NASHVILLE, Tenn. — Graduate quarterback Diego Pavia delivered a record-setting performance, junior wideout Junior Sherrill finished with a career-best three receiving touchdowns and No. 18/20 Vanderbilt football remained unbeaten, downing Utah State 55-35 at FirstBank Stadium on Saturday.
Pavia set career-high marks in passing touchdowns with five and completions with 26. He also threw for 321 total yards, his most as a Commodore and the second-highest total of his career. Pavia ties Johnny McCrary, Jay Cutler and Bill Wade at Vanderbilt for the most passing touchdowns in a game and moves to No. 6 on the all-time passing touchdowns list with 33. His second quarter touchdown run made Saturday the seventh time in his Vandy career the quarterback finished a game with both a rushing and passing score. In total, Pavia finished with exactly 400 total yards of offense, the most since Kyle Shurmur generated 405 against Tennessee in 2016. Sherrill’s three touchdowns, all of which came in the first half, mark the most receiving scores in a half for a Commodore since Earl Bennett caught four in the second half against Kentucky in 2005. In total, Sherrill finished with six catches for 91 yards, both of which are also career highs.
The Commodores move to 5-0, matching 2008’s 5-0 start. Vanderbilt’s eighth-ranked scoring offense has scored 50 or more points in consecutive games for the first time since 1915. The black and gold have manufactured 40 points or more in four games so far, the first time doing so in a season since 2012. With 245 points scored, Vanderbilt is ninth all-time in total points by an SEC team through its first five games.
Utah State (3-2) struck first with an 18-yard throw and catch from Bryson Barnes to Miles Davis. Vanderbilt (5-0) responded on its next drive as Pavia found Sherrill from 21 yards out, evening the score at 7-7 to close the first quarter. The Commodores proceeded to score on their next seven drives in the game, capped off by Pavia’s record-tying fifth passing touchdown on a 53-yard strike to graduate Richie Hoskins. The play gave Vandy a 48-21 lead with 1:19 remaining in the third. Junior Makhilyn Young notched the last Commodore score on a 15-yard scamper with 5:21 left in game; he now has four rushing touchdowns for Vanderbilt this season. Junior kicker Brock Taylor drilled two field goals in the contest, extending his current streak to 16 field goals made. He entered Saturday tied for the fourth-longest active streak of consecutive field goals made across FBS kickers.
The Commodore defense again used a lockdown second half to close out the game, allowing just 14 points to the Aggies across the final 30 minutes. Graduate Kolbey Taylor’s fumble recovery to start the fourth quarter is the seventh-straight game Vandy has forced a turnover. Graduate Marlen Sewell led the black and gold with a season-high seven tackles, his most since totaling nine against Kentucky in 2023. Three separate Commodores – Graduate Miles Capers, Graduate Khordae Sydnor and Senior Linus Zunk – recorded multiple tackles for a loss; as a team, the Dores totaled eight throughout the contest. Vandy owns a 120-29 point advantage in the second half through five games.
Vanderbilt will travel to Tuscaloosa next Saturday eyeing a second straight win against No. 17/16 Alabama. The game is set for a 2:30 p.m. kickoff from Bryant-Denny Stadium with coverage on ABC or ESPN.
For more information and exclusive content on the Vanderbilt football team, follow @VandyFootball on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter/X.
