Live Blog: No. 16 Vanderbilt Football vs. Auburn

Can Diego Pavia go three-for-three?

The Vanderbilt quarterback has plenty of history playing against Auburn going all the way back to his days at New Mexico State. Pavia introduced himself to the college football world as the quarterback of the Aggies in 2023 as he went into Auburn and pulled off a November stunner in what was supposed to be Auburn’s “cupcake” game.

Then, Pavia did it again a year ago in his first season as a Commodore. Vanderbilt went into Jordan-Hare and got a 17-7 win. Now in 2025, Pavia hopes to go a perfect 3-0 against Auburn in his college career. Only this time, he is facing Auburn without former head coach Hugh Freeze.

Auburn fired Freeze six days ago after his Tigers lost to Kentucky 10-3. It was yet another loss for Auburn after its offense struggled to create anything on the ground or through the air. With interim DJ Durkin, who has been the defensive coordinator this season.

Auburn still has hopes to play in a bowl game despite its disappointing season thus far. The Tigers will need to go 3-1 to finish the season to earn a postseason spot. But they also have the opportunity to spoil Vanderbilt’s playoff hopes.

A week ago, Vanderbilt started its game at Texas in perhaps the worst way imaginable, giving up a touchdown on the first play and then turning the ball over on its first offensive possession. The Commodores did make it tight late in the game after the game came down to an unsuccessful onside kick, but the 34-31 score was not indicative of the game.

Vanderbilt left Austin with a sour taste in its mouth, and today it hopes to get back in the win column and extend its hopes of making the College Football Playoff another week.

Follow the live blog here for live updates from tonight’s Vanderbilt-Auburn game.

Live Blog

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Overtime

Vanderbilt's defense gets a game-winning stop when it mattered the most as Vanderbilt comes out on top 45-38 in a very entertaining game.

4th and 7 for Auburn on the 12-yard line. This is the game right here.

Oh wow what a fake handoff there from Pavia. He took the ball on a fake handoff and found Cole Spence wide open in the end zone for a touchdown. 45-38 Vanderbilt. Now Auburn gets the ball.

Pavia completes a pass to Sherrill for a first and goal at the 4.

Auburn wins the toss and defers. Vanderbilt to start with the ball in OT.

4th Quarter

Auburn misses on a hail mary attempt and sends this game to overtime. Extra football here in Nashville. What a night this has been.

Ashton Daniels incompletes a pass, but Randon Fontenette is called for pass interference.

Vanderbilt goes for it on fourth down, and Pavia stumbles while trying to turn a corner. Auburn takes over on its own 26-yard line with 1:06 to go. Brutal result on the gamble.

Vanderbilt converts on third down and draws a facemask penalty on Auburn. Vanderbilt's got it on the Auburn 34-yard line.

Two-minute timeout here in Nashville with a critical third down coming up for Vanderbilt. Commodores have it 3rd and 3 on its own 45.

Both Auburn and Vanderbilt fans chanting "Let's go Auburn" and "VU." What a game this is. Vanderbilt has it 2nd and 1 on its own 47.

Eli Stowers is down on the ground with an injury after taking a hit, but he got up and walked off the field under his own power.

Cam Coleman just made an incredible touchdown grab for Auburn and then made another one on the 2-point conversion. Just a ridiculous effort there for Coleman. This game is tied at 38 with 5:27 to go.

Pavia pitches it out to Sedrick Alexander on third and goal, and Alexander takes it to the end zone for six. 38-30 Vanderbilt with 7:57 to go. The offense has been elite in the second half. Quite the turnaround from the first two quarters.

A huge sack on third down for the Vanderbilt defense give it the ball back with 12 minutes to go. A touchdown here certainly helps a lot in a tight game like this.

Diego Pavia runs it in for a touchdown as Vanderbilt retakes the lead 31-30 early in the quarter. My goodness. Now it is up to which defense can make a stop first it seems. It'll probably take more than 31 to win this game.

3rd Quarter

Vanderbilt is driving as the third quarter comes to a close. Vanderbilt has it 1st and 10 on the Auburn 14-yard line. This could turn out to be a shootout.

Ashton Daniels gets the edge and rounds the corner for a touchdown run. 30-24 Auburn with 1:11 left in the third quarter. The crowd believes the refs missed a holding call on Auburn, and the fans may have a good case. Tough break for Vanderbilt there.

Quick three-and-out for Vanderbilt there, and it was not the best punt either. Auburn get it back on its own 35-yard line.

Vanderbilt forces another defensive stop. The momentum of this game has certainly shifted to Vanderbilt's side. You can feel it in the stadium.

There had to have been some blown coverage on Auburn, becauser Tre Richardson was all alone on the 30-yard line and he walked into the end zone for a touchdown. Vanderbilt has its first lead of the game at 24-23 Commodores. What a play right there.

A great third down stop for Vanderbilt at the 20-yard line to hold Auburn to a field goal. It is 23-17 Auburn. Vanderbilt's defense held up when it needed to, so the game stays a one-possession game.

And here we go: Sedrick Alexander runs it from four yards out for a touchdown. All of the sudden it is 20-17 Auburn. A terrific drive from the Commodores' offense. Vanderbilt seems to have woken up from its first half struggle.

Great start for Vanderbilt out of the half. Vanderbilt forces a three-and-out for Auburn as the Commodores receive the punt at its own 28-yard line.

2nd Quarter

Auburn goes down the field and hits a 47-yard field goal to go into the half up 20-10 Auburn. Just not a good half at all from Vanderbilt defensively. It'll need to play much better half after to win this game.

What a response from Vanderbilt there. Pavia throws a pass down the sideline to Tre Richardson and then a touchdown to Sherrill. 17-10 Auburn. We got a ball game here, folks.

Vanderbilt holds Auburn to a field goal. 17-3 Auburn with 1:52 before half. Vanderbilt needs a score going into the locker room to feel good about themselves.

Two-minute timeout, Auburn has it 3rd and goal on the 8-yard line. Vanderbilt needs to hold the Tigers to a field goal or this could get ugly.

Costly mistake for Vanderbilt as MK Young fumbled in Auburn territory. Auburn now driving on the Vanderbilt 25-yard line.

Ashton Daniels runs it in for another Auburn touchdown. Auburn has never looked this good offensively all season. 14-3 Auburn. This is very concerning for Vanderbilt.

I'm not sure what the playcalling was there with a quarterback draw on 3rd and goal from 6. No pass attempts inside the 10 for Vanderbilt as Brock Taylor hits a field goal. 7-3 Auburn.

1st Quarter

Vanderbilt is driving down the field as the first quarter ends. Commodores got it 2nd and goal on the 5-yard line.

Auburn's Ashton Daniels throws a touchdown for the first points of the game. 7-0 Auburn. Not a good start for Vanderbilt.

Three third down conversions for Auburn on this drive, including a 3rd and 19 conversion. Vanderbilt's defense is letting Auburn dink and dunk down the field right now. Auburn's got it 1st and 10 on the Vanderbilt 24-yard line.

Vanderbilt's first possession stalls out at midfield. Tre Richardson had a catch and run of 24 yards, but nothing else doing for the Commodores to start the game.

Pregame

Vanderbilt goes on offense first.

Vanderbilt and Auburn started jawing at each other during the coin toss. Not sure what caused it, but something was said that started an argument between both teams. There’s a flag on the field as well.

Driving to the stadium and walking in the stadium today, there were plenty of Auburn fans. I think there will be a bigger Auburn crowd than Missouri's and even LSU's crowds. Let's see what happens when the stands start to get filled in.

Weather Report

It is a fantastic day for football. Two hours before kickoff, it is sunny in Nashville with a kickoff temperature expected to be 69 degrees before dropping into the low 60s and high 50s by the end of the game. Should be a great day for football with no inclement weather in the forecast. Kickoff is scheudled for 3 p.m. CT.