Tag: Vanderbilt Commodores

Brutus Buckeye poses on the field before the game against the Wisconsin Badgers at Camp Randall Stadium on Saturday, Oct. 18, 2025 in Madison, Wisconsin.

Georgia Tech, Vanderbilt enter top 10 in AP Top 25; Ohio State remains No. 1

Posted on | by Field Level Media

Georgia Tech and Vanderbilt jumped into the top 10 of this week’s Associated Press Top 25 Poll, while Ohio State retained the top spot on Sunday.

Ohio State’s steady season was represented by the fact that the Buckeyes (7-0) were the only team whose spot was unchanged in the latest poll. The program’s latest victory was a 34-0 rout over Wisconsin on Saturday.

Indiana (7-0) moved up a spot to No. 2, its highest spot in program history. No. 3 Texas A&M (7-0) also moved up one spot. No. 4 Alabama (6-1) moved up two spots, while No. 5 Georgia (6-1) rose four spots after a 37-20 victory over then-No. 11 Tennessee.

Oregon (6-1), Georgia Tech (7-0), Ole Miss (6-1), Miami (5-1) and Vanderbilt (6-1) round out the top 10. Ole Miss fell three spots after a 43-35 loss to Georgia, while Miami dropped seven spots after a 24-21 loss to Louisville on Friday.

Nine ranked teams lost last week, with four of those in the top 10. According to the Associated Press, it is the highest turnover in the poll since 2022. Among those teams was Texas Tech, which dropped seven spots to No. 14 after its first loss of the season, 26-22 to Arizona State.

Georgia Tech’s rise continued following a 27-18 victory at Duke on Saturday, while Vanderbilt moved to No. 10 after a 31-24 home victory over then-No. 10 LSU. Georgia Tech is in the top 10 for the first time since 2014, while Vanderbilt is among the top 10 teams for the first time since 1947.

No. 19 Louisville (5-1), No. 23 Illinois (5-2), No. 24 Arizona State (5-2) and No. 25 Michigan (5-2) all jumped into the poll this week. LSU (5-2) fell 10 spots to No. 20 after its loss, its lowest ranking of the season.

The full Top 25:

1. Ohio State (7-0)
2. Indiana (7-0)
3. Texas A&M (7-0)
4. Alabama (6-1)
5. Georgia (6-1)
6. Oregon (6-1)
7. Georgia Tech (7-0)
8. Ole Miss (6-1)
9. Miami (5-1)
10, Vanderbilt (6-1)
11. BYU (7-0)
12. Notre Dame (5-2)
13. Oklahoma (6-1)
14. Texas Tech (6-1)
15. Missouri (6-0)
16. Virginia (5-1)
17. Tennessee (5-2)
18. South Florida (6-1)
19. Louisville (5-1)
20. LSU (5-2)
21. Cincinnati (6-1)
22. Texas (5-2)
23. Illinois (5-2)
24. Arizona State (5-2)
25. Michigan (5-2)

–Field Level Media

Sep 6, 2025; Blacksburg, Virginia, USA; Vanderbilt Commodores running back Sedrick Alexander (28) runs the ball as Virginia Tech Hokies safety Quentin Reddish (0) defends during the second quarter at Lane Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Brian Bishop-Imagn Images

Vanderbilt sends Virginia Tech to first 0-2 start since ’10

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Diego Pavia threw two touchdown passes and Sedrick Alexander ran for two scores as Vanderbilt overwhelmed Virginia Tech in the second half of a 44-20 victory Saturday night in Blacksburg, Va.

Pavia finished 12-of-18 passing for 193 yards with one interception and rushed for 61 yards on 11 carries as Vanderbilt (2-0) reeled off 34 straight points in the second half to rally from a 10-point deficit.

Alexander carried 10 times for 73 yards and Makhilyn Young added 95 yards and a touchdown on eight carries for the Commodores, who beat the Hokies for the second straight year.

In the 2024 season opener, Pavia’s 4-yard touchdown run in overtime gave Vanderbilt a 34-27 victory over Virginia Tech.

Kyron Drones threw one touchdown pass and ran for another score for the Hokies (0-2), who have dropped their first two games for the first time in 15 years. In that 2010 season, they went on to win their next 11.

Down 20-10 at the start of the third quarter, Vanderbilt answered with back-to-back 75-yard drives in the third quarter, sandwiched around a Virginia Tech 3-and-out.

Tre Richardson capped the second drive with a spectacular one-handed catch as he was tightly covered. The 26-yard pass from Pavia gave the Commodores their first lead of the game at 23-20 late in the third.

The next time Vanderbilt got the ball, it marched 56 yards, with the final 18 coming on a touchdown burst up the middle from Alexander which made it 30-20.

The Commodores’ domination continued as Young ripped off a 62-yard run straight through the middle of the Hokies’ defense. Two plays later, Alexander scored on a 6-yard dash.

The quick-strike drive demonstrated Vanderbilt’s superiority at the line of scrimmage. In the second half, the Commodores outgained the Hokies 321-21.

The Commodores’ final score came on a 9-yard touchdown pass from backup quarterback Blaze Berlowitz to Eli Stowers.

Vanderbilt’s first TD came on the first play of the second quarter when Pavia froze Virginia Tech with a play-action fake and threw a 54-yard pass to a wide open Brycen Coleman.

The touchdown came after Virginia Tech scored on its two possessions in the first quarter to build a 10-0 advantage. Following a field goal halfway through the opening period, Drones hit Ja’Ricous Hairston on a 2-yard scoring toss with six seconds left in the quarter.

–Field Level Media

Vanderbilt quarterback Diego Pavia (2) throws during practice at Vanderbilt University in Nashville, Tenn., Thursday, Aug. 21, 2025.

Vanderbilt’s Diego Pavia seeks fast start vs. Charleston Southern

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Granted a sixth season of college eligibility, quarterback Diego Pavia plans on using it to continue Vanderbilt’s ascension up the Southeastern Conference ranks.

Pavia will get his initial chance to improve on the Commodores’ first winning season in 11 years when they play host to Charleston Southern in a nonconference season opener for both teams Saturday in Nashville, Tenn.

Pavia led Vanderbilt to a 7-6 record in 2024 that included a 35-27 victory over Georgia Tech in the Birmingham Bowl. There also was a 40-35 victory over then-No. 1 Alabama in October and a national ranking for the first time since 2013, when the program went 9-4.

“When it comes down to it, every win was important,” Pavia said of the 2024 season. “And I think (Alabama) was (big) because we finally got people to believe kind of in Vanderbilt football. So from here on out, obviously we’ve got to win more games to get the things done that we want. Winning solves everything.”

Pavia and tight end Eli Stowers will lead the offense. Pavia passed for 2,293 yards with 20 touchdowns and four interceptions while also rushing for a team-best 801 yards and eight scores.

Stowers caught 49 passes for 638 yards and five touchdowns.

An upgraded offensive line will be put to the test, while an improvement on defense is needed after the Commodores were 14th in the SEC yards allowed last season (376.5 per game) and 13th in points allowed (23.4).

Charleston Southern, an FCS team, has gone 0-24 against FBS teams since 2002. Vanderbilt escaped with a 21-20 victory in the only meeting between the programs in 2014.

The Buccaneers went just 1-11 last season and were last in the OVC-Big South Football Association with 268.0 yards of offense per game, as well as with 14.3 points. The defense was better, ranking fifth with 353.7 yards allowed per game and 26.8 points.

Sophomore quarterback Zolten Osborne took most of the reps with the first-team offense in the spring and enters the season after just one game of experience last season. Tyson Greenwade returns after he was second on the team last season with 467 yards rushing and three touchdowns.

Charleston Southern was picked to finish last in the conference, and head coach Gabe Giardina will use the outlook as a motivator.

“I’d be lying to you if I said I wasn’t going to put a little gas in the guys’ tank every once in a while. Sure, let’s get fired up. Let’s go prove somebody wrong,” said Giardina, who went 5-18 in his first two seasons as head coach of the program.

“But if that is our sole motivation, that, in my mind, is pretty shallow.”

–Field Level Media

Nov 30, 2024; Nashville, Tennessee, USA; Tennessee Volunteers quarterback Nico Iamaleava (8) passes the ball against the Vanderbilt Commodores during the first half at FirstBank Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Steve Roberts-Imagn Images

Down 14 early, No. 8 Tennessee rallies past Vanderbilt

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Nico Iamaleava threw for 257 yards and four touchdowns as No. 8 Tennessee stormed back from an early deficit to beat host Vanderbilt 36-23 in Nashville, Tenn., on Saturday.

Two of those scoring strikes went to Dont’e Thornton (three catches, 118 yards) while Dylan Sampson added 178 rushing yards on 25 carries.

Tennessee (10-2, 6-2 Southeastern Conference) held Vanderbilt quarterback Diego Pavia to 8-of-17 passing for 104 yards and outsnapped (73-49) and outgained (538-232) the Commodores (6-6, 3-5).

The Vols won’t play in the SEC title game, but likely clinched a College Football Playoff berth and possibly a first-round home game.

Vanderbilt got 17 first-quarter points against the Vols, who’d given up just over 13 points a game. Tennessee scored 29 unanswered points starting with the second quarter until Pavia found Richie Hoskins with a 31-yard touchdown with 5:53 to play.

The Vols picked up where they left off in the first half as Iamaleava found Mike Matthews for a 14-yard TD pass with 8:43 left in the third for a 31-17 lead.

Tennessee’s Jackson Ross, punting for the first time all day, pinned the Commodores at their 4. Two plays later, the Vols tackled Sedrick Alexander for a safety.

Max Gilbert hit a 22-yard field goal on the Vols’ ensuing drive for a 19-point lead.

Tennessee averaged 10.3 yards per play and didn’t punt in the first half, but led just 24-17 thanks to turnovers (a 2-1 deficit), penalties (seven for 55 yards) and a Vanderbilt special teams touchdown.

Vanderbilt’s Junior Sherrill opened the game with a 100-yard kickoff return for a touchdown, and after CJ Taylor forced a Sampson fumble that Nick Rinaldi pounced on at Tennessee’s 26, Alexander scored on a 4-yard touchdown run to put the Commodores up 14-0 just 4:38 in.

Iamaleava found Thornton for touchdown throws of 28 and 86 yards, and then hit Miles Kitselman with 22 seconds left in the first half, giving Tennessee its first lead.

Vanderbilt’s Brock Taylor hit a 32-yard field goal with 4:01 remaining in the first quarter, but the Vols scored the half’s final 17 points, starting with Gilbert’s 50-yard field goal, which hit the crossbar and bounced over.

–Field Level Media

Nov 2, 2024; Columbia, South Carolina, USA; South Carolina Gamecocks quarterback LaNorris Sellers (16) passes against the Texas A&M Aggies in the second half at Williams-Brice Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Blake-Imagn Images

South Carolina aims to continue dominance in series vs. Vandy

Posted on | by Field Level Media

South Carolina will look to build on its momentum Saturday afternoon when it visits Vanderbilt for a Southeastern Conference matchup in Nashville, Tenn.

The Gamecocks (5-3, 3-3) totaled 530 yards in a 44-20 home upset of then-No. 10 Texas A&M last week.

Vanderbilt (6-3, 3-2), meanwhile, clinched bowl eligibility for the first time since 2018 with a 17-7 win at Auburn.

Now, the Commodores will try to snap their 15-game losing streak in their annual series with the Gamecocks.

Vanderbilt scored at least 27 points in its first five games this season but hasn’t eclipsed 24 in its last four. That said, the Commodores have won three of those games.

“They’re doing the things that teams have to do in order to win football games,” South Carolina coach Shane Beamer said of the Commodores. “I know they’re leading the league in time of possession, so they’re keeping the ball. They’re second in the SEC in turnover margin. They’re leading the league in not turning it over. They’re the least-penalized team in the SEC. So they’re doing a great job of not losing football games, playing winning football, finding ways to get games to the fourth quarter, and then finding a way to win it in the fourth quarter.”

The physicality of SEC football has started to take a toll on quarterback Diego Pavia and running back Sedrick Alexander. Vanderbilt coach Clark Lea said he’s scaled practice back accordingly.

“I thought our team played really hard in the game (against Auburn) … the passion, the effort, all if it was there,” Lea said of Saturday’s win. “I was really proud of that. But I also saw a team that you could just sense the lag effect of a really physical season.”

South Carolina presents plenty of physical challenges, too.

That starts with a star-studded defense, including defensive ends Kyle Kennard and Dylan Stewart, linebacker Demetrius Knight, safety Nick Emmanwori and defensive back Jalon Kilgore for a unit that ranks 16th nationally in total defense (304.6 yards per game).

Defending 6-foot-3, 242-pound Gamecocks quarterback LaNorris Sellers can be a headache, too. The redshirt freshman has improved as a passer and ran for a career-high 106 yards and a touchdown vs. Texas A&M.

The Gamecocks also received a season-best game from Raheim Sanders, who had 236 yards from scrimmage on 25 touches (20 rushes, five receptions) last Saturday.

–Field Level Media

Auburn Tigers wide receiver Malcolm Simmons (11) turns upfield after a catch tackled by Vanderbilt Commodores safety De'Rickey Wright (19) as Auburn Tigers take on Vanderbilt Commodores at Jordan-Hare Stadium in Auburn, Ala., on Saturday, Nov. 2, 2024.

Vanderbilt reaches bowl eligibility with road win at Auburn

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Gritty Vanderbilt (6-3, 3-2 Southeastern Conference) used special teams, third-down defense and late-game clock control to get a 17-7 road upset of Auburn (3-6, 1-5) on Saturday afternoon and become bowl-eligible for the first time since 2018.

It’s the Commodores’ first win at Jordan-Hare Stadium ever, and its first road win over Auburn since 1948, snapping a string of nine-straight road losses in the series.

Vanderbilt didn’t complete a pass in the second or third quarter and had a long rushing play of seven yards.

But Commodore quarterback Diego Pavia (9-of-22, 143 yards, 12 carries, 26 yards) sucked the life out of the Tigers at the end, engineering a game-clinching drive that took 8:53 off the clock and ended with a 4-yard touchdown pass to Eli Stowers with 4:18 left.

Vanderbilt punter Jesse Mirco had eight punts for a 52.9-yard average and had a big hand in handing Auburn poor field position.

The Commodores held Auburn to 2-of-13 on third downs.

With the game tied at 7 in the third quarter, Mirco hit a 44-yard punt that was downed at the Auburn 2. The Tigers failed to move it past the one after their ninth-straight failed third-down conversion.

Auburn punter Oscar Chapman smacked a 59-yard rocket in return, but Vanderbilt’s Martel Hight returned it 39 yards to the Tiger 21, setting up Taylor’s 31-yard field goal from the left hash with 1:05 remaining in the third quarter.

Taylor added a 26-yard field goal with 5:18 left, but Auburn’s Keldric Faulk was whistled for a personal foul for gaining illegal leverage in trying to block the kick.

Exactly a minute later, Pavia hit Stowers in the flat and he banged his way into the end zone from 4 yards out, culminating a 14-play, 78-yard drive.

Auburn’s hopes were effectively snuffed out when Towns McGough pushed a 52-yard field goal to the right, his second miss of the day.

Auburn got an ideal first-half game script, holding Vanderbilt to 29 rushing yards while out-gaining the Commodores, 214-132 and minimizing mistakes (two penalties, no turnovers).

But the Tigers went to halftime tied at 7 due to going 0-for-7 on third downs, allowing three sacks and a fantastic performance from Mirco (five punts, 54.8 yards in the first half).

Vanderbilt struck first when running back AJ Newberry got open on the right sideline behind an Auburn defender and Pavia hit him in stride for a 28-yard score.

Auburn finally strung a drive together midway through the second quarter. On a fourth-and-2 from the Auburn 49, Thorne hit Malcom Simmons with a short throw near the sticks that Simmons ran to the Commodore 30.

A play later, Thorne hit Rivaldo Fairweather down the right side, with Fairweather weaving through defenders, breaking tackles and stretching to touch the pylon with the football for a touchdown that tied the game.

–Field Level Media

Oct 26, 2024; Nashville, Tennessee, USA; Vanderbilt Commodores quarterback Diego Pavia (2) scrambles against the Texas Longhorns during the first half at FirstBank Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Steve Roberts-Imagn Images

Diego Pavia, Vanderbilt vie to fluster Auburn

Posted on | by Field Level Media

Vanderbilt will make a second attempt to become bowl eligible on Saturday afternoon when it visits Auburn.

The Commodores (5-3, 2-2 Southeastern Conference) saw their three-game winning streak snapped in a 27-24 defeat against then-No. 5 Texas last Saturday.

Auburn (3-5, 1-4), in turn, halted a four-game losing streak with a 24-10 win at Kentucky on Saturday.

The Tigers recorded a 31-16 victory over the Commodores last season in Nashville in large part due to Jarquez Hunter, who rushed for 183 yards and two touchdowns.

But the game at the forefront of this week’s conversation is Auburn’s 2023 contest with New Mexico State that came two weeks later.

In that game, Diego Pavia — who is now Vanderbilt’s quarterback — completed 19 of 28 passes for 201 yards and three touchdowns and added eight carries for 35 yards. Tight end Eli Stowers had four receptions for 48 yards and a score in a 31-10 win for the Aggies.

Those two are now starring for the Commodores, whose coach, Clark Lea, designed his 2024 offensive strategy around the players. Joining Lea in Nashville are the same coach (Jerry Kill, now an offensive analyst) and offensive coordinator (Tim Beck), who engineered last year’s upset.

“I’m sick of seeing that quarterback. I’ve had enough of him,” Auburn coach Hugh Freeze said jokingly when referring to Pavia on Monday. “He moves and makes plays and is savvy and is smart and tough and again makes everybody do their assignment on every single play or you get burned.”

That’s a potential nightmare for Auburn, which ranks 125th nationally in turnover margin (minus-9).

Still, the Tigers’ defense has overcome much of that, allowing an average of 19.5 points per game (26th nationally).

“Defensively, they’re fast and physical and they cover you up,” Lea said. “Their forced incompletion rate is among the best in the country. It’s a group that plays with an identity, plays with an edge. Space will be hard to come by. We’ve got to create it.”

–Field Level Media

Vanderbilt Commodores quarterback Diego Pavia (2) throws against the Alcorn State Braves during their Southeastern Athletic Conference game at FirstBank Stadium in Nashville, Tenn., Saturday, Sept. 7, 2024.

Chasing ‘special season,’ Vanderbilt visits Georgia State

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Vanderbilt is looking to build on a strong start as the Commodores take their first road trip of the season to meet Georgia State on Saturday in Atlanta.

Vanderbilt (2-0) enjoyed great defense and special teams play in a 55-0 win over Alcorn State last weekend. The Commodores didn’t allow the Braves to cross midfield, gave up just 71 yards and got a pick-six from Alan Wright.

Meanwhile, Brock Taylor hit both his field-goal attempts and Martel Hight added a 57-yard punt return for a score.

But it is the offense, led by quarterback Diego Pavia, that has made Vanderbilt fun to watch. Pavia has passed for 273 yards and two touchdowns and rushed for a team-high 155 yards and two scores. The Commodores have yet to turn the ball over.

“We want a special season and that means we have to continue to improve,” said coach Clark Lea, whose team has already matched last year’s win total (2-10).

One area of concern is penalties, as Vanderbilt has committed 15 for 155 yards.

Georgia State (1-1) is fresh off a 24-21 comeback win over Chattanooga, with Freddie Brock’s fourth-quarter touchdown run providing the winning points.

It made for a terrific birthday present for first-year Panthers coach Dell McGee, who faced the Commodores last year as the running backs coach at Georgia.

“I really appreciate our guys fighting through, never giving in,” McGee said. “I know that was an ugly win, but I really appreciate our guys. I think in the long run we’re going to learn from this and when we’re in a tighter ball game it’s really going to count.”

Christian Veilleux has completed 45 of 72 passes for 448 yards, three touchdowns and no interceptions and has been sacked just once.

Linebacker Justin Abraham (17 tackles, two for loss) has been the Panthers’ most active defender. Abraham left the field with an injury in Saturday’s win but later returned for a key third-down sack that forced a punt.

This is the first meeting between the programs.

–Field Level Media