 |
|
 |
||
|
 |
 |
|
|
|
|
|||
| Prairie View MFA Agri Services - CLICK - MFA CONNECT |
|
Printable Page
11/08 20:34 CST Diego Pavia throws TD pass in OT and No. 15 Vanderbilt holds
off Auburn 45-38
Diego Pavia throws TD pass in OT and No. 15 Vanderbilt holds off Auburn 45-38
By TERESA M. WALKER
AP Sports Writer
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) --- Diego Pavia threw a 4-yard pass to Cole Spence in
overtime, and No. 15 Vanderbilt rallied from a 10-point deficit to beat Auburn
45-38 on Saturday.
The win keeps hopes of a College Football Playoff berth alive for Vanderbilt
(8-2, 4-2 Southeastern Conference, No. 16 CFP). The Commodores had left
themselves with no room to spare after losing 34-31 at Texas last week.
"We're out of opportunities," Vanderbilt coach Clark Lea said of his message
before kickoff to the Commodores. "Everything's at stake, and the mission is
winning."
Auburn's Ashton Daniels tied it up at 38-all by throwing a 23-yard TD pass to
Cam Coleman before finding Coleman again for a 2-point conversion with 5:27
left. Daniels' pass into the end zone at the end of regulation was batted down.
In overtime, needing to match Pavia's TD, Daniels overthrew Coleman in the end
zone on fourth-and-7.
Pavia threw for a career-high 377 yards and three touchdowns, and he ran for
112 yards and another score. Pavia celebrated after the game by striking yet
another Heisman Trophy pose, this time with a fan.
"The guy took the game over," Lea said. "I've said it at this podium before,
but in our minds, he's the best player in the country. He found a way to win
the game for us tonight. ... Diego made it happen."
Tight end Eli Stowers had 12 catches for 122 yards, and Tre Richardson finished
with 124 yards on three receptions. Sedrick Alexander also ran for a pair of
TDs in the shootout as Vanderbilt allowed season highs in points and offensive
yards well before overtime.
Vanderbilt had a chance to try and win in regulation. Lea left the ball in
Pavia's hands on fourth-and-1 instead of trying a field goal, and Auburn
stopped Pavia for a 3-yard loss with 1:06 left.
Auburn (4-6, 1-6) hadn't beaten a ranked team on the road since Sept. 21, 2019,
and this was the Tigers' first game since coach Hugh Freeze was fired and
replaced by interim coach DJ Durkin. The Tigers had lost their first four games
against ranked opponents by just 29 points combined.
"These guys, every coach in the country is calling this team, trying to drag
them in the portal, going other directions. And those guys," Durkin said before
pausing briefly. "They stuck together for one another. So no moral victories.
No nothing. We're unhappy about it."
Daniels, starting his second straight game, gave Auburn the offensive spark it
had lacked much of this season. He threw for 353 yards and two TDs, and he ran
for 89 yards and two more scores.
The takeaway Auburn: The Tigers hadn't scored more than 17 points in five SEC games and were held to a season-low 3 points in last week's loss to Kentucky. They finished with a season-high 544 yards of offense. But they also were flagged 12 times for 91 yards. Vanderbilt: The Commodores hadn't allowed more than the 486 yards they gave up in their first loss this season at Alabama. They sacked Daniels twice but could not contain him. This defensive performance won't help impress AP Top 25 voters.
Place to be Lea has been trying to turn the renovated FirstBank Stadium into the place to be in Nashville on Saturdays, and Vanderbilt had its fifth sellout this season. Some serious star power was on hand. Actress, producer and author Reese Witherspoon, who grew up in Nashville, shook hands with Lea before the game.
Early advantage Durkin credited Vanderbilt with making an offensive change by going up-tempo like the Commodores did in trying to rally at Texas last week. He called that the difference in this game: "We didn't respond well."
Up next Auburn has an open date before hosting Mercer on Nov. 22. Vanderbilt also has an open date and hosts Kentucky on Nov. 22. ___ Get poll alerts and updates on the AP Top 25 throughout the season. Sign up here and here (AP News mobile app). AP college football: https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-college-football-poll and https://apnews.com/hub/college-football
The takeaway Auburn: The Tigers hadn't scored more than 17 points in five SEC games and were held to a season-low 3 points in last week's loss to Kentucky. They finished with a season-high 544 yards of offense. But they also were flagged 12 times for 91 yards. Vanderbilt: The Commodores hadn't allowed more than the 486 yards they gave up in their first loss this season at Alabama. They sacked Daniels twice but could not contain him. This defensive performance won't help impress AP Top 25 voters.
Place to be Lea has been trying to turn the renovated FirstBank Stadium into the place to be in Nashville on Saturdays, and Vanderbilt had its fifth sellout this season. Some serious star power was on hand. Actress, producer and author Reese Witherspoon, who grew up in Nashville, shook hands with Lea before the game.
Early advantage Durkin credited Vanderbilt with making an offensive change by going up-tempo like the Commodores did in trying to rally at Texas last week. He called that the difference in this game: "We didn't respond well."
Up next Auburn has an open date before hosting Mercer on Nov. 22. Vanderbilt also has an open date and hosts Kentucky on Nov. 22. ___ Get poll alerts and updates on the AP Top 25 throughout the season. Sign up here and here (AP News mobile app). AP college football: https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-college-football-poll and https://apnews.com/hub/college-football
