Steve Roberts-Imagn Images
By Hunt Palmer
THE STORY
Clark Lea couldn’t have written a better script for his Commodores on Saturday.
Vanderbilt flexed every muscle that has revived that program over the last two seasons and beat LSU, 31-24, in front of a 50-50 crowd at First Bank Stadium.
The Commodores owned time of possession. They owned third downs. They mauled the Tigers on the ground and never gave LSU an inch in the form of game-changing turnover or significant self-inflicted wound. LSU, meanwhile, took a touchdown off the board with a false start by Donovan Green in the fourth quarter.
It was clinical, and LSU had no answer until it was too late.
The loss is devastating to LSU season, and the case can be made that it’s a shot at the program as a whole. A season with so much build up and anticipation is now on the brink before Halloween.
Garrett Nussmeier and the Tiger offense made some good things happen. They cracked 20 points for the first time against a power five team. Trey’Dez Green did his thing. Zavion Thomas made a highlight reel catch and run for a score. Harlem Berry showed flashes.
When LSU needed its offense on back-to-back possessions down seven in the fourth quarter, the Tigers accounted for minus-10 yards of offense and punted twice. LSU joins only North Carolina as teams yet to crack 25 points against the power five.
LSU’s defense didn’t show any resistance until the fourth quarter.
Vanderbilt rushed for 116 yards in the third quarter alone. LSU entered the game allowing 102 per game. When the dust settled, Vanderbilt had run for 239 yards on 5.3 yards per carry.
LSU returns home to take on Texas A&M in Tiger Stadium.
THE STATS
Vanderbilt out-gained LSU 399-325.
Vanderbilt won time of possession 36:33-23:27.
Vanderbilt out-rushed LSU 239-100.
Vanderbilt ran 67 plays to LSU’s 49.
Vanderbilt produced seven runs of 10-plus yards. LSU had one over 10.
Diego Pavia: 14-22 for 160, 1 TD, 0 INT
Garrett Nussmeier: 19-28, 225, 2 TD, 0 INT
Vanderbilt’s four touchdown drives were all nine or more plays and all over 57 yards. Three went 75 yards.
THE PLAYS
LSU took the opening kickoff and marched down for a field goal on a 12-play drive. Damian Ramos connected from 48 yards. 3-0 Tigers.
Tre Richardson returned the ensuing kickoff back to the Vanderbilt 43.
Pavia took off on 2nd and 15 from near the 20 and took the ball inside the one. Vanderbilt scored two plays later on a quarterback sneak. 7-3 Vanderbilt.
LSU answered with its first touchdown drive, marching 75 yards capped by a gorgeous screen design to Trey’Dez Green for a 25-yard catch and run for a score. 10-7 LSU.
Vanderbilt wasted no time answering. The Commodores drove it right down 75 yards themselves. It took fourth and goal from inside the one on the 14th play of the drive to do it. Sedrick Alexander plunged in over the top. 14-10 Vandy. 5:52 before the half.
LSU settled for a 52 yard field goal with just under three minutes to go in the first half, and Ramos missed wide right.
LSU’s defense finally got its first stop. Vanderbilt went for a fourth and one from its own 44. West Weeks came up with a sack of Pavia to give the Tiger offense the ball back with 1:43 left in the half.
LSU could only drive to the 25. They stalled there. Ramos connected from 42 to make it 14-13 Vanderbilt with 45 seconds left in the half.
Vanderbilt answered before the half. The Commodores quickly reached the LSU 28 yard line, and Brock Taylor made a 45 yard field goal to make it 17-13 at the half.
Vanderbilt got the second half kickoff and went right down the field for a touchdown. On third and goal from the one, Pavia found Cole Spence on a play action wide open in the end zone. 24-13 Vanderbilt.
LSU’s offense kept the Tigers in it. Nussmeier avoided a rush and flung the ball out to Zavion Thomas at the line of scrimmage. Thomas broke a tackle and bolted 62 yards for a touchdown. Nussmeier then found Green on a slant for a two-point conversion. 24-21 Vanderbilt with 6:52 left in the third.
Vanderbilt converted fourth and two to keep its next drive alive. Pavia was scrambling in the backfield to evade Jack Pyburn and found his back for a gain of nine.
Pavia scampered in from 21 yards out for another touchdown. DJ Pickett blitzed and didn’t get home. Pavia walked into the end zone. 31-21 Vanderbilt.
Caden Durham exploded for 51 yards down to the Vanderbilt two yard line. Donovan Green’s false start negated a touchdown pass to Zavion Thomas and backed LSU up to the six. A field goal try ensued. Ramos connected from 23 yards to make it 31-24 Vanderbilt with 11:39 left.
LSU’s defense got its second stop of the game midway through the fourth quarter. Thanks to a holding call that put Vanderbilt behind the chains, the Commodores punted back to LSU with 8:55 to play.
A sack and a holding, both due to the LSU tackles, made it 3rd and 26 for LSU. After a draw, LSU had to punt back to Vanderbilt under seven minutes to play.
LSU’s defense got the offense the ball back with another three and out. LSU ball at the 20 with 4:40 left.
Barion Brown couldn’t hold on to a third and eight pass. LSU had to punt back to Vanderbilt with 3:12 to go.
Makhilyn Young took the first play all the way down to the LSU 15 yard line, a gain of 43 yards.
Pavia slid down at the one yard line to get to the two minute warning. LSU was out of timeouts.
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