Vanderbilt defeated the Alabama Crimson Tide last Saturday, marking the program’s first win against a top-five team. Previously 0-60 against top-five teams and 0-10 against No. 1, the Commodores controlled the game from start to finish, scoring a touchdown on their opening drive and never surrendering the lead. They possessed the ball for over 42 minutes, went 12-for-18 on third downs and won the turnover battle two to nothing.
The top story of the season for Vanderbilt has been quarterback Diego Pavia, and this game was no different. Pavia played a near-perfect game, amassing 308 total yards and 2 touchdowns. Pavia came through when Vanderbilt needed him most, capped off by an 8-yard first-down rush that iced the game. When asked about Pavia’s performance, Lea had nothing but good things to say.
“I’m proud of him every day,” Lea said. “I’m happy for him to have played that way, but my pride in him has nothing to do with his performance — he’s a great teammate and a great leader for us. In the meeting room, he sits front and center every day, and when I talk to the team at the end of practice he kneels right in front of me and is laser-focused on what I have to say.”
Pavia’s primary target on Saturday was fellow New Mexico State transfer Eli Stowers. The tight end was quiet at the start of the season but has led the team in receptions in each of the last three games — accounting for nearly 46% (22-of-48) of Vanderbilt’s receptions over that span. Tim Beck and the rest of Vanderbilt’s offensive coaching staff opened up the playbook for Stowers against Alabama, lining him up out wide, in the slot and even in the backfield. Stowers’ versatility highlights the Commodore’s unconventional offensive scheme this year, which is constantly evolving and unpredictable.
“One of the things that’s been most impressive to me [about Stowers] is that he’s been very good at the point of attack,” Lea said. “[He’s] working really hard to round out his game at tight end, but I can’t say enough about his playmaking ability and how Tim [Beck] uses him in different positions to unlock that. He’s got such a diverse skill set, so we’re glad to have him and expect more as we move forward.”
Lea was adamant that his team must remain focused on the task ahead if they want to make the most of last week’s victory. He emphasized the importance of preparing with intentionality because Vanderbilt — now in the national spotlight — is not going to sneak up on anybody anymore.
Lea also acknowledged Kentucky’s edge coming off of a bye week but he’s determined to catch up to the Wildcats in preparation so that his team is ready to compete come kickoff.
“I expect [Kentucky] to be very prepared,” Lea said. “The [bye] week will help [it]. We need to catch up to them, that’s been my message all week. We’ve got to work with urgency this week to make up the ground, and we’ll take every minute up until the nighttime kickoff to do that.”
The Wildcat’s defense has carried the load this year for them — ranking fifth in yards per game and ninth in touchdowns allowed across FBS teams. It held Georgia to 13 points earlier this year and allowed just 17 to Ole Miss in its last game. This will certainly represent Vanderbilt’s dynamic offense’s toughest test this season. When asked about this challenge, Lea recognized Ketucky’s potency on defense..
“They are sound, solid and simple in their scheme,” Lea said. “Their success on first and second down is what leads to their success on third down, and their third down defense is what makes them elite.”
However, Lea remained confident in the Commodores’ path to victory.
“The challenge we have is: How are we going to create favorable third downs?” Lea said. “We have our work cut out for us, but I also believe in our process and believe in our group. We’ll do the best we can and put the plan together that allows us to do that.”
The Commodores will hit the road this week as they face the Kentucky Wildcats at 6:45 p.m. CDT on Oct. 12 at Kroger Field.
