Vanderbilt becomes bowl eligible for first time since 2018 with 17-7 win over Auburn

Updated Nov. 2, 2024 5:29 p.m. ET

Associated Press

AUBURN, Ala. (AP) — Diego Pavia threw a pair of touchdown passes, including a 4-yarder to Eli Stowers with 4:18 left, and Vanderbilt became bowl eligible for the first time since 2018 with a 17-7 win over Auburn on Saturday.

The Commodores (6-3, 3-2 Southeastern Conference) locked up another win in their surprising season with a 14-play, 78-yard drive that consumed 8 minutes, 53 seconds. It was kept alive when Keldric Faulk was penalized for leverage while trying to block a field goal by Brock Taylor, setting up first down at the 4.

“This is a great moment for our program and one that we need to celebrate the right way,” Vandy coach Clark Lea said after emerging from a lengthy and noisy locker room celebration. “I think if you look at where we’ve come in, I guess, what amounts to 11 months now, we’ve had an incredible journey. I feel like in December we probably hit rock-bottom coming out of last season.”

The Tigers (3-6, 1-5), meanwhile, fell one loss away from their fourth straight losing season.

Pavia was contained much of the way but still delivered a second straight win over Auburn. He completed 9 of 22 passes for 143 yards with a 28-yard touchdown to AJ Newberry. Pavia led New Mexico State to a huge upset of the Tigers last season before transferring to the SEC and helping produce a much less surprising victory.

Vandy was winless in eight SEC games last season, ending on a 10-game skid. Then came Pavia, Stowers and other key newcomers who helped produce a Sprite-splashing celebration postgame.

“We weren’t going to be denied this opportunity today, and I feel that way about this team,” said Lea, with son Jack seated next to him. “They earned a right to celebrate. They earned the right to be excited, and I enjoyed being in the middle of it.”

Pavia, meanwhile, got to once beat one of the teams that wasn't interested in recruiting him.

“A lot of people didn’t take a chance on me,” he said. “They’re just another team that didn’t so I just want to make them pay for what they did.”

Auburn's last effort to stay in the game ended when Towns McGough's 52-yard field goal attempt fell short for his second miss. By the time the Tigers fumbled away their last possession in the final two minutes, most of the fans had already hit the exits.

The Tigers managed to tie it at 7-all going into halftime. They converted two fourth-down plays in their own territory before Payton Thorne's 30-yard touchdown pass to Rivaldo Fairweather.

The Commodores retook the lead on Taylor's 31-yard field goal late in the third quarter. They got the chance after replay officials overturned a called fumble by Moni Jones, and it was set up by Martel Hight's 39-yard punt return to the 21.

Vandy held Jarquez Hunter to 50 yards on 12 carries a week after he ran for 278 in a win over Kentucky.

Thorne completed 20 of 29 passes for 239 yards and a touchdown.

“This has been too often a story this year for us, for our players and our fans and, you know, just very disappointed,” Tigers coach Hugh Freeze said. “I thought our defense played their guts out and played well enough to win.”

Postgame tension

Vandy offensive lineman Steven Hubbard riled a couple of Auburn players after the game, crowing about Pavia improving to 3-0 against Freeze — including a 2022 win over Liberty.

“Nonsense. It’s just football talk,” Hubbard said of what the Tigers said in response. “At the end of the day they lost, we won.”

The Takeaway

Vanderbilt: The Commodores continue a big season that has included an upset of then-No. 1 Alabama. They found a way to win despite getting outgained 327-227 in total yards. It's the first time Vandy has beaten Alabama and Auburn in the same season since 1955.

Auburn: Didn't convert a third down until the first play of the fourth quarter, whiffing on its first nine attempts and going 2 of 13. The Tigers must beat UL Monroe, No. 10 Texas A&M and No. 14 Alabama to become bowl eligible.