Diego Pavia threw for five touchdowns and ran for another as No. 18 Vanderbilt continued its best start to a season in 17 years by defeating visiting Utah State 55-35 on Saturday at Nashville, Tenn.
Pavia completed 26 for 34 passes for 321 yards and also ran for a game-high 79 yards on nine carries. Junior Sherrill caught three of the touchdown passes in the final tune-up for the Commodores (5-0) prior to next week’s visit to No. 17 Alabama.
Bryson Barnes threw for three touchdowns and backup quarterback Jacob Conover tossed two touchdown passes for Utah State (3-2), which also lost earlier this month at nationally ranked Texas A&M. Braden Pegan, Miles Davis, Josh Sterzer, Javen Jacobs and Brady Boyd caught touchdown passes.
Vanderbilt broke away by scoring on the opening possession of the second half, with Pavia throwing 10 yards to Eli Stowers as the lead grew to 38-21. Pavia connected with Richie Hoskins for 53 yards later in the quarter, putting the Commodores up 48-21.
The teams combined for 52 first-half points, with Vanderbilt leading 31-21 at the break. That included three touchdowns and a field goal in the final 2 1/2 minutes of the second quarter.
Pavia was 15-for-17 for 170 yards and three touchdowns to Sherrill plus 59 rushing yards in the first half. The Commodores compiled 279 yards of total offense in the half, though 55 yards in penalties were costly.
Vanderbilt pulled even on Pavia’s 6-yard run with 6:14 left in the second quarter and took its first lead on Pavia’s 18-yard pass to Sherrill with 2:18 to go in the half.
Barnes, who threw to Pegan for a 9-yard scoring play at the 20-second mark, matched Pavia with three first-half TD tosses. Brock Taylor’s 46-yard field goal on the last play of the half gave Vanderbilt a 31-21 lead.
Utah State fell to 2-28 against current members of the Southeastern Conference, though this was its first matchup with Vanderbilt. The Aggies were denied matching their 2024 win total before the end of September.
–Field Level Media
