Diego Pavia ran for two touchdowns and passed for one to help No. 17 Vanderbilt defeat No. 10 LSU 31-24 on Saturday in Southeastern Conference play at Nashville, Tenn.
Pavia passed for 160 yards and rushed for 86, and the Commodores (6-1, 2-1 SEC) scored on five of their first six possessions and their defense kept the Tigers (5-2, 2-2) at bay in the fourth quarter.
Garrett Nussmeier passed for 225 yards and two touchdowns for LSU.
Vanderbilt received the second-half kickoff and drove to Pavia’s 1-yard touchdown pass to Cole Spence, which increased the lead to 24-13.
LSU answered with a 92-yard drive that ended with a 62-yard touchdown pass from Nussmeier to Zavion Thomas and a two-point conversion pass that pulled the Tigers within three points.
Pavia scrambled 21 yards for a touchdown that increased the Commodores’ lead to 31-21 at the end of the third quarter.
Caden Durham broke a 51-yard run that helped LSU reach the Vanderbilt 1, but the drive stalled and Damian Ramos kicked a 23-yard field goal, leaving the Commodores with a 31-24 lead with 11:39 remaining.
The Tigers got the ball two more times, but had to punt both times. Vanderbilt got the ball back with 3:12 left, Makhilyn Young broke free on a 43-yard run and the Commodores ran out the clock.
LSU received the opening kickoff and drove to a 48-yard field goal by Ramos. On the ensuing possession Pavia’s 20-yard run set up his 1-yard touchdown run that gave Vanderbilt a 7-3 lead at the end of the first quarter.
On the first play of the second quarter, Nussmeier threw a 24-yard touchdown pass to Trey’Dez Green, but the Commodores answered with a 1-yard touchdown run by Sedrick Alexander on fourth-and-goal to give the Commodores a 14-10 lead with 5:52 left.
The Tigers had the first scoreless possession when Ramos’ 52-yard field-goal attempt was short and wide right.
Vanderbilt went for fourth-and-1 from its own 44, and Pavia was sacked at the 38. Ramos’ 42-yard field goal pulled LSU within a point, but Brock Taylor answered with a 46-yarder that gave the Commodores a 17-13 halftime lead.
