Tag: Vanderbilt Commodores

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

Posted on | by Field Level Media

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

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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

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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

Vanderbilt’s Sedrick Alexander runs the ball during Saturday’s game between Vanderbilt and Virginia Tech at FirstBank Stadium in Nashville , Tenn., Saturday, Aug. 31, 2024.

Diego Pavia sparks Vanderbilt OT upset of Virginia Tech

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Vanderbilt, behind quarterback Diego Pavia’s 294 yards of total offense, pulled a huge overtime upset of visiting Virginia Tech by a 34-27 score at Vanderbilt’s FirstBank Stadium in Nashville, Tenn., on Saturday.

The Commodores, 13 1/2-point underdogs, blew a 17-point lead and trailed 27-20 but Pavia connected with Sedrick Alexander with a touchdown pass with 1:51 left that helped Vandy tie it at 27.

Pavia then scored the go-ahead touchdown on a 4-yard run on the first drive of overtime.

The Commodores got a Zaylin Wood sack on Tech’s ensuing possession, forcing a fourth-and-11 from the 12. Quarterback Colin Schlee had time but couldn’t find a man and threw the ball through the back of the end zone to end the game.

Schlee was on for Kyron Drones (322 yards passing), who was hurt in the final minutes of regulation.

The Hokies trailed 17-3 at the break but came alive in the second half. They used three big plays on their first drive, the last, a Bhayshul Tuten 24-yard touchdown run over the left side with 12:42 left in the second half, to cut into Vanderbilt’s lead.

Drones threw a pair of second-half touchdown passes to Tuten and Ali Jennings, the last, a 62-yarder with 4:21 left that put the Hokies up for the first time all day.

That looked like the knockout punch for a Vanderbilt team that lost all nine games against Power 5 teams last season, but Pavia had other ideas.

The Commodores used the game’s first 6:33 on an 11-play drive that ended in Taylor’s 43-yard field goal.

On Tech’s first drive, Vandy linebacker Bryan Longwell came free on a blitz, knocked Drones’ pass in the air and defensive lineman Glenn Seabrooks III picked it and ran it back 15 yards to the Tech 28.

On a third-and-9 from the Tech 14, Pavia hit Quincy Skinner with a great throw to the right side of the end zone and Vanderbilt led 10-0.

After a Tech punt, the Commodores marched 80 yards in 11 plays and Alexander pushed through a hole in the middle for a 7-yard score.

–Field Level Media

Nov 18, 2023; Blacksburg, Virginia, USA; Virginia Tech Hokies quarterback Kyron Drones (1) throws a pass against the North Carolina State Wolfpack at Lane Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Peter Casey-USA TODAY Sports

Experience on Virginia Tech’s side in opener at Vanderbilt

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Virginia Tech hopes to build on a strong finish to last season when it meets Vanderbilt on Saturday afternoon in Nashville, Tenn.

The Hokies won five of their last seven games in 2023 to finish 7-6, with each of those victories coming by at least 17 points.

Virginia Tech is led by head coach Brent Pry, who was on the Vanderbilt staff from 2011-13. The Hokies return 22 starters (11 offense, nine defense and two specialists), the most in the country, per 247 Sports.

That includes the Hokies’ top passer (Kyron Drones), their top three rushers (led by Bhayshul Tuten’s 863 yards, followed by Drones’ 818) and five of their top six receivers (led by Da’Quan Felton’s 667 yards).

Also back are leading tackler Keli Lawson (80 tackles), interception leader Dorian Strong (three picks) as well as Antwaun Powell-Ryland, who led the Hokies in sacks (9.5), forced fumbles (three) and fumble recoveries (two).

Strong and transfer defensive tackle Aeneas Peebles (5.0 sacks at Duke last year) both made the preseason All-Atlantic Coast Conference first team.

With all that experience, the bar is high for the Hokies this year. “Yeah, I would probably be disappointed (if we didn’t make the ACC championship game),” Pry told ESPN.

The Commodores (2-10 in 2023) lost all nine games against Power 5 teams last year, all by at least 16 points.

And so Vanderbilt re-shuffled the deck.

Head coach Clark Lea is now also the defensive coordinator, while Lea imported former New Mexico State head coach Jerry Kill and offensive coordinator Tim Beck to run the other side of the ball.

Vanderbilt also brought in New Mexico State quarterback Diego Pavia (2,973 passing yards, 928 rushing) and will look to run the ball out of multiple formations, with sophomore Sedrick Alexander likely to lead the team in carries.

“You’re gonna see kind of like an NFL offense,” Pavia said. “Take what they give us, and when they give us an opportunity to take a shot, take a shot. If it’s not there, check it down. Establish the run game, just do the little things right.”

Big tight end Cole Spence (who missed all of 2023 with injury) is poised to be a weapon, as is sophomore wide receiver Junior Sherrill.

Vanderbilt’s defense will pin its hopes on a pair of All-Southeastern Conference candidates in linebacker Langston Patterson and safety CJ Taylor, and several impact transfers including hybrid safety/linebacker Randon Fontenette (TCU).

–Field Level Media

Nov 11, 2023; Columbia, South Carolina, USA; South Carolina Gamecocks quarterback Spencer Rattler (7) throws for a touchdown against the Vanderbilt Commodores in the first quarter at Williams-Brice Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Blake-USA TODAY Sports

Spencer Rattler propels South Carolina to rout of Vanderbilt

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Spencer Rattler threw for 351 yards and accounted for four touchdowns as South Carolina cruised to a 47-6 romp over Vanderbilt on Saturday in Columbia, S.C.

Mario Anderson rushed for a season-high 102 yards and a touchdown on nine carries for the Gamecocks (4-5, 2-6 Southeastern Conference).

The Gamecocks reached 400 yards of total offense midway through the third quarter and scored the game’s first 27 points.

South Carolina has defeated Vanderbilt on 15 straight occasions.

The Commodores (2-9, 0-7) were shut out until Ken Seals hit Quincy Skinner Jr. with a 19-yard touchdown pass down the left sideline on the first play of the fourth quarter.

The momentum didn’t last. Kicker Jacob Borcila missed the point-after attempt and the Gamecocks crushed Vandy thanks to an avalanche of the Commodores’ self-inflicted wounds.

With 11:20 to play, a bounced snap caused Vanderbilt’s Matt Hayball difficulty in getting off a punt. South Carolina’s Keenan Nelson Jr. blocked it, scooped up the ball and ran 18 yards for a touchdown.

Fumbles on Vanderbilt’s next two possessions set up a pair of fourth-quarter touchdowns, coming on Rattler’s 26-yard touchdown pass to O’Mega Blake and LaNorris Sellers’ 36-yard run.

Before Vandy’s lone score, South Carolina’s Ahmarean Brown caught a short throw from Rattler and turned it into a 24-yard touchdown with 7:09 left in the third quarter, extending the lead to 20-0.

After another Vanderbilt punt, South Carolina’s Anderson spun away from multiple tacklers and sprinted 72 yards down the right sideline for a score.

Carolina dominated a mistake-filled first half, leading 13-0 thanks to a 233-53 edge in total offense.

The Gamecocks struck first as Rattler escaped pressure, rolled right and found Xavier Legette for a 39-yard toss to the Vandy 1.

Two plays later, Rattler hit Alex Huntley — who has primarily been a defensive tackle — with a 1-yard touchdown pass. A bad snap on the point-after kept the Gamecocks from adding more.

Vandy pinned South Carolina back to its 5 but the Gamecocks, keyed by Rattler’s 30-yard pass to Dijay Braswell to the Vandy 1, took a 13-0 lead after Rattler’s 1-yard sneak.

Vandy’s best first-half scoring chance came when Tyson Russell picked Rattler at the South Carolina 35, but the Commodores gained two yards before turning it over on downs.

–Field Level Media