November 1, 2025 – Vanderbilt mounted a furious fourth-quarter rally but came up just short, falling 34-31 to Texas at Darrell K Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium. The Commodores trailed 34-10 entering the final period before exploding for 21 unanswered points in front of 102,338 fans.
Pavia Leads Fourth Quarter Surge
| Quarterback | Comp-Att | Yards | TD | INT | Sacks |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Diego Pavia (VAN) | 27-38 | 365 | 3 | 0 | 6 |
| Arch Manning (TEX) | 25-33 | 328 | 3 | 0 | 0 |
Diego Pavia threw for 365 yards and three touchdowns despite absorbing six sacks from the relentless Texas pass rush. The Vanderbilt quarterback also rushed for 43 yards and a touchdown, accounting for all four Commodore scores. Pavia orchestrated three fourth-quarter scoring drives, including a spectacular 67-yard touchdown strike to Eli Stowers with 3:54 remaining that cut the deficit to 34-24. His eight-yard touchdown pass to Richie Hoskins with 33 seconds left brought Vanderbilt within three points, but Texas recovered the onside kick to seal the victory.
Stowers Dominates Receiving Corps
Eli Stowers emerged as Pavia’s favorite target, hauling in seven receptions for 146 yards and two touchdowns. His 67-yard scoring catch in the fourth quarter sparked Vanderbilt’s comeback attempt. Junior Sherrill added five catches for 83 yards, while Hoskins contributed five receptions for 54 yards and the game’s final touchdown.
Running Game Struggles
| Running Back | Carries | Net Yards | TD | Long | Average |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sedrick Alexander (VAN) | 5 | 11 | 0 | 5 | 2.2 |
| Makhilyn Young (VAN) | 4 | 7 | 0 | 6 | 1.8 |
| Quintrevion Wisner (TEX) | 18 | 75 | 1 | 13 | 4.2 |
| CJ Baxter (TEX) | 7 | 22 | 0 | 7 | 3.1 |
Vanderbilt’s ground game struggled throughout, managing just 58 net rushing yards on 24 attempts. The Texas defensive front consistently penetrated the backfield, limiting Alexander and Young to minimal gains. The Commodores’ rushing woes forced them into obvious passing situations, allowing the Longhorns to tee off on Pavia.
Too Little, Too Late
Vanderbilt’s offense sputtered through the first three quarters, managing just 10 points while falling behind 34-10. A first-quarter fumble by Pavia set up a Texas field goal, and the Commodores struggled to establish rhythm against the aggressive Longhorn defense. The fourth quarter explosion came too late, with Vanderbilt outgaining Texas 238-40 in the final period but running out of time to complete the comeback.
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