Vanderbilt: 2024 Birmingham Bowl Champions

 

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. -- — Diego Pavia and Vanderbilt delivered another victory to end a surprising season.

Pavia threw three touchdown passes and ran for two more scores and Vanderbilt secured its first winning season since 2013 with a 35-27 victory over Georgia Tech on Friday in the Birmingham Bowl.

The Commodores (7-6) capped the year with another big game from Pavia, a New Mexico State transfer whose gritty play helped lead a huge turnaround from a 2-10 season.

“This is just a stepping stone of what we want to do here at Vanderbilt,” Pavia said. “We’ve got bigger dreams.”

Pavia accounted for three of his scores in a six-minute span starting late in the third quarter before Georgia Tech (7-6) rallied. A lightning delay with 7:17 left only pushed back the celebration of the Commodores' first bowl win since that 9-4 season 11 years ago.

“That was a tough fight and I knew it wasn’t going to be easy and the weather delay added a layer that we had to overcome,” Vandy coach Clark Lea said.

Pavia, the game MVP, completed 13 of 21 passes for 160 yards and gained 84 yards on 17 rushes. He had a 7-yard touchdown pass to Quincy Skinner Jr. and a 6-yard scoring run in the fourth quarter. Afterward, he announced his plans to return to Vandy next season, with the caveat that Lea and staffers like Jerry Kill come back.

Georgia Tech's Haynes King tried to bring his team back from a 35-13 deficit with a 9-yard touchdown pass to Jamal Haynes with 5:03 left and a 2-yarder to Bailey Stockton at the 1:30 mark. Both onside kick attempts failed.

“I thought the character of our team showed with the final seven minutes of the game, how they fought through adversity and continued to play until the end of the game," Georgia Tech coach Brent Key said.

King was 25-of-33 passing for 204 yards with three touchdowns and an interception. Haynes carried 17 times for 136 yards and had five catches for 32 yards.

The Commodores went ahead 21-13 on Pavia's 3-yard touchdown pass to Eli Stowers with 56 seconds left in the third quarter in a drive filled with fireworks.

Key was flagged for unsportsmanlike conduct protesting a pass interference call on the drive. It came after a non-call on what he thought was a kick catch interference that had buried the Yellow Jackets at their 2.

“There was dialogue and we have to control what we can control as a football team,” Key said.

Then, Tech was flagged for defensive holding and both teams were penalized for unsportsmanlike conduct after a scuffle on Vandy's sideline. The Yellow Jackets also had a roughing the kicker call on the extra point.

King then threw only his second interception of the season and CJ Taylor returned it 22 yards to the 11. Pavia was called for unsportsmanlike conduct after flipping the ball into the stands following a run but still produced a 3-yard touchdown to Eli Stowers.

“I don't know that there was a more perfect person to quarterback this team and to quarterback this program,” Lea said. "This is a chip on the shoulder program."

Takeaways

Georgia Tech: Had eight penalties for 90 yards and two turnovers that both led to touchdowns. The Yellow Jackets had already lost two key players to the transfer portal, edge rusher Romello Heights (Texas Tech) and leading receiver Eric Singleton Jr. (Auburn)

Vanderbilt: Staged a big turnaround in Lea's fourth season a year after going 0-8 in Southeastern Conference games last season. Lea retooled the staff and brought in players like Pavia, and it paid off.

“We've come a long way in 12 months,” Lea said.

Up next

Vandy's prospects for next season got brighter when a federal judge cleared the way for Pavia to return for another season, pending an NCAA appeal. Georgia Tech's King also can come back.

Vanderbilt: 2014 Men's College World Series Champions

OMAHA, Neb. -- The talk at the College World Series was about how few home runs were hit at TD Ameritrade Park.

Well, one was hit Wednesday night -- and the folks in Nashville undoubtedly will be talking about it for a long time.

John Norwood's tiebreaking homer in the top of the eighth inning carried Vanderbilt to a 3-2 win over Virginia in the third and deciding game of the CWS finals, giving the Commodores their first national championship.

"I thought it was gone, but you never know in this park," Norwood said. "I was just hoping it went out, and if it didn't, I knew my teammates would pick me up. It's a home run, but it's also a team effort to get here. We were confident the whole entire year."

Norwood turned on Nick Howard's 97 mph fastball and sent it into the left-field bullpen for only the 25th home run hit in the four years the CWS has been played in the cavernous TD Ameritrade Park.

It was Norwood's third homer of the year, his first since April 19 and Vanderbilt's first since May 16. It also was only the third home run in 16 CWS games this year and the 22nd in 72 games by the Commodores (51-21).

"I was praying it was gonna be gone," Vandy's Tyler Campbell said, "and to see it land in the bullpen was awesome. Obviously, Virginia is a tough team, and we still had to come out in the ninth and play hard until it was over."

The Cavaliers (53-16) loaded the bases with one out in the eighth when Adam Ravenelle hit Kenny Towns. But Mike Papi was forced out at home on a chopper to Ravenelle, and Brandon Downes grounded out.

The title, secured when Ravenelle struck out Daniel Pinero, is Vanderbilt's first in a men's sport. The school's only other title came in women's bowling in 2007.

"This dog pile was by far the best," first baseman Zander Wiel said. "These guys are my brothers, and to celebrate this with them is just incredible. It's just so special to be a part of history. Everybody here represents Vanderbilt in the best way, and I'm glad to be a part of the first men's national championship in history."

Vandy second baseman Dansby Swanson was chosen the CWS Most Outstanding Player. Swanson batted .323 in the CWS, scored five runs, drove in two and stole three bases. He played flawlessly in the field.

"When you've got guys backing up each other like we do, anything is possible," Swanson said.

After the last out, Vanderbilt players grabbed the championship trophy and hoisted coach Tim Corbin on their shoulders.

"Every coach, you immerse yourself in the kids and they become more than baseball players; they become your sons," Corbin said. "This is a nice feeling. It's good to watch them celebrate achievements."

Hayden Stone (4-0) relieved starter Carson Fulmer with one out in the sixth and allowed two hits before turning the game over to Ravenelle after Virginia's first two batters reached in the eighth. Ravenelle earned his third save of the CWS.

Howard (2-2) came on in the eighth after Artie Lewicki had pitched six innings of four-hit relief. He left a fastball up that Norwood put over the fence, just right of the 335-foot sign.

"You've got to credit John Norwood," Virginia coach Brian O'Connor said. "The pitch was up in the zone, and he took an aggressive swing and hit the ball out."

Virginia broke through against Fulmer to tie it 2-all in the sixth when Towns' bases-loaded grounder hit shortstop Vince Conde's glove and bounced off for an error.

Vanderbilt led 1-0 in the first after Virginia catcher Robbie Coman sailed a throw into center field trying to catch Bryan Reynolds stealing. Swanson, who was going to third on the double steal, continued home.

Another error in the sixth set up Vanderbilt's second run. Norwood grounded to third for an infield single and wound up on second after Towns' throw in the dirt skipped past Papi at first base. Norwood later came home on Conde's deep grounder to shortstop.

"An outstanding final series between the two of us," O'Connor said. "Unfortunately in sports, somebody's going to come out on the wrong end, and we came out on the wrong end tonight. The University of Virginia baseball program will be back here in Omaha at some point, and maybe the next time we can win it all."

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Vanderbilt: 2014 BBVA Compass Bowl Champions

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. -- Patton Robinette threw two 50-yard touchdown passes to Jordan Matthews, and Vanderbilt recovered after blowing a 24-point lead to beat Houston, 41-24, on Saturday in the BBVA Compass Bowl.

Robinette, starting after senior Austyn Carta-Samuels had season-ending surgery to repair a torn ACL in his left knee, also had an 8-yard scoring run as Vanderbilt built a 24-0 lead in the first half.

After Houston (8-4) pulled even by scoring 24 points in the third quarter, Vanderbilt reclaimed the lead on Brian Kimbrow's 21-yard touchdown run in the fourth quarter.

Vanderbilt (9-4) closed the season with five straight wins, adding to third-year coach James Franklin's status as a possible candidate for coaching vacancies, including at Penn State and with the NFL Browns and Redskins. The Commodores played in three straight bowl games under Franklin — a first for the program — and completed their first back-to-back nine-win seasons.

Vandy players doused Franklin with a water bucket in the final seconds.

Houston gained only 22 yards and had one first down in the first half but rallied with 24 points in the third quarter to pull even. Kenneth Farrow had a six-yard scoring run and Deontay Greenberry and John O'Korn threw scoring passes to Markeith Ambles.

The Commodores regrouped with two big gains on direct snaps to running backs early in the fourth quarter. Jerron Seymour ran for 38 yards to the Houston 34. Kimbrow's touchdown run gave the lead back to Vanderbilt.

Jahmel McIntosh's interception less than a minute later gave the ball back to Vanderbilt, setting up Carey Spear's 35-yard field goal.

Seymour added a 2-yard scoring run with less than 2 minutes remaining.

Matthews, a senior who set Southeastern Conference records for career catches and yards receiving, had five catches for 143 yards and two touchdowns.

Matthews took advantage of a lead block by receiver Jonathan Krause to make his first touchdown catch on Vanderbilt's second possession.

A forced fumble by linebacker Chase Garnham set up the Commodores' second touchdown. After Houston's O'Korn threw a pass to Greg Ward Jr., a big hit by Garnham forced the fumbled recovered by Andrew Williamson at the Houston 16. Robinette, making his third career start, scored on an 8-yard keeper on fourth down.

No Houston defender was near Matthews on his second 50-yard scoring catch in the second quarter.

A lost fumble by Robinette set up Farrow's 6-yard touchdown run to start Houston's third-quarter comeback.

Houston built on the momentum. Daniel Spencer's 62-yard run set up O'Korn's six-yard touchdown pass to Ambles. O'Korn's 58-yard pass to Ambles set up a 30-yard field goal by Kyle Bullard. The Cougars completed their big third-quarter comeback on O'Korn's 67-yard touchdown pass to Greenberry to tie the game.

Vanderbilt: 2012 Music City Bowl Champions

Vanderbilt’s last nine-win football season came during World War I, but then a lot of history has been rewritten since coach James Franklin arrived in Nashville two years ago.

And he insists there is much more to come.

Senior running back Zac Stacy ran for 107 yards, and the Commodores forced five North Carolina State turnovers en route to winning the Music City Bowl for the second time in five years, 38-24, on Monday at LP Field.

It was the seventh win in a row for the SEC’s only private institution, which recovered from a 2-4 start to notch its most victories since 1915.

“We really heard that from the time that we arrived on campus, all the things that couldn’t be done or can’t be done, and all the negativity that was surrounding the program,” Franklin said. “We just put our earmuffs on and kept bombarding these guys with the same positive messages.”

“We’re not going anywhere, so everybody better get used to it.”

Vanderbilt senior Jordan Rodgers passed for two touchdowns and ran for one, and Stacy added a scoring run while being named the game’s MVP in his final college contest. Chris Boyd, Wesley Tate and Jordan Matthews also found the end zone for the Commodores.

N.C. State senior quarterback Mike Glennon threw for 383 yards and a touchdown but was intercepted three times as the Wolfpack (7-6) lost for the fourth time in six games. Dana Bible served as the interim coach after the dismissal of Tom O’Brien. Former Northern Illinois coach Dave Doeren is set to take over the program.

“I made a couple of calls on two of those interceptions that should be put on me,” Bible said. “I put him (Glennon) in a position to fail. … The goal was to attack and if they make a play, more power to them.”

Vanderbilt (9-4) is poised to crack the final poll in the Associated Press top 25 rankings for the first time since 1948, when it ended that season No. 12 after going 8-2-1. That was the last year Vanderbilt had a seven-game winning streak.

Franklin is the first coach to lead the Commodores to bowls in consecutive years, and this trip produced better results than a 2011 Liberty Bowl loss to Cincinnati.

“The significance of winning nine games is different,” Franklin said. “It’s different to me. It’s different to the team. I think it’s perceived different than winning six or seven games. When you get into the nine-win category, it’s a completely different conversation you’re in.”

Close to 80 percent of the 55,801 in attendance for an 11 a.m. kickoff were bundled up in black-and-gold attire for what was a de facto home game with Vanderbilt’s campus three miles away. The Commodores had aspirations for a more prestigious bowl, but they have been quite comfortable spending New Year’s Eve in Nashville — they defeated a ranked Boston College team 16-14 in this bowl in 2008.

N.C. State nearly doubled Vanderbilt in yardage, 424-225, but Wolfpack mistakes and big plays from the Commodores cemented the result. Vanderbilt, which didn’t commit a turnover, converted three of four fourth-down attempts despite its struggles on third down (3-of-14).

“It’s just making plays,” Stacy said. “That’s just what we were doing. The defense did a great job today giving us those opportunities to get back on the field.”

Vanderbilt led 28-14 at halftime and opened a 38-17 lead with 5:11 remaining on Rodgers’ 15-yard run. N.C. State tacked on a meaningless score three minutes later when Glennon found Rashard Smith for a 19-yard touchdown.

When the game ended, at least a dozen Commodores players leapt into the stands to be with their fans, celebrating a symbolic leap forward.

“Call it the Music City Leap,” Boyd said.

Vanderbilt cashed in two of N.C. State’s four first-half turnovers, and the last of those provided a huge momentum swing.

N.C. State had pulled to within 21-14 on Tobias Palmer’s 94-yard kickoff return with 3:35 in the half and got the ball back with 1:04 remaining after forcing a Vanderbilt punt. Glennon’s bid to tie the score before halftime ended quickly when his underthrown pass was intercepted by nickelback Eric Samuels, who gave the Commodores possession at the N.C. State 18.

Two plays later, Matthews was in the end zone after slipping a tackle on an 18-yard receiver screen.

“It just changed the momentum of the game,” said Vanderbilt free safety Kenny Ladler, who had an interception and a fumble recovery. “We wanted to take that and run with it.”

Vanderbilt went up 7-0 after winning the coin toss and putting its offense on the field. Boyd toe-tapped his right foot just inside the left sideline while making a one-handed catch and was awarded a 5-yard touchdown upon review, capping a 10-play, 65-yard opening drive.

N.C. State’s string of errors ensued. A snap three feet over the head of the 6-foot-6 Glennon derailed its first series. Ladler intercepted Glennon when he threw downfield on the initial play of N.C. State’s next series. Freshman tailback Shadrack Thornton fumbled when the Wolfpack took possession again.

Vanderbilt failed to generate a first down after either of those turnovers near midfield, but a shift in offensive strategy got the Commodores going.

After N.C. State’s third consecutive giveaway — a fumble by tight end Asa Watson that Ladler returned to the Wolfpack 27 — Vanderbilt went with the direct snaps to Stacy and stuck to the running game. Stacy carried it four times on that drive, including a 6-yard touchdown, and eight consecutive times overall.

Trailing 14-0, N.C. State answered with an 84-yard drive capped by Tony Creece’s 1-yard run for its first score. But freshman Brian Kimbrow responded with a 52-yard kickoff return, and after a penalty, there were only 32 yards between Vanderbilt and its next touchdown. Tate’s 7-yard run made it 21-7.

The 38 points was the most by Vanderbilt in its six bowl appearances, but it was nothing new for a team that eclipsed 40 four times in its final five regular-season games.