Vanderbilt Commodores

Live Blog: No. 18 Vanderbilt vs. Utah State

Follow along here as the Commodores face off against the Utah State Aggies.
Dylan Tovitz|
Vanderbilt quarterback Diego Pavia (2) warms up before a game against Utah State at FirstBank Stadium in Nashville, Tenn., Saturday, Sept. 27, 2025.
Vanderbilt quarterback Diego Pavia (2) warms up before a game against Utah State at FirstBank Stadium in Nashville, Tenn., Saturday, Sept. 27, 2025. | Andrew Nelles / The Tennessean / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

NASHVILLE, Tenn. – No. 18 Vanderbilt Football is looking to start the season 5-0 for the first time in 17 years on Saturday.  

Utah State comes to FirstBank Stadium seeking its third win in a row and a chance to test a surging SEC contender on its home turf. The Commodores are entering with swagger, confidence and a perfect record under head coach Clark Lea’s leadership. Vanderbilt has looked every bit the Top-25 team, racking up impressive wins against Virginia Tech and South Carolina. 

Most recently, Vanderbilt’s 70-21 rout of Georgia State vaulted them to 18th in the AP Top 25. With a win, Lea and his team would remain unbeaten and travel next week to Tuscaloosa, Alabama, for a showdown with the Crimson Tide that could captivate a national audience.  

If Vanderbilt is going to keep its momentum rolling, it can't afford to sleepwalk through the Aggies. The Utah State offense has the playmakers to exploit any lapses from defensive coordinator Steve Gregory’s unit. Former Vanderbilt defensive coordinator Nick Howell, now calling plays for the Aggies, will look to stifle quarterback Diego Pavia and the Commodore Offense.  Teams have been burned far too many times by overlooking opponents, and Lea will have to keep his team focused and poised if he wants to move to 5-0.  

This isn’t just another nonconference game for Vanderbilt. It’s a chance to prove it belongs in bigger conversations, move within one game of bowl eligibility and continue to show fans and supporters that their belief in this program is paying off. 

FOLLOW ALONG FOR UPDATES THROUGHOUT THE GAME ON THE VANDY ON SI LIVE BLOG: 

Live Blog

***latest updates at the top

Fourth Quarter

  • FINAL: Vanderbilt 55, Utah State 35. The Commodores move to 5-0 for the first time since 2008.
  • Vanderbilt defense has emptied the bench here in the 4th quarter with Prince Kollie, Jailen Ruth, Mason Carter and others entering the game for the first time. Quarterback Jacob Conover finds the running back Jacobs for a six-yard touchdown with 55 seconds remaining in the game. Vanderbilt 55, Utah State 35.
  • MK Young finds the end zone with the help of a nice seal block from Joseph McVay. Vanderbilt 55, Utah State 28.
  • Blaze Berlowitz enters the game for Pavia and hands the ball off to Jamezell Lassiter who sprints ahead for a 48-yard pickup. Lassiter continues to fight for more playing time through his explosive ability.
  • Martel Hight drops a pass, leading to a Vanderbilt punt with 9:30 to go in the game. Utah State running back Javen Jacobs then breaks away for a 58 yard run and Brady Boyd finds the end zone on the very next play to cut the deficit to 20. Vanderbilt 48, Utah State 28.
  • Conover has taken over for Bryson Barnes here with 14 minutes to play in the game. He completes his first pass for a short gain but Vanderbilt forces a punt around midfield.
  • Barnes scrambles for a first down but Bryce Cowan strips the ball out of his hand. Kolbey Taylor recovers it before Pavia gives the ball right back, throwing an interception on a deep ball to Richardson. Utah State takes back over at its own 20-yard line.

Third Quarter

  • Pavia to Hoskins. A strike up the seam goes for 53 yards and Hoskins breaks two tackles to walk into the end zone and put Vanderbilt up 27 points. Complete domination on the offensive side of the ball. Vanderbilt 48, Utah State 21.
  • Vanderbilt's defense is gaining some traction, forcing another three-and-out with three minutes to go in the 3rd quarter.
  • A pitch to Sedrick Alexander and slant to Richie Hoskins sets Vanderbilt up in the red zone. Pavia takes his first sack of the game on third down though, setting up Brock Taylor for a 31-yard field goal which he bangs through the uprights. Vanderbilt 41, Utah State 21.
  • Jordan Matthews with the big pass break-up on third down. A fake-punt pass from Utah State ends in a fumble short of the line to gain and the Commodores take over in excellent field position. This is one of the weirder special teams games I've ever seen.
  • Eli Stowers drops a pass but follows it up with two straight completions, with the latter ending in a touchdown. Simply surgical. Vanderbilt 38, Utah State 21.
  • Pavia is dealing. He breaks through a sack and runs for a first down to move the chains and push the ball into enemy territory.

Halftime Thoughts

  • In case you didn't realize, Diego Pavia is really good. The quarterback went 15-17 for 180 yards and 3 touchdowns in the first half and rushed for an additional 59 yards and a score. Don't take his play for granted.
  • Junior Sherrill looks to be breaking out today. He has 6 catches for 91 yards and 3 touchdowns in the half. Big time production from Vanderbilt's WR1. The offense in general looks pretty close to unstoppable.
  • The defense looks shaky...at best. Utah State's offense is good, but there's been little resistance on that side of the ball. Barnes has looked decisive in the pocket, finding holes in the Commodores' defense. Perhaps some more blitzing from Steve Gregory would change things in the second half.
  • Vanderbilt needs to be more disciplined. Between the defensive holding, roughing the passer, roughing the kicker and false start, there have been far too many penalties that have taken the ball out of Pavia's hands. Clark Lea has made it an emphasis all season, but it appears the Commodores still have work to do in the discipline department.

Second Quarter

  • The Vanderbilt offense isn't done yet. Pavia scrambles for a 33-yard gain to set up Taylor with a 46-yard field goal as time expires on an offense-heavy first half. Vanderbilt 31, Utah State 21.
  • A swing pass to the running back Jacobs goes for 24 yards and Barnes follows it up with an end zone fade to Braden Pegan. A strong two minute drive for the Aggies pushes it to a one-score game with 20 seconds to go in the first half. Vanderbilt 28, Utah State 21.
  • Utah State is driving with 43 seconds to go in the first half. Looks like the refs might have missed a tripping call on the last play that put the ball at the Vanderbilt 33-yard line.
  • The Pavia-to-Sherrill connection is working today. Three straight receptions for number zero ends in an 18-yard touchdown in the corner of the end zone. Its the Nashville native's third touchdown of the first half. Vanderbilt 28, Utah State 14.
  • Vanderbilt gets a stop on third down and will get the ball back with 1:55 remaining in the half.
  • Rock me mama like a Wagon Wheel! It appears the Darius Rucker hit might be catching on here at FirstBank Stadium. Fans sang the chorus after the song stopped playing for the second time this season.
  • Steve Gregory dials up the blitz on second down and Patterson and Capers get home. Utah State will face a 3rd & 23 after the two-minute warning. A big chance to get the ball back to Pavia and the offense before the first half ends.
  • An 18-yard strike up the seam to Sherrill gives the wideout his second touchdown of the day. Surgical drive from the Commodore offense which hasn't faced much resistance since the opening drive. Vanderbilt 21, Utah State 14.
  • Pavia just misses on a deep ball to Richardson. Looked like Richardson thought there was a safety over the top when there wasn't. Kind of play Vanderbilt has to hit on to keep Nick Howell's defense on its toes. A first down reception for Stowers and a Pavia scramble puts Vanderbilt in the red zone, however.
  • Mark Davis and Jordan Matthews start the drive at cornerback. Martel Hight has been noticeably absent on both sides of the ball, getting just a few plays of action. Perhaps this is some type of load management for the three-way player. Davis responds with a nice tackle for loss to set up third & 10, and an incomplete pass will force a punt.
  • Pavia keeps it on the zone read and dives into the end zone for a six yard score after a nice block from Brycen Coleman. Big response from Vanderbilt's offense. Can the defense show some resistance against Utah State's offense? Vanderbilt 14, Utah State 14.
  • Looking to respond to Barnes, Pavia finds Tre Richardson on a bubble screen which goes for a 30 yard gain. Another screen to Richardson to the far side of the field put Vanderbilt inside the red zone.
  • On third and four from the Vanderbilt 11-yard line, Barnes finds a wide open Josh Sterzer for a touchdown. This is not the same Commodore defense that fans have seen the first four weeks of the season. Utah State 14, Vanderbilt 7.
  • It's another chunk play for the Aggies as Barnes finds Broc Lane for a 25-yard pickup. Fans and the crowd wanted a holding call, but the refs disagreed. A Linus Zunk sack follows to set up second and long.
  • After the blocked punt chaos, Vanderbilt gets a stop on defense to force another punt. This time, Marlen Sewell gets called for roughing the kicker giving Utah State another first down. Some really indisciplined football from Vanderbilt so far have put it in a tough spot early in the 2nd quarter. Utah State is driving after two reckless penalties.

First Quarter

  • And here comes the Vanderbilt special teams. Confusion on the punt leads to a shanked kick and a ball that goes out the back of the end zone. However, defensive holding is called that gives Utah State a first down. Clark Lea is irate on the sidelines after an extremely chaotic play. Penalties killing the Commodores here early on.
  • Pressure from Bryan Longwell forces an incompletion on third down. Second three-and-out for the Vanderbilt defense on three drives.
  • Isaia Glass gets called for another penalty to back Vanderbilt up to second and long. But Pavia responds with a dart between defenders to Sherrill on a skinny post route, who walks into the end zone. Great ball by the Commodore signal caller. Vanderbilt 7, Utah State 7.
  • AJ Newberry — just into the game — pops a 16 yard run to put Vanderbilt on the Aggies 16 yard line.
  • Pavia beats the blitz on a slant to Richardson that goes for 11 yards. The Commodores are driving, though Utah State's defense is doing a good job stifling the run game.
  • Richardson responds with a big return out to Vanderbilt's 40-yard line.
  • Barnes throws a beautiful touch pass to running back Miles Davis on a wheel route over the head of Nick Rinaldi to find the endzone. The Commodores struggled to generate any defensive pressure after the roughing the passer call. Utah State 7, Vanderbilt 0.
  • Big tackle for loss from Randon Fontenette to set up third and long but the quarterback Barnes runs for a first down. The Aggies are inside the red zone.
  • Langston Patterson gets called for a roughing the passer penalty to put Utah State in on the Commodores side of the field. The crowd does not like the call one bit.
  • The Utah State defense responds with a three-and-out of its own after Pavia's pass to Eli Stowers fell to the ground.
  • Vanderbilt forces an early three-and-out on the first drive of the game. Miles Capers brought the pressure on third down to force a punt.
  • Marlon Jones is getting the start here at cornerback over Martel Hight. Perhaps that means we're going to see more of Hight on offense today.
  • Utah State won the toss and elected to get the ball first. It appears like they want to set a tone early here on offense.

Pregame

  • Utah State has won the toss and elected to receive. The Aggies will get the ball first as we get underway here at FirstBank Stadium.
  • Here come the Commodores taking the field led by Diego Pavia.
  • The crowd is slowly trickling in here at FirstBank stadium. The student section and adjacent sections sit a little under halfway filled here 10 minutes before kickoff.
  • Issa Ouattara is out here pregame with no helmet or pads. It looks like Vanderbilt will be without the defensive lineman today.
  • I walked through campus around 9:00 this morning and the sheer volume of Vanderbilt gear — from both students and local residents — stood out immediately. Most Vanderbilt fans would be sleeping at 9 a.m. in years past. Not this year, though.
  • Vanderbilt Football's Star Walk this morning featured Martel Hight in a Paw Patrol backpack and Sedrick Alexander and Jamezell Lassiter holding footballs.

Injury Updates

  • DL Yilanan Ouattara is listed as doubtful. Lea said Thursday that shoulder surgery could be a possibility down the line, but for now the team hopes rest and treatment will be enough to get him back on the field. Update: Ouattara will be inactive today.
  • LB Jameson Curtis — who blocked a punt and scored a touchdown against Georgia State — is listed as out.

How to Watch

Who: Vanderbilt (4-0, 1-0 SEC) vs. Utah State (3-1, 1-0 MWC) 

What: Week 5 of the college football season 

When: Saturday, Sept. 27, 11:45 a.m. 

Where: FirstBank Stadium in Nashville, TN 

TV: SEC Network 

Pregame Odds: Vanderbilt -23.5; O/U 58.5 

Weather Report

It’s a beautiful sunny morning here at FirstBank Stadium as Vanderbilt gets ready to take on Utah State. Temperatures will be in the high 70s to low 80s with plenty of sun throughout the game. Winds are moving north at about4 mph and aren't expected to be too much of a factor.

Published
Dylan Tovitz
DYLAN TOVITZ

Dylan Tovitz is a sophomore at Vanderbilt University, originally from Livingston, New Jersey. In addition to writing for Vanderbilt on SI, he serves as a deputy sports editor for the Vanderbilt Hustler and co-produces and hosts ‘Dores Unlocked, a weekly video show about Commodore sports. Outside the newsroom, he is a campus tour guide and an avid New York sports fan with a particular passion for baseball. He also enjoys listening to country and classic rock music and staying active through tennis and baseball.

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