Nashville, TN – A last minute change to our game originally scheduled landed us in one of the best games possible this past weekend. No. 17 Vanderbilt (6-1, 2-1) defeated No. 10 LSU ((5-2, 2-2) for the first time since 1990, 31-24. Our plans for No. 16 Missouri at Auburn fell through. Logistics became more difficult for the 6:45 pm CT kickoff. What to do instead? Well, this game just happened to be kicking off at 11 am CT Saturday within about a 30-minute drive. Couldn’t beat it as about more than half the sell-out crowd garbed in LSU purple and gold agreed with us. And why not? The Tigers had beaten these Commodores in ten meetings since that loss 35 years ago.
The fans from Baton Rouge felt some confidence bestowed when the Tigers started the scoring for the day. Damian Ramos’s 48-yard field goal put them ahead, 3-0. However, the Dore’s came back with a quick response. Tre Richardson returned the ensuing kick for 43 yards out to the VU 43. QB Diego Pavia broke loose for 24 yards to the LSU one. With 3:38 to play in the first, he took it over on a one-yard plunge. LSU got right back to work, however.
Louisiana Lightning and Anchor Down!
On the first play of the second, Tiger QB Garrett Nussmeier connected with TE Trey’Dez Green in the right flat on a swing pattern to run the ball in for a 24-yard score to go back up, 10-7. Pavia and the Dores would not settle on falling behind. Starting from the 25, Vanderbilt pieced together a 14-play drive. Highlighted by a 21-yard pass, TE Cole Spence advanced to the LSU four. Sedric Alexander dove for another one-yard plunge to retake the lead for the Dores, 14-10.
The VU kickoff went out of bounds to start LSU from its 35. However, Ramos’s 53-yard attempt went just wide. Next, Vanderbilt started from the 35 with 2:33 left in the first half. With a fourth and one from their 44, HC Clark Lea made the decision to go for the first. LSU LB West Weeks foiled that plan with a sack. The Tigers took over at the 36. The Vanderbilt defense halted the drive on their 25. Ramos put up a 42-yarder to get within one point with 45 seconds still to be played before halftime.
Building Heisman and NFL resume
Tre Richardson returned the kickoff to the 22. Pavia didn’t settle, nor flinch. A 25-yard completion, a 16-yard completion and a nine-yard run took the Commodores to the LSU 28. With :02 left in the second, Brock Taylor made good or a 45-yard field goal. The Dore’s would get the ball to start the second half. Now they led, 17-13 because Pavia demonstrated how to move his offense down the field. He runs misdirection plays magnificently. He rolls out one way and counters to the opposite. Pavia finds a wide-open receiver he’s helped to shake loose. Otherwise, he finds a hole and room to run for good yardage with his speed. Fun to watch!
Vanderbilt wastes no time to start second half
After a touchback, the Commodores started from their 25. A ten-play drive keyed by Makhilyn Young’s 28-yard burst put VU on the LSU one. Again, over the course, misdirection plays kept the Tigers guessing and chasing. At the one, Pavia connected with TE Cole Spence (five snags for 56 yards and a TD) who had a big day, to widen their lead, 24-13. The Tigers came in ranked fifth in the nation on defense allowing only 11.8 points per game.
The ensuing Tiger drive ended quickly after only five plays. A holding call on the return set them up at their eight. Nussmeier led his team out to the 38. On a second and ten, he connected with Zavion Thomas on a short pass along the left sideline. He ducked; broke tackles wove and raced down along the sideline with Commodore defenders trailing him on a 62-yard sprint into the end zone. This game wasn’t over with 6:32 left in the third. LSU converted a two-point pass play from Nussmeier to Green to close the gap, 24-21.
On the next Vanderbilt possession, Pavia mixed passes and running plays well. Young carried several times and caught a key pass to get the Doré’s to the LSU 21. Again, rolling right and then circling back to his left, Pavia found a whole and raced the final 21 yards to put Vanderbilt up, 31-21. Only 27 seconds remained in the third.
LSU threatens, VU stands firm
In the fourth, on third and six at the Vanderbilt 47, Caden Durham bolted down to the Commodore two-yard line. Durham tried to crack the end zone. Vanderbilt stopped him at the one. An offside penalty set the Tigers back five. Ju’Juan Johnson got tackled for a loss of one. Nussmeier’s pass on third fell incomplete. In comes Ramos to close the score with his 23-yard field goal with 11:39 to play. Vanderbilt leads, 31-24.
Defense! Defense!
LSU forced a VU punt after a three-and-out. With the Tigers on their 30, a sack by DL Zaylin Wood dropped Nussmeier to a second and 20. LSU punted from their 18. Pavia and his offense took over on their 42. The results of the next two possessions by both squads ended in punts after three-and-outs. With 3:12 left, Vanderbilt had possession on their 42.
Big play and Heads Up for Vanderbilt
A game-sealing play came next with Young running for 43 yards to the LSU Tiger 15. On third and seven on the 12, Pavia raced toward the open-end zone only to abruptly slide into the end zone to put the ball at the one. Heads up play by the Heisman candidate. The two-minute time out took place. With LSU using up its time-outs, Vanderbilt went into the “Victory formation” to run out the clock and eventually start the celebration. The speakers at FirstBank Stadium burst out with the Country hit, “Send my Love down to Baton Rouge” by Garth Brooks. Very appropriate after 35 years waiting to beat the LSU Tigers – especially in a big, unexpected game like this! So big, Vanderbilt jumped to No. 10; LSU fell to No. 20.
As for WEEK Nine!
Vanderbilt hosts another big opponent this Saturday when No. 15 Missouri (6-1, 2-1) comes calling on Nashville. And with this one comes ESPN “Game Day!” LSU heads on back down to Baton Rouge for another big battle as well. No. 3 Texas A&M (7-0, 4-0) calls down on the Bayou. As for Collegefootballfan.com, we already made plans to see another Top Ten team play. Also, not far away but in the FCS, however. We travel about an hour east to Cookeville, Tennessee to see No. 8 Tennessee Tech (7-0, 4-0) play in Tucker Stadium for our first visit (stadium # 201 for us). They will host Southeast Missouri State (3-4, 2-1) in a Big South-OVC game. We hold out some hope to possibly see the Golden Eagles host an FCS play-off game in the post season as well.
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