NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — Diego Pavia threw for 160 yards and a score and ran for 86 yards and two more touchdowns as No. 17 Vanderbilt beat 10th-ranked LSU 31-24 on Saturday to improve to 6-1 for the first time in 75 years.
Vanderbilt, which matched its best start since opening 6-1 in 1950, beat LSU for the first time since 1990. This was only the fourth meeting since 1947 with both schools ranked in the AP poll. The Commodores also snapped a 10-game skid to LSU.
Even better, Vanderbilt (2-1 Southeastern Conference) is bowl eligible in what used to be the top goal for this program.
“Ultimately we have a lot of season left, and we’re going to celebrate this win,” Vanderbilt coach Clark Lea said. “I think we’ve earned the right to celebrate it. But this game won’t define our season. And there’s a lot more for this team to accomplish.”
The Tigers (5-2, 2-2) had some big plays with Garrett Nussmeier throwing for 225 yards and two TDs, including a 62-yarder to Zavion Thomas. Caden Durham also had a 51-yard run down to the Vandy 2 before the Commodores forced LSU to settle for one of four field-goal attempts.
“We had opportunities, we didn’t cash in on them,” LSU coach Brian Kelly said.
That wasn’t enough against a Vanderbilt offense that came in seventh in the nation averaging 43.2 points a game. The Commodores scored the most points LSU has given up this season with a defense ranked fifth in the country allowing 11.8 points a game.
Vanderbilt punted only twice, both times in the fourth quarter.
LSU’s best chance came after the first Vandy punt trailing 31-24 with 8:55 left. Zaylin Wood sacked Nussmeier on the first play. LSU had to punt the ball back three plays later and never threatened after that.
The takeaways
LSU: The Tigers struggled to run against a Vandy defense that came in ranked 16th nationally. LSU settled for too many field goals by Damian Ramos, who made kicks of 48, 42 and 23 yards. He missed a 52-yarder.
Vanderbilt: The Commodores not only are assured of extending the longest run in program history in the AP Top 25 to a sixth straight week, they will move up at least a spot. This is their second win over a ranked program this season.
Strike a Heisman pose
Pavia celebrated his third TD, a 21-yard run, by sticking his left arm out in the Heisman pose. Lea didn’t see that but said he sees Pavia as the best player in college football.
“You can’t watch him play and not realize what a game changer he is,” Lea said. “There are a lot of good players. There’s only a handful to me that can take a game over, and he’s one of those.”
No more fun trips to Music City?
LSU had the edge with plenty of purple filling the stands for what traditionally had been a fun trip to Music City. Vanderbilt just countered by cranking up the volume on the speakers, and Tigers’ fans started heading to the exits in the final minutes.
After the final second ticked off, Vanderbilt started the celebrating playing “Callin’ Baton Rouge” while safely protecting both goalposts.
Up next
LSU: Hosts No. 4 Texas A&M on Oct. 25.
Vanderbilt: Hosts No. 16 Missouri on Oct. 25.
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This story has been corrected to remove a reference to Vanderbilt never trailing. LSU led in the first half.
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