bowl winning streak. The Wolfpack had their fifth game this season with at least four turnovers, and that helped wipe out a 424-225 advantage in total offense.