Diego Pavia does it again as No. 17 Vanderbilt beats No. 10 LSU

Diego Pavia ran for two touchdowns and passed for one to help No. 17 Vanderbilt defeat No. 10 LSU 31-24 on Saturday in Southeastern Conference play at Nashville, Tenn.

Pavia passed for 160 yards and rushed for 86, and the Commodores (6-1, 2-1 SEC) scored on five of their first six possessions and their defense kept the Tigers (5-2, 2-2) at bay in the fourth quarter.

Garrett Nussmeier passed for 225 yards and two touchdowns for LSU.

Vanderbilt received the second-half kickoff and drove to Pavia's 1-yard touchdown pass to Cole Spence, which increased the lead to 24-13.

LSU answered with a 92-yard drive that ended with a 62-yard touchdown pass from Nussmeier to Zavion Thomas and a two-point conversion pass that pulled the Tigers within three points.

Pavia scrambled 21 yards for a touchdown that increased the Commodores' lead to 31-21 at the end of the third quarter.

Caden Durham broke a 51-yard run that helped LSU reach the Vanderbilt 1, but the drive stalled and Damian Ramos kicked a 23-yard field goal, leaving the Commodores with a 31-24 lead with 11:39 remaining.

The Tigers got the ball two more times, but had to punt both times. Vanderbilt got the ball back with 3:12 left, Makhilyn Young broke free on a 43-yard run and the Commodores ran out the clock.

LSU received the opening kickoff and drove to a 48-yard field goal by Ramos. On the ensuing possession Pavia's 20-yard run set up his 1-yard touchdown run that gave Vanderbilt a 7-3 lead at the end of the first quarter.

On the first play of the second quarter, Nussmeier threw a 24-yard touchdown pass to Trey'Dez Green, but the Commodores answered with a 1-yard touchdown run by Sedrick Alexander on fourth-and-goal to give the Commodores a 14-10 lead with 5:52 left.

The Tigers had the first scoreless possession when Ramos' 52-yard field-goal attempt was short and wide right.

Vanderbilt went for fourth-and-1 from its own 44, and Pavia was sacked at the 38. Ramos' 42-yard field goal pulled LSU within a point, but Brock Taylor answered with a 46-yarder that gave the Commodores a 17-13 halftime lead.

--Field Level Media