Record-Shattering Senior Day: Diego Pavia Propels No. 14 Vanderbilt to 45-17 Rout of Kentucky

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NASHVILLE, TN — The No. 14 Vanderbilt Commodores (9-2, 5-2 SEC) delivered a comprehensive, statement-making performance on Saturday, Nov. 22, routing the Kentucky Wildcats (5-6, 2-6 SEC) in a 45-17 victory at FirstBank Stadium. The win, played on Senior Day, capped off Vanderbilt’s first undefeated home season since 1982 and kept their long-shot College Football Playoff hopes alive heading into the final week.

The historic victory was fueled entirely by the sensational, record-setting play of quarterback Diego Pavia, who cemented his status as a national name and a potential Heisman contender.

Pavia’s Perfect Finale

Diego Pavia, playing his final regular-season home game, was in total command of an offense that accumulated 604 total yards, including a school-record 539 through the air.

Passing Record Broken: Pavia shattered a 44-year-old program record for single-game passing yards, throwing for a remarkable 484 yards. This eclipsed the 464 yards set by Whit Taylor in 1981.
Six Total Scores: Pavia accounted for six total touchdowns on the day: he tied the school record with five touchdown passes and added a rushing score. He became the first FBS quarterback this season to have a game with both over 480 passing yards and five touchdowns.
The Go-To Target: Pavia’s connection with receiver Tre Richardson was unstoppable. Richardson finished with six catches for 159 yards and three touchdowns, two of which were deep strikes of 71 and 56 yards that helped the Commodores build an insurmountable 24-3 halftime lead.
Heisman Talk: Coach Clark Lea did not mince words after the game, declaring Pavia “the best player in the country and deserves to be in the Heisman conversation.” Pavia, who has been at his best over the last three games (1,226 passing yards, 11 TDs, 3 rushing TDs), embraced the praise, telling reporters, “I feel like I’m the best player in college football right now.”

Setting Program Benchmarks

While the spotlight shone on Pavia’s individual records, the win secured significant team milestones for Vanderbilt:

Nine Wins: At 9-2, the Commodores reached nine regular-season wins for the first time since 1915 and only the fifth time in program history.
Undefeated at Home: The team finished 7-0 at FirstBank Stadium, their first undefeated home schedule since 1982.
Playoff Push: The victory kept the Commodores’ College Football Playoff at-large hopes alive. They now need a win in their regular-season finale to achieve the program’s first-ever 10-win season.

The victory also had immediate repercussions for the Wildcats, who were seeking their sixth win to secure bowl eligibility but were instead thoroughly dominated. Kentucky now faces a must-win situation next week against rival Louisville to extend its season.