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How it Happened: Vanderbilt outclasses LSU in 31-24 win

On3 imageby: Shea Dixon15 hours agosheadixon
LSU's defense was unable to corral Diego Pavia in the loss to Vanderbilt (Photo: © Steve Roberts-Imagn Images)
LSU's defense was unable to corral Diego Pavia in the loss to Vanderbilt (Photo: © Steve Roberts-Imagn Images)

LSU Football’s hopes to reach the College Football Playoffs took the penultimate blow in Saturday’s loss to Vanderbilt in Nashville.

In a game when the Tigers found life – and points – on offense early in the game, the defense was unable to keep Vanderbilt quarterback Diego Pavia and Co. from driving down the field for touchdowns in a game that felt worse for LSU fans than the one-score final result would indicate.

LSU’s 24 points scored on offense were the most by the Tigers against an FBS opponent across the first seven games of the 2025 season, but the 31 points allowed in Nashville were the most given up by the defense to any team during that stretch.

When LSU’s defense found a way to force punts late in the game, the Tigers answered with back-to-back three-and-out possessions on offense.

Vanderbilt, able to kneel the ball out at the goal line after the 2-minute warning, moved to 6-1 on the season, while LSU drops to 5-2 overall and 2-2 in SEC play. With five games remaining, including upcoming games against a pair of Top 10 teams in Texas A&M and Alabama, the Tigers would most likely need to finish 5-0 to punch a ticket to the College Football Playoffs presuming three-loss SEC teams aren’t anything more than a long shot to grab one of the final at-large spots come December.

Here’s a look at how the game unfolded, the highlight plays for LSU on offense, the halftime and full game statistics, and more.

By:Shea Dixon

LSU loses coin toss, gets ball first in Nashville

10/18/2025 11:16:08 AM

LSU lost the coin toss, moving the Tigers to 0-for-7 on the coin toss result this season. Vanderbilt deferred to the second half, giving the LSU offense the ball first. The lone team not to defer vs. LSU and take the football first this season was Ole Miss.

By:Shea Dixon

LSU takes a 3-0 lead on the opening drive

10/18/2025 11:23:10 AM

LSU got the ball first, and in a season when the Tigers have struggled to avoid immediate three-and-outs, quarterback Garrett Nussmeier helped move the offense down the field and into Vanderbilt territory. The Tigers fed Nashville native and transfer wide receiver Barion Brown early on the first drive, and true freshman running back Harlem Berry carried the ball for a big first down to keep the chains moving. A drop by Zavion Thomas and sack on Nussmeier put the Tigers behind the chains, but LSU still managed to get points on the board first thanks to a field goal from Damian Ramos.

By:Shea Dixon

Vanderbilt capitalizes on third downs, Pavia run to take the lead

10/18/2025 11:35:30 AM

Vanderbilt made good on a pair of impressive third down catches by the tight ends before quarterback Diego Pavia’s 20-yard run on LSU’s defense put the ball at the goal line. A couple snaps later, the Commodores found the end zone on a quarterback keeper to take the 7-3 lead after both teams logged one possession on offense. Vanderbilt took the lead with 3:38 left in the first quarter after a nine-play touchdown drive followed up LSU’s 12-play field goal drive to begin the game.

By:Shea Dixon

LSU LT Tyree Adams injured on second drive of the game

10/18/2025 11:46:44 AM

LSU left tackle Tyree Adams went down with an injury on the team’s second drive. Adams limped off the field with assistance from trainers, and the Tigers sent backup DJ Chester in at left tackle to close out the first quarter. Chester started double-digit games at center for LSU a year ago, and he’s worked through the 2025 season as the next man up at multiple positions on the offensive line. LSU crossed midfield and picked up another first down before the final seconds ticked off the clock in the first quarter of a game Vanderbilt led 7-3 after the first 15 minutes of football in Nashville.

By:Shea Dixon

LSU answers with an immediate TD from Trey’Dez Green

10/18/2025 11:54:03 AM

After both teams got points on the opening possessions, LSU got the ball down 7-3 and quickly marched down the field before hitting on an explosive play for a touchdown. A conversion on a pass to Barion Brown on 3rd-and-10 kept the chains moving, and another 10-yard run by Harlem Berry moved the ball into Vanderbilt territory before Garrett Nussmeier made an impressive throw under pressure to find an open Trey’Dez Green, who hauled in the pass and did the rest for the 24-yard score. Damian Ramos converted the extra point to give LSU the 10-7 lead just minutes into the second quarter.

By:Shea Dixon

Vanderbilt drives for another TD on LSU’s defense

10/18/2025 12:04:34 PM

Opponents have not been able to get the best of LSU’s defense much this season, but Vanderbilt was able to put together touchdown drives on the first two possession on Saturday morning in Nashville. This time, the Commodores took the lead on a 14-play, 75-yard drive to take the 14-10 lead with 5:52 remaining until halftime. Vanderbilt needed a 4th-and-goal run to get into the end zone, and after officials reviewed the play, Sedrick Alexander’s one-yard run was upheld as the home team took the lead back in a game that saw both teams get the ball twice and score both times across the first 20 minutes of the first half.

By:Shea Dixon

Late swings give both teams points before halftime

10/18/2025 12:40:30 PM

LSU’s 52-yard field goal attempt went wide right with 2:33 left until half, but Vanderbilt wasn’t able to capitalize on the field position. Instead, the Commodores chose to go for it on fourth down on their own side of the field, and LSU linebacker West Weeks came up with a timely sack on quarterback Diego Pavia to force the turnover on downs. LSU was able to convert a 42-yard field goal to cut the lead to one point, but the Commodores came up with a few big plays to get into field position and answer with a field goal on a drive that went 50 yards on seven plays in just 37 seconds. The Tigers fielded the squib kick with two seconds remaining before being tackled as time expired on the first half of a 17-13 game.

By:Shea Dixon

Vanderbilt marches down the field (again) after halftime

10/18/2025 01:12:22 PM

LSU’s defense had been excellent with halftime adjustments this season, but Vanderbilt’s triple-option offense proved to be too much for the Tigers to figure out despite the break between halves. On the opening drive of the third quarter, Vanderbilt got the ball and moved it 75 yards on 10 plays while taking six minutes off the clock to score another touchdown – this time on a pass near the goal line. With 9:03 remaining in the third quarter, Vanderbilt took a 24-13 lead over the Tigers.

By:Shea Dixon

LSU’s offense answers when the Tigers needed it most

10/18/2025 01:21:26 PM

Vanderbilt taking a 24-13 lead after halftime felt like it could be the death blow for LSU, but the Tigers answered right away thanks to a wild play that began with Garrett Nussmeier scrambling into pressure and throwing it quickly to get rid of the football and ended with wide receiver Zavion Thomas catching the pass short of the first down marker, breaking free of multiple tackles, and out-running the Vanderbilt defense for a 62-yard touchdown. LSU then converted the two-point conversion on a quick slant from Nussmeier to tight end Trey’Dez Green. In the span of just 2 minutes, LSU needed only five plays to erase a double-digit deficit and cut the deficit to three points.

By:Shea Dixon

Another TD drive for Vanderbilt puts LSU’s back against the wall

10/18/2025 02:15:01 PM

Just when the Tigers cut the lead back to three points, Vanderbilt quarterback Diego Pavia extended it back to double-digits on another 10-play, 75-yard drive – which marked back-to-back drives of the same distance and snaps that resulted in six points for the Commodores. While LSU was able to answer with a huge run from Caden Durham that put the ball at the 1-yard line, a false start by backup tight end Donovan Green coming out of a timeout erased a touchdown pass from Garrett Nussmeier to Zavion Thomas. LSU, backed up on the goal-to-go attempt, was unable to shake off the woes the Tigers have had inside the 10-yard line this season. The result: a field goal instead of a touchdown, which only cut the lead to 31-24 with a little more than 11 minutes left in the game.

By:Shea Dixon

FINAL: Vanderbilt 31, LSU 24

10/18/2025 02:24:38 PM

Both teams swapped punts to close out the final 10 minutes of the game, but it was Vanderbilt’s offense – as had been the case seemingly all game – that got the big play to seal the win. Vanderbilt was able to kneel the ball out after the two-minute warning and secure the 7-point win over LSU on a day that played out opposite of each of LSU’s first six games. The offense, this week, stepped up and delivered points on the opening two drives of the game and cut the lead down to three points in the third quarter, while the defense – LSU’s strength all season – was unable to get stops on Vanderbilt and quarterback Diego Pavia in a game when the Commodores scored more than 30 points and kneeled the ball out from the goal line to get the victory.