Takeaways from Vanderbilt's 34-31 loss to Texas

Vanderbilt football fell to Texas on Saturday after trailing by 24 heading in to the fourth quarter. Here's what you need to know from that outing.

Nov 1, 2025; Austin, Texas, USA; Texas Longhorns defensive lineman Colin Simmons (1) reaches for Vanderbilt Commodores quarterback Diego Pavia (2) during the second half Darrell K Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Scott Wachter-Imagn Images | Scott Wachter-Imagn Images

Vanderbilt made a late push, but fell 34-31 to No. 20 Texas on Saturday and picked up its second loss of the season.

The Commodores now have their backs against the wall after a day full of miscues. Here's Vandy on SI's takeaways from the Commodores' loss.

It’s been awhile since Vanderbilt had a game like that

This wasn’t about margins or a few miscues that changed the outcome of this one, this was about Texas outmanning Vanderbilt. 

That was apparent as the Longhorns outgained Vanderbilt 388-185 for three quarters, led for over 59 minutes of game time and appeared to be better in just about every sense. Vanderbilt made a late run, but was never all that threatening to Texas. 

Vanderbilt hasn’t had a game in which it was pushed around like it was on Saturday since before its turnaround after the 2023 season. 

Nice effort on the comeback, but it was far too late

The final score is easier to digest because of a late push by Diego Pavia and the Vanderbilt offense that ultimately didn’t pan out after Brock Taylor’s onside kick bounced out of bounds, but it entered the fourth quarter trailing by 24. That’s not a winning recipe. 

Vanderbilt’s comeback in itself says something about it, but it didn’t make everything all better. 

The margin for error is gone

Vanderbilt has to go undefeated the rest of the way in order to finish this season in the College Football Playoff. Point blank, period. 

No more big mistakes. No more slipping up. Vanderbilt has to go 3-0 against Auburn, Kentucky and Tennessee if it’s going to find its way into the 12-team field. There’s no precedent for a three-loss SEC team getting in and it doesn’t appear as if Vanderbilt would be the first one. 

It’s not to say that Vanderbilt can’t win out from here, but it’s now got some pressure on it. 

What a nightmare start for Vanderbilt

Clark Lea’s declaration that Vanderbilt had to start fast in order to give itself the best chance to nullify a lively crowd and win against Texas in Austin quickly aged poorly. 

The first play from scrimmage was a poor demonstration in tackling from two generally sure tacklers in Langston Patterson and CJ Heard that resulted in Texas receiver Ryan Wingo taking a screen pass 75 yards for a touchdown. Vanderbilt’s first drive lasted just four plays and ended in a Diego Pavia fumble deep within Vanderbilt territory, which allowed Texas to kick a field goal after a five play, eight yard drive.

This Vanderbilt team isn’t built to play from behind, but it had to on Saturday. 

Texas’ defense made Vanderbilt one dimensional at times

Vanderbilt knows it’s got to “run to win” and has done so throughout the majority of the season. Too much pressure was on Pavia’s arm on Saturday afternoon, though. 

Texas’ front seven–which was ranked No. 3 in the country in rush defense heading into Saturday’s game–held the Commodores to just 1.1 yards per carry in Saturday’s first half, 3.1 with sacks factored out and 2.4 yards per carry by the end of the afternoon when factoring in the litany of sacks that Texas had. 

Vanderbilt’s passing game is significantly improved relative to what it was last season, but it has to have a complement to it. It did at times, but likely needed a little more than it got from the run game–particularly early.

Vanderbilt’s tackling…yikes

The 75-yard touchdown to open the game appeared to foreshadow an issue that Vanderbilt would have all afternoon. 

This generally solid and physical defense was all but bouncing off of Texas’ ballcarriers on Saturday. Some of it was due to physicality, some was due to the elusiveness of Texas’ playmakers on the perimeter. All of it wasn’t a recipe for success, though. 

Too many miscues on the perimeter for this Vanderbilt defense. 

Eli Stowers’ best game of the season

It was an odd time for it, but Stowers was at his best on Saturday. 

The Vanderbilt tight end finished Saturday with seven receptions, 146 yards and two touchdowns. It was Stowers’ first game this season in which he recorded over 100 receiving yards, last season he had three. 

Stowers highlight of the day was a 67-yard touchdown that allowed Vanderbilt to get it within 10 in the final minutes of the fourth quarter.