Tag: Vanderbilt

Dec 27, 2024; Birmingham, AL, USA; Vanderbilt Commodores quarterback Diego Pavia (2) throws the ball against the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets during the first half of the 2024 Birmingham Bowl at Protective Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Vasha Hunt-Imagn Images

Vanderbilt’s Diego Pavia uses arms, legs to beat Georgia Tech in Birmingham Bowl

Posted on | by Field Level Media

Diego Pavia completed 13 of 21 passes for 160 yards and three touchdowns and ran for 84 yards and two scores on the ground, as Vanderbilt posted a 35-27 victory over Georgia Tech in the Birmingham Bowl on Friday.

Eli Stowers caught four passes for 55 yards and a touchdown, as the Commodores (7-6) clinched their first bowl win and winning season since 2013.

For Georgia Tech (7-6), Haynes King completed 25 of 33 passes for three touchdowns and an interception, while Jamal Haynes rushed for 136 yards.

Aidan Birr’s 33-yard field goal trimmed Georgia Tech’s deficit to 14-13 at the 8:34 mark of the third quarter. Vanderbilt then answered with a five-play, 56-yard drive that spanned just 2:20, ending with Pavia’s 3-yard touchdown pass to Stowers with 56 seconds left in the third quarter.

Georgia Tech immediately gave the ball back to the Commodores, as King was picked off by CJ Taylor, which turned into Pavia’s 7-yard passing score to Quincy Skinner Jr., pushing Vanderbilt’s lead to 28-13 on the first play of the final quarter.

The Yellow Jackets then coughed the ball up again, as Malik Rutherford’s fumble was recovered by Aeneas DiCosmo at the 13:40 mark of the fourth. On the ensuing Vanderbilt drive, Pavia connected with Stowers for 39 yards, which was followed by Pavia’s 6-yard rushing touchdown with 9:59 left.

After a nearly hour-long lightning delay, Georgia Tech pulled within in two scores as King found Haynes for a 9-yard passing touchdown with 5:03 remaining. Following Vanderbilt’s punt, the Yellow Jackets drove 83 yards in 2:36, with King’s 2-yard passing touchdown to Bailey Stockton stamping the game’s scoring with 1:30 left.

After punting on its first drive — and forcing a pair of Georgia Tech punts — Vanderbilt pieced together an eight-play, 87-yard drive — highlighted by Pavia’s 40-yard pass to Loic Founji to the Yellow Jackets’ 8-yard line. Two plays later, Pavia found Cole Spence for a 7-yard touchdown pass with 2:26 left in the opening quarter.

Georgia Tech then ate up 7:20 with a 15-play, 75-yard scoring drive, stamped with King’s 2-yard touchdown pass to Ryland Goede with 10:06 left in the second quarter.

After Vanderbilt regained the lead on Pavia’s 2-yard rushing score on fourth and 1, Birr concluded the first half scoring with a 43-yard field goal with 8 seconds left, as Vanderbilt led 14-10 at halftime.

–Field Level Media

Vanderbilt quarterback Diego Pavia (2) gets into position during the third quarter at FirstBank Stadium in Nashville, Tenn., Saturday, Nov. 30, 2024.

Overachievers collide when Georgia Tech, Vandy play in Birmingham

Posted on | by Field Level Media

A pair of teams vying to put a stamp on overachieving campaigns will meet as Georgia Tech squares off with Vanderbilt in the Birmingham Bowl on Friday in Birmingham, Ala.

Georgia Tech (7-5) is appearing in back-to-back bowl games for the first time since an 18-year run from 1997-2014, and a win would give the Yellow Jackets consecutive bowl wins for the first time in 20 years. For a Georgia Tech program that endured a 14-32 stretch from 2019-22, this season has given Yellow Jacket fans a reason to believe a resurgence is near.

After knocking off No. 10 Florida State in the season opener, Georgia Tech climbed into the AP Poll for the first time in nine years. Although it was a short stay in the rankings, head coach Brent Key’s team piqued the nation’s interest again in November, when it took down undefeated No. 4 Miami, 28-23.

The Yellow Jackets had another chance to shake up the college football landscape against then-No. 7 Georgia, but blew a late 14-point lead en route to an eight-overtime defeat.

Now with one more opportunity against the Southeastern Conference, Key thinks the bowl organizers nailed this one on the head.

“We’re excited to go over to Birmingham and play a really good opponent,” Key said. “I think this is a really good matchup. When you look at bowl games, that’s what you look for, the matchups. And I think they got this one right.”

Georgia Tech quarterback Haynes King’s 1,910 passing yards and 22 total touchdowns (11 passing, 11 rushing) have steadied the offense throughout the year, but the Yellow Jackets will be without their leading receiver, Eric Singleton Jr., who entered the transfer portal after the regular season and signed with Auburn on Monday.

Starting defensive lineman Romello Height also transferred, meaning a next-man-up mentality will be in order for Key’s squad.

“One person is not going to make a difference as far as rotational depth,” Key said. “We’re going to continue to coach the guys that are here, and prepare them not only for this game but for the rest of their careers here at Georgia Tech.”

Singleton paced Georgia Tech with 754 receiving yards to go along with four total touchdowns, while Height tallied 2 1/2 sacks and a pair of forced fumbles.

It wouldn’t have surprised many college football pundits had Vanderbilt missed the postseason for a sixth straight year. The Commodores (6-6) were predicted last by a wide margin in the SEC preseason poll coming off last year’s winless conference slate.

However, the program’s historic season can now be punctuated with its first bowl win in 11 years, thanks to a shocking Oct. 5 victory over No. 1 Alabama, along with its first win all-time at Auburn.

Led by head coach Clark Lea, the revamped Commodores see a similar program on Friday in Birmingham.

“Georgia Tech is a team I’ve taken notes on as Brent has built that program up,” Lea said. “What an incredible transformation they’ve had; so much respect for them. … This is our 10th bowl game in 134 years, it’s a chance for our first winning season since 2013. You’re going to have two teams that play a physical brand of football, two head coaches that care deeply about the institutions we represent.

“These are two teams that are going to fight for a win and I don’t think it gets better than that.”

The Commodores are led by quarterback Diego Pavia, who had 2,133 passing yards and 17 touchdowns in the air, paired with 716 rushing yards and six scores on the ground. Pavia, a transfer from New Mexico State — and New Mexico Military Institute at the juco level — won a court ruling last week that granted him a seventh year of eligibility in 2025.

–Field Level Media

Nov 9, 2024; Nashville, Tennessee, USA; Vanderbilt Commodores quarterback Diego Pavia (2) passes the ball against the South Carolina Gamecocks during the first half at FirstBank Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Steve Roberts-Imagn Images

Vandy QB Diego Pavia eligible to play in ’25 after preliminary injunction

Posted on | by Field Level Media

Vanderbilt quarterback Diego Pavia is eligible to play another season of college football in 2025 after being granted a temporary injunction, according to a court ruling released Wednesday.

Pavia’s request for a temporary restraining order that would allow him to play a sixth season was denied by a federal judge last month. However, the Wednesday ruling by U.S. District Judge William Campbell of the Middle District of Tennessee grants Pavia a temporary injunction and that sixth year he has been seeking.

Pavia played two years at New Mexico Military Institute before transferring to New Mexico State, but argued that the NCAA’s rules on junior college participation counting against eligibility violates antitrust law outlined by the Sherman Act.

Pavia’s representation argued that, in addition to the COVID-season waiver afforded to athletes after playing in 2020, the quarterback’s NCAA clock should not have started during his junior college time. It also claimed that Pavia stands to earn more than $1 million in NIL compensation should he play in 2025.

Pavia passed for 2,133 yards and added another 716 on the ground while accounting for 23 total touchdowns this season. His highlight was leading the Commodores to an upset win over then-No.1 Alabama on Oct. 5.

While he is in line to potentially return as Vanderbilt’s quarterback next season, Pavia still likely will have to wait out a legal process over the next few months before it becomes official.

“Obviously, the unknown always presents anxiousness,” Commodores coach Clark Lea told 247Sports. “Obviously, we want to have Diego here. We want him to be a part of this. he wants to be a part of this. There will be a huge celebration the day we get that final thumbs up. If, for whatever reason, the narrative changes that way, we’ve primed ourselves to be ready for that, too.”

The Tennessean reported that Wednesday’s ruling prevents the NCAA from enforcing it’s “Rule of Restitution” against Vanderbilt or any school that Pavia might play for in 2025 that would force a school to vacate wins if the ruling is later overturned.

“Diego is very thankful for the work of the Court and its staff in expediting this ruling,” Pavia’s attorney, Ryan Downton, said in a release sent to the Tennessean. “The NCAA has not yet adjusted to the NIL era and continues to impose unfair restrictions on college athletes. The Court’s ruling is another step in leveling the playing field to allow college athletes to share in the billions of dollars earned due to their labor.

“While the ruling is limited to Pavia, we believe it may open the door for other former junior college players to obtain an additional year of eligibility without filing a lawsuit.”

–Field Level Media

Vanderbilt Commodores quarterback Diego Pavia (2) reacts to throwing a touchdown pass against the LSU Tigers during the first half at Tiger Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Stephen Lew-Imagn Images

Vandy pining to play upset track for No. 8 Tennessee in Nashville

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Stakes are off-the-charts when No. 8 Tennessee (9-2, 5-2 Southeastern Conference) heads three hours west to face Vanderbilt (6-5, 3-4) in Nashville, Tenn., in the annual in-state rivalry game.

The Vols scored a 56-0 pasting of UTEP last Saturday, but the best part of their week centered around scoreboard watching.

Tennessee, ranked 11th in last week’s College Football Playoff rankings, counted three teams ranked higher in the Top 25 — Indiana (fifth in last week’s rankings), Alabama (seventh) and Ole Miss (ninth) all lose — to open the path for the Vols to climb.

The Vols moved up four spots in Tuesday’s rankings, all but guaranteed a playoff berth with a win over Vanderbilt, in a game in which they’re 11-point favorites.

But a history lesson will help the Vols understand the minefield that is SEC road games this season.

Alabama and Ole Miss were double-digit road favorites at Oklahoma and Florida, respectively, and boarded their planes home with losses and a heaping helping of humble pie.

The Commodores have already won three times as double-digit underdogs — Virginia Tech, Alabama, at Kentucky — and also pulled an upset as a 7 1/2-point underdog at Auburn.

The Commodores can clinch their first winning season since 2013 with a victory on Saturday, one that would have a defining depth to Vandy in a momentous season under coach Clark Lea, a fullback for the Commodores in 2002-04. The Vols won all three games against Vandy when Lea suited up.

“The unique thing about this game is that it’s extremely personal to me, because I grew up in this city, I grew up following the program, I played in this program — as did (defensive line coach) Jovan Haye, as did some of our other staff members,” Lea said.

Tempo is a tug of war each side wants to gain control of in the first quarter.

The Vols average 74.1 plays per game, while Vanderbilt averages 61.0. The Vols’ defense is on the field for 65.7 plays while Vanderbilt’s averages 61.3 snaps.

That’s a difference of 17.5 snaps between the teams. Lea has been clear in talks with his team and beyond that he believes controlling tempo will be critical Saturday.

“For us offensively with where our program is right now, possession is the No. 1 priority,” Lea said. “We want to maintain possession of the ball, we want to extend drives, and that means multiple first downs and being able to flip the field and play a field-position game. So what we can’t have is three-and-outs and pre-snap penalties that set us back, which happened twice against LSU.”

Vanderbilt has turned it over just six times, which ranks second in the country. It has also excelled on special teams, where it ranks first in the country according to Bill Connelly’s SP+ rankings.

The Commodores’ plan also includes getting everything they can from dual-threat quarterback Diego Pavia, who’s been playing at less that 100% for weeks.
Pavia has 2,029 yards passing, 16 touchdowns and three interceptions and rushed 165 times for 671 yards and six scores this season.

Points and yards will be tough to come by against the Vols, who rank fourth in the country in scoring defense (13.09) and sixth in total defense (284.3).

“We have to be at our best on Saturday,” Tennessee coach Josh Heupel said on Monday. “You can look at how (Vanderbilt has) performed throughout the course of the season, how they’ve played at home, statistically what they’re doing in all three phases. You’ve got to understand you’re going to get their best and their best is really good.”

The Vols’ talented defensive line, led by Walter Camp player of the year semifinalist James Pearce Jr., will make containing Pavia a priority. Vanderbilt’s last two opponents, LSU and South Carolina, got constant pressure on Pavia even if the sack totals didn’t show it.

Tennessee’s offensive game plan will be no secret: play fast and run Dylan Sampson (231 carries, 1,307 yards, 22 touchdowns) often. Sampson has rushed for over 100 yards in seven of the Vols’ eight games vs. Power 4 opponents, and registered 92 yards rushing against Oklahoma.

Heupel is 3-0 vs. Lea in the series, winning those games 45-21 (2021) 56-0 (2022) and 48-24 (2023).

–Field Level Media

Runningback Josh Williams 18 scores a touchdown as the LSU Tigers take on the Vanderbilt Commodores. Nov 23, 2024; Baton Rouge, Louisiana, USA; at Tiger Stadium.

LSU stops 3-game slide with 24-17 win over Vanderbilt

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Josh Williams rushed for two touchdowns, Garrett Nussmeier passed for one and host LSU ended a three-game losing streak by defeating Vanderbilt 24-17 on Saturday night in Baton Rouge, La.

Williams finished with 90 rushing yards and 61 receiving yards. Nussmeier completed 28 of 37 passes for 332 yards to lead the unranked Tigers (7-4, 4-3 SEC), who were No. 8 in the AP poll before the losing streak began.

Diego Pavia, who tossed a 63-yard touchdown pass on the Commodores’ first play from scrimmage, completed 13 of 24 throws for 186 yards and rushed six times for a team-high 43 yards and a touchdown.

On the first possession of the second half, Vanderbilt (6-5, 3-4) converted a fourth-and-1 from its own 45 and reached the LSU 27. The drive stalled from there, and Brock Taylor kicked a 47-yard field goal to trim the Tigers’ lead to 14-10.

On the ensuing possession, LSU converted a fourth-and-5 when Nussmeier threw a 24-yard pass to CJ Daniels. Nussmeier connected with Kyren Lacy for a 12-yard score on the next play to increase the lead to 21-10 at the end of the third quarter.

Damian Ramos kicked a 28-yard field goal for the Tigers with 10:41 left in the game before the Commodores responded with a 10-play, 75-yard drive to pull within seven. Pavia punctuated the possession with a 1-yard run to make it 24-17 with 5:47 remaining.

Vanderbilt never got the ball back as LSU moved 66 yards to run out the clock and send the Commodores to their second straight loss.

The hosts went three-and-out on the game’s first possession before Pavia connected with Quincy Skinner Jr. for Vanderbilt’s only touchdown until Pavis’s run in the fourth quarter. On the ensuing possession, LSU drove 90 yards, the final 20 of which came on Williams’ tying touchdown run.

LSU moved to the Commodores’ 3-yard line on its next drive, but Nussmeier threw incomplete on fourth-and-goal to leave the score 7-7 at the end of the first quarter.

Vanderbilt later went for a fourth-and-2 at the LSU 20 and Pavia threw an incomplete pass with 4:29 left in the first half. The Tigers then drove to Williams’ 21-yard touchdown run to take a 14-7 halftime lead.

–Field Level Media

Vanderbilt Commodores quarterback Diego Pavia (2) celebrates with the fans after scoring a touchdown against South Carolina Gamecocks during the third quarter at FirstBank Stadium in Nashville, Tenn., Saturday, Nov. 9, 2024.

Surging Vanderbilt swings into LSU for race to seventh win

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LSU and Vanderbilt are both 6-4 overall and 3-3 in the SEC as they prepare to meet Saturday night in Baton Rouge, La.

Those numbers mean very different things to the programs.

The Tigers have been ranked as high as No. 8, but enter the week unranked for the first time this season after losing three straight games.

The Commodores, who were winless in the SEC last season and three times in the last four seasons, are excited about being bowl eligible with a marquee win to celebrate. Vandy claimed the program’s first victory ever against a No. 1-ranked team by beating Alabama.

Vanderbilt’s surge moved head coach Clark Lea from the proverbial hot seat to coach of the year candidacy. He will be facing Brian Kelly, his former boss when Lea was defensive coordinator at Notre Dame.

The heat was turned up on Kelly after a 27-16 loss at Florida last Saturday.

“You have to examine everything that you do on a day-to-day basis and make sure that you’re addressing those things that are most important to getting the right outcomes,” Kelly said. “When you don’t get the right outcomes immediately it’s going to be, take this action, do this, bench this guy, fire that guy. For us it’s much more about understanding that we have a process in place. We have to stick with that process.”

The Commodores’ success led to Lea being named one of five finalists for the American Football Coaches Association Coach of the Year on Tuesday.

“We’re proud of the progress we’ve made,” Lea said, “but we’re not satisfied.”

Vanderbilt, which lost 28-3 to visiting South Carolina two weeks ago, used an open date last week to let several players who were “banged up” heal, most notably star quarterback Diego Pavia, who has a lower leg injury but is expected to start against LSU.

“This is a great identity game where we need to be really good in all three phases,” Lea said.

–Field Level Media

Vanderbilt Commodores quarterback Diego Pavia (2) throws to an open teammate against South Carolina Gamecocks during the first half FirstBank Stadium in Nashville, Tenn., Saturday, Nov. 9, 2024.

Judge denies Vandy QB Diego Pavia’s TRO request for extra eligibility

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A request by Vanderbilt quarterback Diego Pavia for a temporary restraining order that would allow him to play a sixth season has been denied by a federal judge.

Pavia filed suit against the NCAA on Friday, seeking another year of eligibility. His argument is that the two seasons he played at a junior college shouldn’t be held against his eligibility because he couldn’t benefit from name, image and likeness laws.

Still, the judge’s decision left a little wiggle room for Pavia. The judge agreed to expedite a hearing on a request for a preliminary injunction, which would allow the NCAA to state its case in court.

The quarterback was hoping the court would grant him a temporary restraining order to keep the NCAA from denying him another year of eligibility. With one more season, he could gain an NIL deal from Vanderbilt or enter the transfer portal when it opens Dec. 9.

Pavia started his career at the New Mexico Military Institute in 2020 and helped the team to the NJCAA National Championship in 2021. He played at New Mexico State (2022-23) before transferring to Vanderbilt this season.

“Given that Plaintiff has almost certainly been aware of the challenged bylaws and his ineligibility to play college football in the 2025-26 season for quite some time and has been discussing possible resolution with the NCAA, the Court is not persuaded that an ex parte order is justified,” William Campbell Jr., chief judge of the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Tennessee, wrote in his ruling, per ESPN. “This is particularly the case here where the Plaintiff seeks prospective injunctive relief, not merely preservation of the status quo.”

Per ESPN, Pavia contends in the case that junior college transfers are subject to eligibility restrictions that “are not placed on athletes who choose to delay entry to a Division I NCAA college to attend prep school, serve in the military, or even to compete professionally in another sport.”

With Pavia at quarterback, the Commodores are 6-4 — their first six-win season since 2018 and only their third since 2014. Their signature win of the season came Oct. 5 when they knocked off then-No. 1 Alabama 40-35. Their schedule also includes a pair of three-point losses to then-No. 7 Missouri on Sept.. 21 and to then-No. 5 Texas on Oct. 26.

They have two more ranked teams on the schedule to end the season — No. 22 LSU in Baton Rouge, La., on Nov. 23 and No. 7 Tennessee at home the following Saturday.

On the season, Pavia has completed 60.6 percent of his passes for 1,843 yards with 15 touchdowns and three interceptions.

–Field Level Media

Nov 9, 2024; Nashville, Tennessee, USA; Vanderbilt Commodores quarterback Diego Pavia (2) hurdles over South Carolina Gamecocks linebacker Jaron Willis (14) during the first half at FirstBank Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Steve Roberts-Imagn Images

LaNorris Sellers, Raheim Sanders lead South Carolina to easy win at Vanderbilt

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LaNorris Sellers (238 passing yards, two touchdowns) and Rocket Sanders (178 yards from scrimmage) starred as South Carolina (6-3, 4-3 Southeastern Conference) beat Vanderbilt (6-4, 3-3) 28-7 Saturday in Nashville, Tenn.

South Carolina’s defense did its part, holding Vanderbilt to 274 yards of total offense and a season-low seven points thanks to a dominant performance by its front seven.

The Gamecocks sacked Vanderbilt’s Diego Pavia (16-of-31 passing, 166 yards, 65 rushing yards) twice, hurried him eight times and broke up eight of his passes.

Meanwhile, South Carolina’s offensive line had allowed 32 sacks on the season coming into the game, but didn’t allow one to the Commodores.

It was Vanderbilt’s most lopsided defeat this year; previously, the Commodores hadn’t lost by more than four points.

On the second play of the second half, Sellers escaped the pass rush near his own goal line, rolled left and found a wide-open Jared Brown deep downfield for a 51-yard pass.

Two plays later, Sanders found a big hole left and dashed 31 yards for a score and a 14-0 lead.

Vanderbilt then sustained its first substantial drive, marching 75 plays in 10 yards and scoring when Pavia broke containment on a pass play and scrambled 17 yards for a touchdown.

But Sanders’ 39-yard run on the next drive set up his 1-yard scamper to extend the lead back to 14 points.

The Commodores moved the ball better in the second half, but the Gamecocks defense stiffened to force turnovers on downs on back-to-back drives.

Defensive back Peyton Williams broke up a Pavia pass on the first stop and Bam Martin-Scott broke free on a pass rush to get in Pavia’s face and knock down another throw to end the second drive at the Gamecocks 39.

After the latter, Sanders took a screen pass from Sellers and weaved his way through defenders for a 43-yard touchdown and a 28-7 lead with 7:55 left.

The Gamecocks dominated the first half, out-gaining Vanderbilt 187-83 while steadily pressuring Pavia.

Sellers found Nyck Harbor open for 23 yards to the Vanderbilt 17, then hit Josh Simon for a 17-yard touchdown on the next play for the game’s first score with 13:11 left in the second quarter.

–Field Level Media

Texas Longhorns wide receiver DeAndre Moore Jr. (0) catches a touchdown while guarded by Vanderbilt Commodores safety Dontae Carter (21) during the first half of their game at FirstBank Stadium in Nashville, Tenn., Saturday, Oct. 26, 2024.

No. 5 Texas holds off No. 25 Vanderbilt

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Texas’s Quinn Ewers threw for 288 yards and three touchdowns and the defense held Vanderbilt to 269 total yards, as the No. 5 Longhorns knocked off the 25th-ranked Commodores 27-24, in Southeastern Conference play at Nashville on Saturday.

The Longhorns entered the day ranked No. 1 in scoring defense (9.7 points per game) and total defense (237.3 yards per game) and it showed as Vanderbilt’s Diego Pavia had a season-worst day (16-of-29, 143 yards, two touchdowns, two interceptions).

Vanderbilt, which had turned it over just twice all season, coughed it up three times on Saturday.

Wide receiver DeAndre Moore Jr. caught two first-half touchdowns for Texas (7-1, 3-1 SEC), which never trailed after the first quarter.

Texas’s Bert Auburn hit a 40-yard field goal to extend the Longhorns’ lead to 24-10 with 8:54 left in the third quarter.

Vanderbilt (5-3, 2-2) then went three-and-out for fifth time in its eighth drive but Randon Fontenette tipped a Ewers pass and Miles Capers corralled it at the Longhorn 38.

On fourth-and-goal from the 3, Pavia threaded a throw through several Longhorns into the hands of Junior Sherrill for a touchdown that got the Commodores within seven.

A Khordae Sydnor sack forced a Longhorn punt, but Texas’s Liona Lefau picked Pavia and returned it six yards to the Vandy 29 on fourth-and-2 on the Commodores’ ensuing possession.

Auburn’s 23-yard field goal with 1:57 left extended the lead to 10.

Vandy’s Pavia connected with Eli Stowers on an 8-yard score with 46 seconds left but the onside kick failed.

Texas led 21-10 at the half thanks to forcing two turnovers and Ewers hitting 19-of-21 throws for 211 yards and three scores.

On the Longhorns’ first possession, linebacker Langston Patterson tipped Ewers’ pass and then Vanderbilt’s Martel Hight grabbed it and returned it 4 yards to the Texas 31.

On a third-and-8 play off Vanderbilt’s ensuing drive, Pavia couldn’t find a receiver and out-ran the Longhorn pass rush down the right sideline for an 18-yard score.

Texas tied it when Ewers hit Matthew Golden with a 3-yard scoring strike.

The Longhorns took the lead on its next trip when Ewers found Moore with a 27-yard scoring toss with 1:13 left in the first quarter.

Ewers later engineered a 5-play, 59-yard scoring drive, ending when he hit Moore down the left sideline for a 25-yard score and a 14-point lead.

Vanderbilt’s Sedrick Alexander fumbled at the Texas 43 with a minute to play in the half, but the Commodores forced a punt and ended the half with Brock Taylor’s 54-yard field goal.

Texas’s Vernon Broughton was flagged for targeting with 1:14 left in the game for a hit on Pavia that wiped out Kobe Black’s interception return touchdown and gave Vanderbilt a shot at the end.

–Field Level Media

Vanderbilt quarterback Diego Pavia (2) runs the ball against Ball State during the fourth quarter at FirstBank Stadium in Nashville, Tenn., Saturday, Oct. 19, 2024.

No. 25 Vanderbilt marks return to rankings by facing No. 5 Texas

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Coming off a tough loss to one of the nation’s top teams, No. 5 Texas might well have its hands full again when it tangles with No. 25 Vanderbilt in Nashville on Saturday.

The Longhorns (6-1, 2-1 Southeastern Conference) stumbled out of the gate last weekend against visiting Georgia. Texas gained just 38 yards in the first half, falling behind 23-0 in an eventual 30-15 loss to the then-fifth-ranked Bulldogs.

“When you’re playing in games with quality people on both teams, effort is one piece of the ingredient,” Texas coach Steve Sarkisian said. “Execution is the other piece of the ingredient. We just did not have great execution … and most notably, we did not have great execution at critical moments. … We were 2 of 14 on third down and we were 1 of 5 on fourth down.

Vanderbilt (5-2, 2-1) came away with a 24-14 win last weekend over visiting Ball State, but the Commodores didn’t exactly draw rave reviews from coach Clark Lea.

“We unpacked the Ball State game, and I’m happy with the result but unhappy with the performance,” Lea said. “I think (we were) fortunate to come away with a 10-point win in a game where we had room to separate earlier.”

Vanderbilt’s Diego Pavia threw for 275 yards and a touchdown while adding 82 rushing yards and another score. The victory was good enough to get the Commodores their first AP ranking since the final poll of the 2013 season.

While the Longhorns enter as 18-plus-point favorites, the Commodores have already scored three wins (Virginia Tech, Alabama and Kentucky) as double-digit underdogs, the first two coming in Nashville.

Vanderbilt’s winning formula is no secret. Just check the stat sheet.

“They run the football,” Sarkisian said. “They burn a lot of clock. They lead the conference in time of possession. They lead the conference in third-down conversion rate. They only have two turnovers on the year, which leads the SEC. They’re really efficient. They play really good complementary football.”

The key is Pavia, the New Mexico State transfer who has completed 66.2 percent of his throws for 1,391 yards and 11 touchdowns with one interception. He also has 470 rushing yards and three touchdowns on the ground.

Fellow New Mexico State transfer Eli Stowers (33 catches, 463 yards, two touchdowns) is Pavia’s favorite target, a sure-handed tight end who is tough to bring down.

Stowers — originally a Texas A&M quarterback — has even thrown a touchdown as part of a hard-to-predict offense that can feature three running backs as part of an option-based look on one snap, and an empty-backfield set on the next.

However, the Commodores haven’t seen a defense like Texas’. The Longhorns rank No. 1 in the country in scoring defense (9.71 points per game) and total defense (237.3 yards per game).

Sarkisian said on Monday that safety Andrew Mukuba (25 tackles, two interceptions) is questionable for Saturday after hurting a knee vs. Georgia.

Still, the Longhorns have plenty of play-makers, including linebacker Anthony Hill Jr. (50 tackles, 10 tackles for loss, 5.5 sacks and an interception), cornerback Jahdae Barron (26 tackles, three interceptions, five pass break-ups) and edge rusher Barryn Sorrell (15 tackles, 5.5 tackles for loss and seven hurries).

Vanderbilt’s defense allows 22.1 points and 331.4 yards per contest. The Commodores surrendered a combined 27 points to Kentucky and Ball State, and they did so without starting linebacker Langston Patterson (ankle) and mostly without starting defensive end Miles Capers (neck). Both could be back to oppose Texas.

–Field Level Media