NASHVILLE, Tenn. – Graduate Diego Pavia saved his best performance to date for his final home game as a Commodore at FirstBank Stadium, as the quarterback set the school’s single-game passing yards record with 484 yards through the air to lead No. 14-ranked Vanderbilt in a 45-17 victory over Kentucky on Senior Day.
The Albuquerque, New Mexico, native’s 484 passing yards vs. Kentucky breaks Whit Taylor’s 44-year-old program record of 464 passing yards set at Tennessee during the 1981 season. Pavia also matched his school record for most passing touchdowns in a game with five, equaling his 5-touchdown performance vs. Utah State on Sept. 27. The quarterback posted a career-high 84.6 percent completion percentage, as he connected on 33-of-39 pass attempts. The quarterback also added a team-best 48 rushing yards and a score on the ground to give him six total touchdowns against the Wildcats.
Pavia continues to stay hot to close out the 2025 regular season. He has now thrown for 350-plus yards with four-or-more total touchdowns in each of his last three contests. Since the calendar rolled to November, the quarterback has thrown for 1,226 yards with 11 passing touchdowns with only one interception, while he has added 203 yards on the ground with three rushing touchdowns. His 14 total touchdowns are the most collected by an FBS player in November.
The 28–point victory over the Wildcats pushes Vanderbilt’s overall record to 9-2 and 5-2 in SEC play. It is the first time the program has won nine regular-season games since 1915, while it is the school’s first 9-win campaign since 2012.
The win marks the first undefeated season at home for the Commodores since 1982. Vandy also recorded its seventh win at home to set a school record for most home victories in a season.
No. 14-ranked Vanderbilt threw for a school-record 539 passing yards, as the Commodores collected 500-plus yards through the air in a game for the first time in program history. Vandy’s 539 passing yards are the most a Power 4 school has thrown in a single game this season, while it is the second-most at the FBS level.
The defense also shined against the Wildcats on Senior Day. Vanderbilt collected a season-high three interceptions, with two coming from junior Martell Hight, making him the first Dore since De’Rickey Wright vs. Hawai’i in 2023 to have multiple interceptions in a game. The Dores held an SEC opponent under 20 points for the third time this season, marking the first time since the 2016 campaign the Dores accomplished the feat.
No. 14 Vanderbilt concludes the 2025 regular season on Saturday, as the Commodores head east to take on in-state rival Tennessee. Kickoff against the Volunteers is set for 2:30 p.m. CT and will air live on ESPN.
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