NASHVILLE, Tenn. — Quinn Ewers threw for 288 yards and three touchdown passes on Saturday as No. 5 Texas triumphed over No. 25 Vanderbilt, winning 27-24 in their first Southeastern Conference road game.
The Longhorns, now 7-1 overall and 3-1 in the conference, bounced back from their previous week’s loss to Georgia that had seen them drop from the top spot. This victory also marked Texas’ first win over Vanderbilt in Nashville since 1925, rekindling a rivalry that hadn’t been played since their last matchup in 1928 held in Dallas.
Meanwhile, Vanderbilt, with a record of 5-3 and 2-2 in conference play, saw its three-game winning streak come to an end in their initial game as a ranked team since the 2012 Music City Bowl. This contest also represented the Commodores’ first regular-season appearance in the rankings since October 18, 2008.
The Commodores made a late push as Diego Pavia connected for two touchdown passes after Texas had taken a 24-10 lead in the third quarter. Pavia’s second touchdown throw, a short 8-yarder to Eli Stowers with just 46 seconds remaining, brought Vanderbilt within striking distance at 27-24.
However, Texas effectively recovered an onside kick attempt from Vanderbilt, solidifying their win.
The Longhorns did not start strong; following a holding penalty on the kick, Ewers’ pass was intercepted by Martel Hight within minutes. Vanderbilt capitalized on this, with Pavia running 18 yards for a touchdown, putting them ahead 7-0.
Ewers, however, found his rhythm, completing 17 consecutive passes. He tossed a 3-yard touchdown to Matthew Golden on Texas’ next possession and later connected with DeAndre Moore Jr. for a 27-yard touchdown in the first quarter, which gave Texas a 14-7 lead that they wouldn’t relinquish.
In the second quarter, Ewers linked up with Moore again for a 25-yard reception to extend the Longhorns’ lead to 21-7. Ewers maintained a hot hand, missing only one pass until the last minute of the first half.
Pavia ended the game with 143 passing yards and 67 rushing yards, including a touchdown. After intercepting Miles Capers, he attempted to rally Vanderbilt, throwing a touchdown pass to Junior Sherrill on fourth-and-goal late in the third quarter.
Texas linebacker Liona Lefau later intercepted Pavia on a fourth-and-2 play with just over five minutes left, setting up Bert Auburn’s field goal with 3:11 remaining.
When considering poll implications, Texas may not have showcased a dominant performance, yet Vanderbilt proved to be a tough competitor. The Commodores had previously lost two games by minimal margins and demonstrated resilience by only narrowly losing against a top-5 team.
For Texas, the game exhibited some areas for improvement, as they allowed four sacks and incurred 10 penalties totaling 108 yards. Nevertheless, they outgained Vanderbilt, achieving 392 total yards compared to 269.
For Vanderbilt, the game validated their potential, confirming their earlier victory against Alabama was no fluke, even in a close contest against a highly ranked opponent.
Looking ahead, Texas will enjoy a bye week before hosting Florida on Saturday, November 9. In contrast, Vanderbilt is set to visit Auburn next.