Auburn Tigers at Vanderbilt Commodores

Diego Pavia throws TD pass in OT and No. 15 Vanderbilt holds off Auburn 45-38

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.