Football Falls to Vanderbilt Saturday Night

COLUMBIA — Diego Pavia completed 18 of 25 passes for 177 yards and two touchdowns, Jamezell Lassiter ran for a 44-yard score and Vanderbilt defeated No. 11 South Carolina 31-7 at Williams-Brice Stadium Saturday night (Sept. 13).

The Commodores hadn’t beat South Carolina since 2008, but forced four turnovers for their first 3-0 start since 2017.

South Carolina quarterback and Heisman Trophy candidate LaNorris Sellers was knocked out of the game in the second quarter after taking a helmet-to-helmet hit from from Vanderbilt linebacker Langston Patterson, who was ejected for targeting.

Sellers did not return, and finished 6 of 7 passing for 94 yards with one interception in the red zone with the score tied at 7. He was replaced by Luke Doty.

The Commodores held nearly a 12-minute edge in time of possession.

Pavia led Vanderbilt on a nine-play, 73-yard drive to open the game, capped with an 18-yard touchdown pass to Sedrick Alexander. Pavia later tossed a 5-yard TD pass to Junior Sherrill in the second quarter giving the Commodores a 14-7 lead at the break.

Lassiter’s scamper around right end stretched Vanderbilt’s lead to 21-7 early in the third quarter and the Commodores began to sense an upset brewing. Brock Taylor’s 51-yard field goal with 9:27 left made it a three-possession game.

Alexander added his second TD on a 2-yard run in the fourth quarter.

Rahsul Faison ran for 74 yards and a touchdown for South Carolina.

Up next

Vanderbilt: Host Georgia State on Saturday.

South Carolina: Visit Missouri on Saturday.