Tag: Commodores

Dec 13, 2025; New York, NY, USA; Vanderbilt Commodores quarterback Diego Pavia speaks to the media during a press conference at the New York Marriott Marquis before the presentation of the Heisman trophy. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-Imagn Images

Vanderbilt QB Diego Pavia apologizes for ‘disrespectful’ reaction to Heisman vote

Posted on | by Field Level Media

Vanderbilt quarterback Diego Pavia apologized on Sunday night for his “disrespectful” social media post a night earlier after finishing runner-up for the Heisman Trophy.

Indiana quarterback Fernando Mendoza became the program’s first Heisman Trophy winner on Saturday night in New York. Pavia posted a photo of him with his offensive linemen at the ceremony with a message to voters for the trophy.

“F-All THE VOTERS,” Pavia wrote in all capital letters on his Instagram story with a thumbs-down emoji, “BUT…..FAMILY FOR LIFE.”

The post went viral on social media. Pavia issued an apology on his X (formerly Twitter) account.

“Being a part of the Heisman ceremony last night as a finalist was such an honor,” Pavia wrote. “As a competitor, just like in everything I do I wanted to win. To be so close to my dream and come up short was painful. I didn’t handle those emotions well at all and did not represent myself the way I wanted to. I have much love and respect for the Heisman voters and the selection process, and I apologize for being disrespectful. It was a mistake, and I am sorry.”

Mendoza received 643 of the 930 first-place votes, finishing with 2,362 points, well ahead of Pavia, who received 189 first-place votes and 1,435 points. Notre Dame running back Jeremiyah Love had 46 first-place votes and finished in third place (719 points), and Ohio State quarterback Justin Sayin finished in fourth with 432 points and eight first-place votes.

“Fernando Mendoza is an elite competitor and a deserving winner of the award,” Pavia wrote on X. “I have nothing but respect for his accomplishments as well as the success that Jeremiyah and Julian had this season. I’ve been doubted my whole life. Every step of my journey I’ve had to break down doors and fight for myself, because I’ve learned that nothing would be handed to me.”

Pavia, like Mendoza, engineered a turnaround for a football program that historically has known little success. It was Pavia’s second season for the Commodores after starting his career at New Mexico State. He threw for 3,192 yards, 27 touchdowns and eight interceptions and rushed for 826 yards and nine TDs in 2025.

“My family has always been in my corner, and my teammates, coaches and staff have my six,” Pavia wrote on X. “I love them — I am grateful for them. — and I wouldn’t want anything to distract from that. I look forward to competing in front of my family and with my team one more time in the ReliaQuest Bowl.”

Vanderbilt (10-2), which finished No. 14 in the College Football Playoff final rankings, plays No. 23 Iowa (8-4) in the ReliaQuest Bowl on Dec. 31 in Tampa, Fla.

–Field Level Media

Sedrick Alexander, Diego Pavia fuel No. 14 Vanderbilt’s victory over No. 19 Tennessee

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Sedrick Alexander ran for three touchdowns as No. 14 Vanderbilt posted a 45-24 road win over No. 19 Tennessee on Saturday in SEC action from Knoxville, Tenn.

The Commodores outgained the Volunteers 582-382 in the 119th all-time matchup between the schools — and the first ever meeting where both teams were ranked. Vanderbilt, which defeated four ranked teams this season, and Tennessee, which went 0-4 against ranked opponents, each will await their bowl fates.

Diego Pavia went 18 of 28 for 268 yards with a touchdown and two interceptions for the Commodores (10-2, 6-2 SEC), while adding 20 carries for 165 yards and a score. Alexander rushed 10 times for 115 yards, helping Vanderbilt average 8.5 yards per carry as a team.

Joey Aguilar went 29 of 44 for 299 yards and a touchdown for Tennessee (8-4, 4-4). DeSean Bishop fueled the Volunteers’ ground game with 20 carries for 97 yards and two touchdowns.

Tennessee opened the scoring late in the first quarter on Bishop’s 2-yard TD run, but Vanderbilt promptly marched down for a score of its own. Alexander punctuated the drive with a 28-yard TD run, tying the score at 7-7 after one quarter.

Makhilyn Young’s 3-yard TD plunge put Vanderbilt ahead 14-7 early in the second quarter, but Tennessee answered just 65 seconds later on Aguilar’s 52-yard TD bomb to Chris Brazzell II.

The Volunteers kept cooking, as Ty Redmond intercepted Pavia to set up another Tennessee touchdown — a 35-yard run by Bishop in which he hurdled a defender on his way to the end zone.

However, Pavia answered in the waning seconds of the half, finding Tre Richardson for a 6-yard TD to forge a 21-21 tie at intermission.

Vanderbilt accounted for all 10 points in the third quarter, holding Tennessee to 37 total yards in the period. Alexander’s 5-yard touchdown run made it 28-21 before Brock Taylor’s 35-yard field goal created a double-digit advantage.

The Volunteers closed within 31-24 on Max Gilbert’s 25-yard field goal with 12:31 remaining in the contest. However, Pavia’s 24-yard touchdown run — an untouched sprint to the left — made it 38-24 with 8:55 left.

Tennessee then turned it over on downs, setting the stage for Alexander’s game-clinching 39-yard TD sprint.

–Field Level Media

Diego Pavia sets passing record as No. 14 Vanderbilt routs Kentucky

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Diego Pavia passed for a school-record 484 yards and accounted for six touchdowns to lead No. 14 Vanderbilt to a 45-17 stomping of Kentucky on Saturday in Southeastern Conference play at Nashville, Tenn.

Pavia completed 33 of 39 passes and matched his career best of five touchdown passes in his final regular-season home game for the Commodores (9-2, 5-2 SEC). The Heisman Trophy candidate also rushed for 48 yards and a score and was intercepted once to help Vanderbilt improve its College Football Playoff at-large hopes.

Tre Richardson caught six passes for 159 yards and three scores for the Commodores. Junior Sherrill had eight catches for 115 yards and a touchdown and Richie Hoskins also had a touchdown reception as Vanderbilt rolled up 604 offensive yards.

Martel Hight intercepted two passes and Kolbey Taylor had one pick for the Commodores, who will look for the first 10-win season in program history when they play Tennessee in Knoxville on Nov. 29.

Cutter Boley completed 26 of 44 passes for 280 yards, two touchdowns and two interceptions for Kentucky (5-6, 2-6). J.J. Hester and Fred Ferrier II had fourth-quarter scoring catches for the Wildcats, who had a three-game winning streak snapped.

Pavia broke the Vanderbilt single-game mark of 464 passing yards set by Whit Taylor against Tennessee in 1981. This marks the second time that Pavia tied the school mark of five touchdown passes. Bill Wade (1950), Jay Cutler (2005) and Johnny McCrary (2014) also threw five.

After Hight’s second interception with 9:39 remaining in the game, Pavia trotted out with his offensive teammates. Then coach Clark Lea sent Blaze Berlowitz in to replace Pavia, who received a loud ovation from the Vanderbilt fans as he walked to the sideline.

The Commodores turned the game into a rout with three third-quarter touchdowns.

Pavia tossed a 7-yard scoring pass to Sherrill with 8:55 left in the quarter before scoring on a 6-yard run to make it 38-3 with 3:14 remaining. Pavia later tossed a 32-yard touchdown pass to Hoskins to push the margin to 42 with 1:17 left in the period.

Richardson scored three first-half touchdowns as Pavia’s co-star as Vanderbilt took a 24-3 advantage.

Brock Taylor kicked a 39-yard field late in the first quarter and Pavia followed with a 71-yard scoring pass to Richardson less than two minutes into the second quarter. Richardson scored on a 15-yard catch and run to give the Commodores a 17-point lead with 4:35 left in the half.

Jacob Kauwe booted a 47-yard field goal to get the Wildcats on the board with 59 seconds left in the half. Just 21 seconds later, Richardson caught a 56-yard scoring pass from Pavia as Vanderbilt held a 21-point halftime advantage.

–Field Level Media

Oct 25, 2025; Starkville, Mississippi, USA; Medical staff check on Texas Longhorns quarterback Arch Manning (16) during overtime against the Mississippi State Bulldogs at Davis Wade Stadium at Scott Field. Mandatory Credit: Petre Thomas-Imagn Images

Arch Manning’s status unclear as No. 20 Texas hosts No. 9 Vanderbilt

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Expect the fur to fly when No. 20 Texas returns home from a month-long road trip to host surging No. 9 Vanderbilt on Saturday afternoon in Austin in a game with both Southeastern Conference and College Football Playoff implications.

The big question will be the health of Texas quarterback Arch Manning, who was concussed on the first snap of overtime in the Longhorns’ 45-38 come-from-behind win on the road against Mississippi State last Saturday.

Manning still was in the injury tent when backup Matthew Caldwell hit Emmett Mosley V for the game-winning TD pass and while Texas defense squashed Mississippi State’s attempt to tie the game in its possession in the extra period.

“He did not (practice),” Texas coach Steve Sarkisian said of Manning on Monday. “He’s in (concussion) protocol right now. We’ll have more information as the week goes.”

It took Manning’s best collegiate game and a clutch punt return by Ryan Niblett, who went 79 yards on his return to bring the Longhorns to even after they trailed by 17 points with less than 10 minutes to play. Manning had a career-high 346 yards, three passing TDs and another score on the ground.

If Manning can’t go, Caldwell will be under center. The Alabama native played for a season at Jacksonville State, two at Gardner-Webb and last year at Troy before transferring to Texas.

“It didn’t seem too big for him here,” Sarkisian said about Caldwell. “He didn’t feel entitled by any means. He’s played well every time that we’ve put him in the game. He’s a very even-keeled guy. The players have a lot of confidence in him. He’s very engaged even when he doesn’t play.”

Regardless of who is at quarterback, Texas will have to play much better than it has to beat the Commodores. Even though the Longhorns (6-2, 3-1 SEC) have won three straight games, they haven’t played to their potential in beating Kentucky and Mississippi State.

“We aren’t quite in unison the way we need to be,” Sarkisian said.

Vanderbilt heads to Austin to play for just the second time in series history and first time since 1903. The Commodores (7-1, 3-1) have won two straight at home against opponents ranked in the top 15, most recently a 17-10 decision over No. 15 Missouri last Saturday in which quarterback Diego Pavia scored on a 1-yard plunge with 1:52 to play.

Pavia’s scoring run allowed Vanderbilt to get the best of the defensive struggle. He amassed just 129 yards passing and rushed for 20 yards on eight carries, both season lows for the potential Heisman Trophy candidate.

Vanderbilt is 7-1 for the first time since 1941, and its seven wins before November match a school record set in 1915.

“This is a tough team that has the courage to be resilient and to step into the type of performance we need to win, whatever that performance looks like,” Vanderbilt coach Clark Lea said. “And the mission is winning. This team has found a way to win. When you step on the field with the attitude, the mindset, and you stay in the present good things happen.”

Vanderbilt leads the all-time series 8-4-1, but Texas won 27-24 last season in Nashville in the teams’ first meeting since 1928.

–Field Level Media

Oct 25, 2025; Nashville, Tennessee, USA; Missouri Tigers quarterback Beau Pribula (9) runs while defended by Vanderbilt Commodores defensive lineman Linus Zunk (95) during the second quarter at FirstBank Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Steve Roberts-Imagn Images

Timely plays push No. 10 Vanderbilt past No. 15 Missouri

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Diego Pavia dove into the end zone on a 1-yard touchdown run with 1:52 left to give No. 10 Vanderbilt a 17-10 victory over No. 15 Missouri, Saturday in Nashville, Tenn.

On a day when the Heisman Trophy candidate Pavia struggled, Vanderbilt (7-1, 3-1 Southeastern Conference) survived thanks to a key defensive play by CJ Heard.

Coming free on a safety blitz, Heard stole a handoff exchange from Missouri quarterback Matt Zollers to Jamal Roberts, giving the Commodores the ball at the Tigers’ 44 with 7:02 left.

Nine plays later, Pavia scored on a second-down run as the Commodores enhanced their College Football Playoff credentials and damaged those of the Tigers (6-2, 2-2).

It was a defensive struggle until Vanderbilt’s Makhilyn Young scored on an 80-yard sprint on a misdirection play late in the third quarter to give the Commodores a 10-3 lead.

Missouri answered early in the fourth quarter as Matt Zollers directed a 75-yard drive, which he finished with a clutch 6-yard touchdown pass to Jude James on a fourth down play to tie it.

Zollers, a true freshman who had thrown only six passes in his college career, entered in the third quarter after starting quarterback Beau Pribula suffered a leg injury and was carted off the field.

Pribula, who completed 9 of 14 passes for 68 yards, was hurt when he was knocked backward on a quarterback keeper. Miles Capers made the stop at the 1-yard line on a fourth down play.

Zollers completed 14 of 23 passes for 138 yards. He directed a late 74-yard drive which fell just short as Missouri attempted to tie the game.

On the game’s final play, Kevin Coleman Jr. caught a 36-yard pass from Zollers but came down at the 1-yard line as time expired.

Pavia finished with 10 completions in 19 passing attempts for 129 yards with an interception. He rushed for 20 yards on eight carries. Both of his yardage totals were season lows in a game this year.

The defenses dominated the first half. After the teams traded punts on the game’s first six possessions, Robert Meyer gave Missouri a 3-0 lead with a 39-yard field goal midway through the second quarter.

Pavia answered with his best series of the game, completing four straight passes for 68 yards to set up a 38-yard field goal by Brock Taylor which tied it 3-3.

Missouri’s Ahmad Hardy, who entered as the leading rusher in the SEC, carried 20 times for 97 yards.

The win will likely keep Vanderbilt in the top 10 for the second straight week. Its last appearance in the top 10 was in 1947.

–Field Level Media

Oct 4, 2025; Tuscaloosa, Alabama, USA; Alabama wide receiver Germie Bernard (5) celebrates with teammates after scoring a touchdown against Vanderbilt in the moments before halftime at Saban Field at Bryant-Denny Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Gary Cosby Jr.-USA TODAY Network via Imagn Images

No. 10 Alabama avenges historic loss to No. 16 Vanderbilt

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Ty Simpson passed for 340 yards and two touchdowns to help No. 10 Alabama notch a 30-14 victory over No. 16 Vanderbilt on Saturday afternoon in Southeastern Conference play at Tuscaloosa, Ala.

Jam Miller rushed for 136 yards and one touchdown on 22 carries, Conor Talty kicked three field goals and Keon Sabb nabbed a key interception for Alabama (4-1, 2-0 SEC), which recorded its fourth straight victory.

Justin Jefferson racked up 13 tackles to go with one sack and a forced fumble in the red zone, Ryan Williams caught six passes for 98 yards and a touchdown and Germie Bernard had five receptions for 82 yards and a score as Alabama avenged last season’s stunning loss to the Commodores.

Diego Pavia was 21 of 35 for 198 yards, one touchdown and one interception while adding 58 rushing yards for Vanderbilt (5-1, 1-1), which built a 14-7 lead late in the second quarter but never scored again. Sedrick Alexander rushed for one touchdown and caught the other for the Commodores.

Last season, Pavia famously led Vanderbilt to a 40-35 upset of the Crimson Tide in Nashville for the program’s first win over a Top 5 team.

Vanderbilt trailed 20-14 early in the fourth quarter when it drove into the red zone for a first down at to the Crimson Tide 17-yard line, but Pavia didn’t have the magic touch this time. He attempted to thread a pass over the middle to Eli Stowers, but Sabb intercepted it at the 7 and returned it to the Alabama 19 with 12:37 left in the game.

The Crimson Tide then chewed up 8:29 off the clock — picking up five first downs — to set up Talty for a 30-yard field goal to give Alabama a 23-14 advantage with 4:08 remaining.

Miller put the game away with a 20-yard touchdown run with 17 seconds remaining.

Simpson completed 23 of 31 passes with one interception while recording his second 300-yard passing game.

Talty booted field goals of 38 and 30 yards in the third quarter after the score was tied at 14 at halftime.

Vanderbilt struck first when Alexander broke free and raced 65 yards for a touchdown with 6:34 left in the first quarter.

The Commodores were in position to tack on more points, but Pavia fumbled on a third-down scramble. Jefferson forced the fumble and Tim Keenan III recovered at Alabama’s 8.

The Crimson Tide then navigated 92 yards on 12 plays and tied the score on Simpson’s 14-yard scoring pass to Williams with 9:22 left in the second quarter.

Vanderbilt took a 14-7 lead when Pavia flicked a shovel pass to Alexander, who took it in for a 4-yard score to give the Commodores a 14-7 lead with 1:33 left in the half.

Alabama zipped down the field quickly and knotted the score on Simpson’s 22-yard touchdown pass to Bernard with 17 seconds to go.

–Field Level Media

Sep 27, 2025; Nashville, Tennessee, USA; Vanderbilt Commodores quarterback Diego Pavia (2) against the Utah State Aggies at FirstBank Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Steve Roberts-Imagn Images

No. 16 Vanderbilt confident, hoping for ‘fun time’ at No. 10 Alabama

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Diego Pavia delivered Vanderbilt’s biggest victory ever when he guided the Commodores past then-No. 1 Alabama last season in a monumental upset.

Pavia’s next task is producing another mammoth triumph in the rematch to continue the program’s best start since 2008.

Pavia looks to excel once again when No. 16 Vanderbilt faces the No. 10 Crimson Tide in a highly anticipated Southeastern Conference contest on Saturday afternoon in Tuscaloosa, Ala.

Last season, Pavia completed 16 of 20 passes for 252 yards and two touchdowns as the Commodores earned a 40-35 win in Nashville for the program’s first-ever win against a top-five program. It also was Vanderbilt’s first win against Alabama since 1984 to end a 23-game skid against the Crimson Tide.

So when the Commodores (5-0, 1-0 SEC) appear in town this weekend, they are no longer viewed as the pushover team that the Crimson Tide typically clobber.

Pavia is looking forward to experiencing the environment.

“Tuscaloosa will be a good, fun time,” Pavia said. “I’ve never played there. I think a few of the guys have been there. This is what you come into the SEC for, big games like this. We’ll be real excited to go down there and check them out.”

Last season, Alabama (3-1, 1-0) couldn’t prevent Vanderbilt from hogging the ball.

The Commodores converted 12 of 18 third-down opportunities and controlled the ball for 42 minutes and eight seconds.

Crimson Tide coach Kalen DeBoer hasn’t forgotten the details and knows Vanderbilt is an even better team this year in Clark Lea’s fifth season at the helm.

“We’re going to need everything (we’ve) got against a very good Vanderbilt team coming up here on Saturday,” DeBoer said. “Coach Lea, a ton of respect for him. I’ve known him for a long time. I knew a year ago, you could see and feel the positive movement that they had inside the program. You could see the style of play, it being team football.

“They continue to do that — 5-0, a ranked opponent coming into our house. Just got to continue to keep the focus on us.”

Alabama has won three straight games after producing a 24-21 victory at then-No. 5 Georgia last weekend.

Ty Simpson passed for 276 yards and two touchdowns and also rushed for a score as he continued his fine season. Simpson hasn’t been intercepted and is completing 69.3 percent of his passes for 1,138 yards and 11 touchdowns.

Simpson said his squad is taking a “Crimson Tide against the world” approach.

“That’s the kind of mentality that we have to have throughout the season,” Simpson said. “It’s Alabama against everybody.”

Vanderbilt is coming off a 55-35 home win over Utah State. Pavia tied the school record of five touchdown passes and topped 300 yards — he had 321 — for the first time in his two seasons at the school.

Pavia is completing 74.6 percent of his passes for 1,211 yards and 13 touchdowns against three interceptions. He also has rushed for 294 yards and two scores.

Pavia will long be remembered at Vanderbilt for the epic victory over Alabama in 2024. Now the Commodores are itching for another chance to beat the Crimson Tide.

“We know the task at hand, but we’re excited for it,” said Lea, “and this group has positioned us to be undefeated heading down there, and that means a lot.”

–Field Level Media

Vanderbilt quarterback Diego Pavia (2) celebrates after defeating Georgia State 70-21 at FirstBank Stadium in Nashville, Tenn., Saturday, Sept. 20, 2025.

Rising programs No. 18 Vanderbilt, Utah State clash for first time

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For Vanderbilt coach Clark Lea, taking the next step in the program’s resurgence will require defeating one of his mentors on Saturday in Nashville, Tenn.

His 18th-ranked Commodores (4-0) look to continue their best start since 2008 when they take on Utah State (3-1), off to its own strong start in its first year under veteran coach Bronco Mendenhall.

Vanderbilt enters the nonconference contest after its highest-scoring game in more than a century, a 70-21 rout of Georgia State. The Commodores have outscored their opponents 190-51 this season.

Utah State has won its last two games. The Aggies’ only loss came in another road game against a ranked SEC team, a 44-22 defeat at then-No. 19 Texas A&M on Sept. 6.

With a victory at Vanderbilt, Utah State would match its win total from last season (4-8) under former head coach Nate Dreiling.

The Aggies hired Mendenhall in December after he led New Mexico to a 5-7 record during his lone season there in 2024. Mendenhall, who ended a two-year retirement to coach the Lobos, is the owner of a 143-89 career record with 14 bowl appearances at BYU (2005-15) and Virginia (2016-21).

“First of all, just a ton of respect for Bronco Mendenhall. He’s a guy that has actually been a mentor to me over the years and a friend,” Lea said Tuesday.

In a 2022 ESPN article, Lea said he was an assistant coach at Wake Forest in 2016 when he read Mendenhall’s book “Running into the Wind” about his approach to football and leadership. When Lea became the defensive coordinator at Notre Dame in 2018, he incorporated many of those lessons. By 2020, they were talking regularly.

“Particularly in the early stages of building this program, he was a guy that I got in touch with to learn,” Lea said. “He’s been a program builder over his time and also a guy who has a quiet intensity about him. His teams always play a certain way and I’ve always admired him and what he does, and now we get to compete against him.”

Mendenhall said he has been amazed watching the success of Lea, who inherited a team that finished 0-9 in 2020.

“It’s been fun to have a great relationship and see the progress and the growth of their program and the successes they’re having,” Mendenhall said Monday.

The familiarity between Vanderbilt and Utah State goes beyond the two coaches. The Aggies’ defensive coordinator is Nick Howell, who held that role with the Commodores from 2022-23 before joining Mendenhall at New Mexico and Utah State.

Both teams have dual-threat quarterbacks who are putting up huge numbers.

Utah State’s Bryson Barnes leads the Mountain West in passing yards (982) and touchdowns (eight) and has thrown only one interception in 107 attempts. He has also rushed for 197 yards and six scores.

Vanderbilt’s Diego Pavia leads the SEC in completion percentage (73.9) and has thrown for 890 yards with eight TDs and two picks. He has rushed for a team-high 215 yards and one score.

“He’s a really good football player and obviously a very good leader, the face, the brand, and I would say the reason that there’s a resurgence at Vanderbilt,” Mendenhall said of Pavia.

The Commodores are three-touchdown favorites to drop Utah State to 2-28 against current members of the SEC.

Saturday’s showdown will be the first meeting between the two programs.

–Field Level Media

Vanderbilt quarterback Diego Pavia (2) looks for a receiver against Georgia State during the second quarter at FirstBank Stadium in Nashville, Tenn., Saturday, Sept. 20, 2025.

No. 20 Vanderbilt puts 70 points on Georgia State in rout

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Quarterback Diego Pavia threw for 245 yards, ran for 86 yards and accounted for two touchdowns to lead No. 20 Vanderbilt to a 70-21 win over Georgia State on Saturday in Nashville.

Vanderbilt (4-0), motivated by the memory of last year’s upset loss to Georgia State in Atlanta, showed no letdown after last week’s win at No. 11 South Carolina. It is Vanderbilt’s first 4-0 start since 2008, when they opened with five straight wins.

It was the most points scored by Vandy since they tallied 76 against Tennessee in 1918.

Vandy amassed 635 total yards and scored eight rushing touchdowns. The Commodores held the Panthers (1-3) to 32 rushing yards and 290 total yards, with eight tackles for loss and three sacks. Vanderbilt never had to punt.

Pavia completed 16 of 20 first-half passes for 236 yards to nine different receivers. He played the first series in the second half before being rested. He completed 18 of 24 for 245 yards with one touchdown and carried nine times for 86 yards and one touchdown.

The Commodores scored touchdowns on each of their six possessions in the first half to take a 42-9 lead at the break.

After Georgia State scored on Braeden McAlister’s 52-yard field goal to open the game, Vandy scored three unanswered touchdowns on a 3-yard run by Sedrick Alexander, a 16-yard run by Pavia and an 8-yard run by Junior Sherrill.

Georgia State made it 21-9 when Jordon Simmons caught a 4-yard touchdown pass from Cameran Brown, only to have Vanderbilt tack on three more scores. A.J. Newberry scored on runs of 2 and 8 yards and Pavia directed an 83-yard drive in 53 seconds that ended when he threw a 10-yard pass to Alexander with 24 seconds remaining.

GSU scored on the first drive of the second half on a 3-yard pass from T.J. Finley to Leo Blackburn.

Vandy answered with a 60-yard touchdown run from Makhilyn Young and scored again when Jamison Curtis blocked a punt and recovered it in the end zone for a touchdown. It was Vandy’s first blocked punt for a score since 2014.

–Field Level Media

Sep 13, 2025; Columbia, South Carolina, USA; Vanderbilt Commodores quarterback Diego Pavia (2) looks to pass against the South Carolina Gamecocks in the second half at Williams-Brice Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Blake-Imagn Images

No. 20 Vanderbilt has revenge on its mind vs. Georgia State

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Vanderbilt will try to celebrate its national ranking and gain a little revenge Saturday when it hosts Georgia State in Nashville.

The Commodores are off to their first 3-0 start since 2017 after knocking off No. 11 South Carolina 31-7 on Saturday. They are ranked No. 20 by the Associated Press and No. 23 in the coaches’ poll.

But Vanderbilt isn’t likely to sleepwalk this week against Sun Belt Conference opponent Georgia State (1-2), which upset the Commodores 36-32 in Atlanta a year ago. That was just the second win over a Power 4 opponent for Georgia State, which began playing football in 2010. Vandy hasn’t forgotten the sting of that loss.

“We’ve talked about this game since January,” Vanderbilt coach Clark Lea said. “It’s a really big one for us, and we want to play really well. It’s real important to our players to show up and play well. This is a team that is a year better for the experience of last year and then highly motivated to have a great season. We need a great week of prep so it shows up on Saturday and we can play at our highest level.”

Vanderbilt brings one of the nation’s top defenses into the game. The Commodores are ranked in the top 20 per game in rushing yards allowed (82.7), total yards allowed (237) and scoring defense (10 points). They rank sixth in the nation with seven takeaways and have a plus-1.33 turnover margin.

The Vandy offense is rolling behind quarterback Diego Pavia, who’s completing 73.5 percent of his passes and has a 181.3 efficiency rating. He has thrown for 645 yards and seven touchdowns. Vandy has converted 60.7 percent of its third downs. Pavia threw for 270 yards and two touchdowns against Georgia State in 2024.

Vanderbilt center Jordan White was named SEC Offensive Lineman of the Week for helping the Commodores post 22 first downs and control the ball for 35:43. Cornerback/receiver Martel Hight was named the Paul Hornung Award Player of the Week.

Georgia State has faced a difficult early schedule, losing to 63-7 to No. 13 Ole Miss and 38-16 to undefeated Memphis. The Panthers got their first victory last week by defeating FCS opponent Murray State 37-21.

“We had too many ‘Panther-beat-Panther’ penalties,” Georgia State coach Dell McGee said. “The false starts, hands to the face, late hit on the quarterback. Those are the things that get you beat. We’ve got to play with more composure.”

The Panthers have been using two quarterbacks – well-traveled TJ Finley and Texas Tech transfer Cameran Brown. They played nearly the same number of snaps last week, with Finley throwing for 150 yards and one touchdown, with two interceptions, and Brown throwing for 101 yards and three touchdowns. Quarterback Christian Veilleux, who engineered last year’s last-minute win, has not played since the season opener.

Georgia State’s all-conference receiver, Ted Hurst, has 18 catches for a 15.3-yard average this season and two touchdowns.

But Georgia State has had trouble establishing the run. Georgia transfer Branson Robinson rushed for 65 yards and Ole Miss transfer Rashad Amos ran for 56 yards last week, but the Panthers are yet to produce a 100-yard rusher in three games.

-Field Level Media