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VANDY |
AUBURN |
Diego Pavia, Vanderbilt vie to fluster Auburn
Vanderbilt will make a second attempt to become bowl eligible on Saturday afternoon when it visits Auburn.
The Commodores (5-3, 2-2 Southeastern Conference) saw their three-game winning streak snapped in a 27-24 defeat against then-No. 5 Texas last Saturday.
Auburn (3-5, 1-4), in turn, halted a four-game losing streak with a 24-10 win at Kentucky on Saturday.
The Tigers recorded a 31-16 victory over the Commodores last season in Nashville in large part due to Jarquez Hunter, who rushed for 183 yards and two touchdowns.
But the game at the forefront of this week's conversation is Auburn's 2023 contest with New Mexico State that came two weeks later.
In that game, Diego Pavia -- who is now Vanderbilt's quarterback -- completed 19 of 28 passes for 201 yards and three touchdowns and added eight carries for 35 yards. Tight end Eli Stowers had four receptions for 48 yards and a score in a 31-10 win for the Aggies.
Those two are now starring for the Commodores, whose coach, Clark Lea, designed his 2024 offensive strategy around the players. Joining Lea in Nashville are the same coach (Jerry Kill, now an offensive analyst) and offensive coordinator (Tim Beck), who engineered last year's upset.
"I'm sick of seeing that quarterback. I've had enough of him," Auburn coach Hugh Freeze said jokingly when referring to Pavia on Monday. "He moves and makes plays and is savvy and is smart and tough and again makes everybody do their assignment on every single play or you get burned."
That's a potential nightmare for Auburn, which ranks 125th nationally in turnover margin (minus-9).
Still, the Tigers' defense has overcome much of that, allowing an average of 19.5 points per game (26th nationally).
"Defensively, they're fast and physical and they cover you up," Lea said. "Their forced incompletion rate is among the best in the country. It's a group that plays with an identity, plays with an edge. Space will be hard to come by. We've got to create it."
--Field Level Media
Copyright 2024 STATS LLC and Associated Press. Any commercial use or distribution without the express written consent of STATS LLC and Associated Press is strictly prohibited.
Team Stats | ||
---|---|---|
1st Downs | 0 | 1 |
Rushing | 0 | 1 |
Passing | 0 | 0 |
Penalty | 0 | 0 |
3rd Down Conv | 0-1 | 0-1 |
4th Down Conv | 0-0 | 0-0 |
Total Net Yards | 4 | 20 |
Total Plays | 3 | 4 |
Avg Gain | 1.3 | 5.0 |
Net Yards Rushing | 4 | 14 |
Rush Attempts | 2 | 2 |
Avg Rush Yards | 2.0 | 7.0 |
Yards Passing | 0 | 6 |
Comp. - Att. | 0-1 | 1-2 |
Yards Per Pass | 0.0 | 3.0 |
Penalties - Yards | 0-0 | 0-0 |
Touchdowns | 0 | 0 |
Rushing TDs | 0 | 0 |
Passing TDs | 0 | 0 |
Other | 0 | 0 |
Turnovers | 0 | 0 |
Fumbles - Lost | 0-0 | 0-0 |
Int. Thrown | 0 | 0 |
Punts - Avg | 1-50.0 | 1-39.0 |
Return Yards | 0 | 0 |
Punts - Returns | 0-0 | 0-0 |
Kickoffs - Returns | 0-0 | 0-0 |
Int. - Returns | 0-0 | 0-0 |
Safeties | 0 | 0 |
|
Passing | CP/ATT | YDS | TD | INT |
D. PaviaÂ
2 QB
|
D. Pavia | 0/1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Rushing | ATT | YDS | TD | LG |
S. AlexanderÂ
28 RB
|
S. Alexander | 1 | 4 | 0 | 4 | ||||||||||||||||||||
D. PaviaÂ
2 QB
|
D. Pavia | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Receiving | TAR | REC | YDS | TD | LG |
E. StowersÂ
9 TE
|
E. Stowers | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Defense | T-A | SACK | INT |
Kicking | FG | LG | XP | PTS |
Punting | NO | AVG | IN20 | LG |
J. MircoÂ
29 P
|
J. Mirco | 1 | 50.0 | 0 | 50 |
Kickoff Returns | NO | AVG | LG | TD |
Punt Returns | NO | AVG | LG | TD |
Passing | CP/ATT | YDS | TD | INT |
P. ThorneÂ
1 QB
|
P. Thorne | 1/2 | 6 | 0 | 0 |
Rushing | ATT | YDS | TD | LG |
Receiving | TAR | REC | YDS | TD | LG |
M. SimmonsÂ
11 WR
|
M. Simmons | 1 | 1 | 6 | 0 | 6 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
K. Lambert-SmithÂ
5 WR
|
K. Lambert-Smith | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Defense | T-A | SACK | INT |
Kicking | FG | LG | XP | PTS |
Punting | NO | AVG | IN20 | LG |
O. ChapmanÂ
91 P
|
O. Chapman | 1 | 39.0 | 1 | 39 |
Kickoff Returns | NO | AVG | LG | TD |
Punt Returns | NO | AVG | LG | TD |
1st | POSS | PLAYS | YDS | RESULT | |
13:00 | VANDY 16 | 1:32 | 3 | 4 | Punt |
1st | POSS | PLAYS | YDS | RESULT | |
15:00 | AUBURN 25 | 2:00 | 4 | 20 | Punt |
 - Punt (3 plays, 4 yards, 1:32 poss)
Result | Play |
---|---|
Punt | 4 & 6 - VANDY 20 (11:35 - 1st) J.Mirco punts 50 yards to AUB 30 Center-VAN. Downed by L.Fouonji. |
No Gain | 3 & 6 - VANDY 20 (11:40 - 1st) D.Pavia steps back to pass. Pass incomplete intended for E.Stowers. |
No Gain | 2 & 6 - VANDY 20 (12:24 - 1st) D.Pavia rushed for 0 yards. Tackled by K.Faulk at VAN 20. |
+4 YD | 1 & 10 - VANDY 16 (13:00 - 1st) S.Alexander rushed for 4 yards. Tackled by S.Smith at VAN 20. |
 - Punt (4 plays, 20 yards, 2:00 poss)
Result | Play |
---|---|
Punt | 4 & 5 - AUBURN 45 (13:08 - 1st) O.Chapman punts 39 yards to VAN 16 Center-R.Hughes. Fair catch by M.Hight. |
-1 YD | 3 & 4 - AUBURN 46 (13:54 - 1st) J.Cobb rushed for -1 yards. Tackled by M.Hight at AUB 45. |
+6 YD | 2 & 10 - AUBURN 40 (14:18 - 1st) P.Thorne pass complete. Catch made by M.Simmons for 6 yards. Tackled by D.Wright at AUB 46. |
No Gain | 1 & 10 - AUBURN 40 (14:27 - 1st) P.Thorne steps back to pass. Pass incomplete intended for K.Lambert-Smith. |
+15 YD | 1 & 10 - AUBURN 25 (15:00 - 1st) J.Hunter rushed for 15 yards. Tackled by C.Taylor at AUB 40. |
Kickoff | (15:00 - 1st) B.Taylor kicks 65 yards from VAN 35 to the AUB End Zone. Touchback. |