Rapid Reaction: Diego Pavia masterclass fuels Vanderbilt’s first 5-0 start since 2008
By Ethan Stone
Published:
Diego Pavia may very well be the best quarterback in the SEC.
At the very least, he’s probably the quarterback that’s most important to his team. Pavia, who is in his 2nd year as Vanderbilt starting quarterback, is the heart and soul of Vanderbilt’s best team since 2013.
The Commodores got out to a bit of a slow start against Utah State in Week 5, but the offense kicked into gear around the end of the 2nd quarter in what turned out to be a 55-35 win. To start, Pavia tied things up at 14 with this 6-yard scoring run – the 23rd rushing touchdown of his career:
Pavia and receiver Junior Sherrill connected for 2 more touchdowns in the minutes after Pavia’s rushing score. Here’s their 2nd connection – an 18-yard dart from Pavia to the only place Sherrill could have caught it:
In all, Pavia found the end zone 6 times on Saturday – 5 times as a passer and once as a rusher. He finished 26-34 with 5 touchdowns, 1 interception and 321 passing yards, his highest total of the season thus far and the first time he’s eclipsed 300 passing yards in a single game with the Commodores. He also rushed for 79 yards and the aforementioned touchdown. His 321 yards is just 2 yards shy from tying a career-high, which he set in 2022 against Valparaiso.
Vanderbilt is 5-0 on the year for the first time since 2008. Their next matchup is a big one, a battle Vanderbilt fans (and Diego Pavia) have been waiting for all offseason: at No. 17 Alabama.
Can the Commodores knock out the Tide 2 years in a row?
Vanderbilt 55, Utah State 35
Here’s the Vanderbilt-Utah State box score (use the dropdown menu to select team or player stats), followed by the complete play-by-play:
Diego Pavia vs Bryson Barnes
A statistical breakdown of how Vandy QB Diego Pavia outperformed Utah State counterpart Bryson Barnes:
Ethan Stone is a Tennessee graduate and loves all things college football and college basketball. Firm believer in fouling while up 3.
