Vanderbilt Stuns No. 11 South Carolina 31-7 for First SEC Opener Win Since 2011

Diego Pavia leads Commodores with two touchdowns as defense forces four turnovers in historic upset at Williams-Brice Stadium.

COLUMBIA, S.C. | The Vanderbilt Commodores (3-0, 1-0 SEC) delivered a statement victory Saturday night, dismantling No. 11 South Carolina (2-1, 0-1 SEC) by a score of 31-7 in front of a sold-out crowd at Williams-Brice Stadium. The win snapped a 16-game losing streak to the Gamecocks, marked the Commodores’ first SEC-opening win since 2011, and was their most significant margin of victory in series history.

Graduate quarterback Diego Pavia continued his strong start to the season, throwing for 177 yards and two touchdowns on 18-of-25 passing. He became the first Vanderbilt quarterback since Jordan Rodgers in 2012 to record four consecutive multi-touchdown passing games.

Running back Sedrick Alexander added two touchdowns on the ground, scoring in each of the Commodores’ first three games for the second straight season. Sophomore Jamezell Lassiter added a highlight-reel 44-yard touchdown run to open the second half, his second long scoring rush of the year.

The Commodore defense was dominant, holding South Carolina to just 86 rushing yards, its lowest total of the season, and forcing four turnovers, the program’s highest total since 2022. Linebacker CJ Heard led with 12 tackles, while Nick Rinaldi added 2.5 tackles for loss and his eighth career sack. Graduate Zaylin Wood recorded his first interception in a Vanderbilt uniform, while Bryce Cowan, Miles Capers, and Jordan Matthews each contributed turnovers in a complete defensive effort.

Vanderbilt quieted the crowd early with a nine-play, 73-yard opening drive, capped by an 18-yard touchdown pass from Pavia to Alexander. South Carolina briefly tied the game at 7-7 on Rahsul Faison’s seven-yard run, but the Commodores controlled the remainder of the contest, outscoring the Gamecocks 24-0 over the final 34 minutes.

Head coach Clark Lea has now guided Vanderbilt to three straight wins of 20 points or more to start a season, a feat the program hasn’t accomplished since 1930. The victory was also the Commodores’ first road win over a ranked opponent since 2007, when they last defeated South Carolina in Columbia.

The Commodores return home to FirstBank Stadium next Saturday to host Georgia State. Kickoff is scheduled for 6:30 p.m. CT on ESPNU, as Vanderbilt looks to extend its unbeaten start.

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-- By Sarah Darden

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