Vanderbilt Football was at a low point a year ago. The Commodores had fallen to Georgia State, 36-32, on the road in a stunning upset that left Vanderbilt fans and players scarred. The Commodores entered that 2024 game 2-0 after defeating Virginia Tech and Alcorn State in the first two weeks of the season, but it all came crashing down as the Commodores played a sloppy 60 minutes of football in Atlanta.
But Vanderbilt knew it would get its shot at redemption in 2025. Playing at home this time, it would have a chance to avenge its loss to the Panthers and send a statement that it can dominate lesser opponents.
Vanderbilt certainly made that statement this Saturday, taking down Georgia State, 70-21 — the most points scored by Vanderbilt since 1918. To give a reference point, Vanderbilt played just six games in 1918 and fielded a team of 13 players, largely thinned out by the Spanish Flu pandemic and World War I. That’s just how far in history you must go to find Vanderbilt scoring 70 points in a single game.
On Saturday, it was a full-blown thrashing in all three phases. The Commodores’ offense racked up 635 total yards of offense, compared to Georgia State’s 290, to improve to 4-0 on the season. Diego Pavia was a star once again, hitting 75% of his passes while throwing for 245 yards. Twelve different receivers caught balls while the Commodores scored eight rushing touchdowns.
People often say that revenge is a dish best served cold. Vanderbilt must agree with this adage, as it had to wait a full year to finally avenge its 2024 loss. The victory this week, though, certainly made the wait worthwhile.
Berry bliss
Vanderbilt scored eight touchdowns on the ground against Georgia State. It averaged 7.7 yards per carry and had 10 different players run the ball. The Commodores’ rush attack was simply too dominant for Georgia State’s defensive line and found some massive holes to break through.
Let’s start with Pavia, who led the team in rushing yards with 86. He tucked the ball nine times to earn an average of nearly 10 yards per attempt. Those are big numbers as the veteran quarterback easily found room on the edge and inside to pick up easy gains. When his receivers weren’t open, he effectively used his legs to grind out chunk yardage.
Pavia’s mobility declined as the 2024 season came to a close, but he seems perfectly healthy now. The New Mexico native has surprised opposing defenses with his speed and shiftiness all year. These traits were on full display as he scampered into the end zone to score Vanderbilt’s second touchdown of the evening.
Vanderbilt’s running back room certainly deserves its flowers, too. MK Young had another fantastic game after putting up big numbers against Virginia Tech two weeks ago. The New Mexico State transfer found a massive gap in the third quarter to burst through for a 60-yard touchdown run.
That level of explosivity is what Vanderbilt needed to find in the transfer portal this offseason. For a position group that lacked speed in 2024, Young has been one of Vanderbilt’s greatest additions to bolster the running back room.
Vanderbilt’s depth pieces in that room certainly played their role on Saturday as well. Hence the title of this section, AJ Newberry found the end zone twice. The junior hasn’t seen too much time on the field this year, so sparking him as a potential third running back — behind Sedrick Alexander and Young — is important. He poses a threat as both a pass-catcher and runner with a larger frame than Alexander and Young. He was utilized in short yardage situations this Saturday, and he took on that role extremely well. It was “Newberry” bliss on Saturday, as fans loved seeing a guy lower on the depth chart make big, meaningful plays.
Vanderbilt’s rushing attack is real. It certainly helps the stat sheet to have a mobile quarterback like Pavia rack up some yards, but Vanderbilt prides itself on being a ground-and-pound team with a gritty rushing attack.
“We want to be known for a physical run game,” Lea said postgame. “We want to throw to score and run to win. That’s what we say.”
Of course, Vanderbilt’s rushing attack is considerably better this year due to the improved offensive line which is opening some big holes on the line of scrimmage. Players like Jordan White, Chase Mitchell and Bryce Henderson have been instrumental in protecting Pavia and creating gaps for running backs. It is certainly an improved room from 2024.
Sunday spread
Vanderbilt’s offense was the star of the show, led by Pavia who went 18-for-24 with 245 passing yards. The seasoned veteran looked in control and calm in the pocket, executing on easy throws for solid gains. By Vanderbilt’s second drive in the third quarter, though, Pavia was out of the game, paving the way for several of Vanderbilt’s backup quarterbacks to get valuable experience. Blaze Berlowitz, Drew Dickey and Whit Muschamp each got their fair share of reps to build confidence if they’re needed later this year. Dickey and Berlowitz were both able to rush for a touchdown to extend the lead late in the game.
If Pavia goes down at any point this year, fans and coaches have a much better idea of who to turn to for minutes. Berlowitz is clearly holding the second-string job, but it was interesting to see who might be leading the Commodores in the coming years, after Pavia’s days on West End.
Not only did fans see several quarterbacks against Georgia State, they saw 12 receivers catch balls throughout the night. Tight end Eli Stowers once again led the team in receiving yards, hauling in 73 on 5 catches, while wide receiver Junior Sherrill went for 55 yards. Six Vanderbilt receivers had more than 25 receiving yards, proving the depth of this position room.
“[It’s] a deep team and a team that has a bunch of weapons,” Lea said after the game. “It’s also an unselfish team — these guys have to allow for performance in their teammates.”
It was a true Sunday spread for Vanderbilt’s quarterbacks who had their fair share of options downfield. Even players like Joseph McVay and Tristen Brown, two individuals lower on the depth chart, were able to get in on the action and make plays.
The depth on the roster is something Vanderbilt fans haven’t seen in years. Any player in Vanderbilt’s receiving core can make an impact, leaving Pavia and others the opportunity to slice up an opposing defense with many knives.
Drive-thru closed
For the third-straight week, I must give credit to Vanderbilt’s defensive line. They put up another solid performance that left Georgia State searching for answers offensively. Particularly, the Commodores’ ability to stop the run proved valuable once again — a theme which has emerged through all four games this season.
Georgia State rushed for just 32 yards on 20 attempts to average a measly 1.6 yards per carry. Vanderbilt shut down the Panthers’ running (or drive-thru) lanes, forcing them to rely on quarterbacks TJ Finley and Cameran Brown to make plays with their arms.
The Panthers, led by running back Rashad Amos, ran the ball somewhat effectively in their first two drives but couldn’t sustain that success. Georgia State racked up 33 rushing yards in the first quarter before going for -1 yards in the final three quarters. Vanderbilt defensive coordinator Steve Gregory once again made the proper adjustments early in the game to stop any momentum the opposing offense once had.
It was even more impressive that Vanderbilt held Georgia State to negative rushing yards when a majority of its backup were in the game in the second half. Players like Aaron Bryant and Mason Carter racked up tackles to earn valuable minutes.
The Commodores also forced a fumble on the perimeter and sacked the quarterback on three occasions. Granted, too many defensive penalties (7 for 68 yards) were a disappointment, especially considering there were three illegal substitutions and two face mask calls. But Lea even harped on the need to clean those up in his postgame presser.
Overall, it was an extremely strong defensive showing from start to finish. The Commodores limited the Panthers to just 18 first downs, while fans and coaches got a glimpse into several key defensive depth pieces.
Vanderbilt has now won its first four games by at least 20 points; an accomplishment last achieved in 1930. As Vanderbilt draws nearer to the midway point of the season, it’s easy to pick up on the strengths of Vanderbilt’s team: the Commodores play hard-nosed, gritty football for a full four quarters.
The environment at FirstBank Stadium helped propel Vanderbilt to this level of performance, too. For the second-straight home game this season, the Commodores were playing in front of a sold-out crowd in Nashville. The fans were as loud as ever, and it seemed fitting for a now top-25 team in the AP Poll.
The Commodores return to action against Utah State on Sept. 27 at 11:45 a.m. CDT in FirstBank Stadium.
