Vanderbilt’s Diego Pavia sets the tone for 2025 with historic performance in the Birmingham Bowl

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (AP) — Diego Pavia threw three touchdown passes and scored two more points. 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 season with another big win, led by Pavia, a transfer from New Mexico State whose gritty play helped spark a major turnaround after a 2-10 season.

Pavia scored three of its points 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 postponed the celebration of the Commodores’ first bowl victory since the 9-4 season 11 years ago.

Pavia, the game’s MVP, completed 13 of 21 passes for 160 yards and gained 84 yards on 17 carries. He had a 7-yard touchdown pass to Quincy Skinner Jr. and a 6-yard scoring run in the fourth quarter. He then announced his plans to return to Vandy next season.

Georgia Tech’s Haynes King tried to pull his team out of a 35-13 deficit with a 9-yard touchdown pass to Jamal Haynes with 5:03 left and a 2-yarder to Bailey Stockton with 1:30 left. The onside kick attempt went out of bounds.

King completed 25 of 33 passes for 204 yards with three touchdowns and one interception. Haynes carried 17 balls for 136 yards and had five catches for 32 yards.

The Commodores took a 21-13 lead on Pavia’s 3-yard touchdown pass to Eli Stowers with 56 seconds left in the third quarter in a drive full of fireworks.

Georgia Tech coach Brent Key was cited for unsportsmanlike conduct when he protested a pass interference call on the drive. It came after a no-call on what he thought was a kick-catch interference that buried the Yellow Jackets at their 2nd.

Then Tech was cited for defensive conduct and both teams were penalized for unsportsmanlike conduct following a scuffle on Vandy’s sideline. The Yellow Jackets also had a tough call because of the extra point.

King then threw just his second interception of the season and CJ Taylor returned it 22 yards to 11 yards. Pavia was charged with unsportsmanlike conduct after throwing the ball into the stands following a run but still scoring a 3-yard touchdown to Eli Stowers.

Takeaways

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

Vanderbilt: Clark Lea’s fourth season saw a major turnaround after going 8-0 in Southeastern Conference play last season. Lea retooled the staff and brought in players like Pavia, and it paid off.

Next

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

The Associated Press contributed to this story.