No. 5 Texas vs. No. 25 Vanderbilt final score: Longhorns survive with 27-24 win in Nashville

The Longhorns had too many self-inflicted wounds, but managed to earn the program’s first SEC road win in their first attempt.

The upset-minded No. 25-ranked Vanderbilt Commodores are becoming adept enough at the art of better favored opponents to make it into the AP Top 25 during the regular season for the first time since 2008 as the No. 5 Texas Longhorns show up to FirstBank Stadium in Nashville.

The Longhorns are trying to bounce from last week’s disappointing home loss to the then-Bulldogs, 30-15, while fourth-year Clark Lea has his program riding high at 5-2, also the best start for Vanderbilt since 2008, with upset victories over Alabama and Kentucky before a less impressive effort last week against Ball State.

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Injury report

Texas enters the game without two key starters junior wide receiver Isaiah Bond (ankle) and senior safety Andrew Mukuba (knee), both of whom were officially ruled out by the Longhorns with the release of Friday’s injury report.

Because of that update, there isn’t anything new to report from the team on Saturday as kickoff approaches at 3:15 p.m. Central on SEC Network other than the brief flare of drama during warmups when Texas freshman wide receiver Ryan Wingo, set to receive extensive playing time with Bond out, if not his first career start, collided with a Vanderbilt staffer.

Whew.

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First quarter

Some familiar themes emerged for Texas on the first possession after losing the toss and Vanderbilt deferred — a penalty on special teams that hurt field position trying to return the opening kickoff and a big offensive mistake early when a throw by redshirt junior quarterback Quinn Ewers on a glance route pulling a run-pass option was deflected at the line of scrimmage.

It was the seventh first-quarter turnover this season by Texas, the most in the FBS thanks to three interceptions thrown on the last five opening possessions by the Longhorns.

With the Longhorns defense forced into a sudden-change situation defending a short field, the Commodores quickly took advantage, picking up a first down after gaining nine yards on a run to open the drive before quarterback Diego Pavia unleashed some of his trademark magic on 3rd and 8, scrambling right and blowing up an angle by Texas junior nickel back Jaylon Guilbeau, who ultimately pushed Pavia into the end zone after some impressive balance along the sideline.

Working the perimeter in the screen and perimeter passing game, the Horns were able to generate some rhythm offensively, moving down into the Commodores red zone with the help of a 31-yard catch and run by sophomore wide receiver DeAndre Moore Jr. Ewers finished the drive with a well-place throw to junior wide receiver Matthew Golden for a three-yard touchdown into the front corner of the end zone. The drive ultimately totaled nine plays and 75 yards to tie the game with 6:09 remaining in the first quarter.

When Vanderbilt called a straight handoff on 3rd and 3 and came up short, it stood as an odd play call until Lea opted to go for it on 4th and 1 from the Commodores 34-yard line, gaining nine yards on an end around, a conversion negated by a procedural penalty on Vanderbilt.

And then Texas swung the momentum further when senior wide receiver Silas Bolden found a seam on the punt return and picked up 24 yards to the Vanderbilt 49-yard line.

The Horns consolidated it with a 20-yard gain on a deep over route by junior tight end Amari Niblack, who hadn’t played on offense since the win over UTSA six weeks ago and ended on a 3rd and 8 conversion by Ewers and Moore connecting on a 27-yard touchdown.

Vanderbilt was able to scheme open running back Sedrick Alexander for a 15-yard gain on the first play from scrimmage after the ensuing kickoff, a play that ended with a tackle by Texas super senior cornerback Jahdae Barron, leading to some good-natured jawing by the two Austin-area products.

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Second quarter

After Alexander moved the chains with a six-yard run to start the second quarter, Pavia hit a glance route run-pass option for a 15-yard gain. Then the Horns made another big play stopping the promising drive by the Commodores when junior Jack end Ethan Burke deflected a pass by Pavia that was intercepted by redshirt junior safety Michael Taaffe.

Mistakes by the offensive line surfaced as Texas tried to capitalize on the turnover when junior right tackle Cam Williams was called for an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty on a nine-yard run by junior running back Jaydon Blue and junior left tackle Kelvin Banks was called for a holding penalty that led to a well-schemed blitz by Vanderbilt that produced a quick sack of Ewers.

With Michael Kern back in a punter for the first time since the Mississippi State game, the freshman hit a ball well down to the 1-yard line, where it was caught by Moore.

Pavia created some space for Vanderbilt keeping a read option for four yards on first down on a drive that nearly ended in a disaster when Texas junior edge Trey Moore blew up a shovel pass to the tight end that he nearly intercepted.

After a strong start on third down, the Horns quickly faced a 3rd and 7 with Ewers hitting senior tight end Gunnar Helm up the seam for a 24-yard gain that could have gone for more had Moore’s block not sent the defender tumbling into Helm’s feet. Moore made up for it a play later by getting open along the left sideline and stepping through an arm tackle for a 25-yard touchdown reception, his fifth of the season.

On a potentially critical play in the game, Pavia opted against throwing a bubble screen on a run-pass option that was covered and scrambled instead, drawing a holding penalty and tweaking his ankle in the process, leaving the game to receive attention in the medical tent.

With backup quarterback Nate Johnson into the game for Pavia, Texas sophomore linebacker Anthony Hill Jr. had a potential interception hit his hands. The Commodores still needed to convert a 3rd and 10, however, with Johnson did by finding his star tight end Eli Stowers for a 12-yard gain against sophomore safety Jelani McDonald.

At the two-minute warning before halftime, Pavia re-entered the game, handing the ball off for a one-yard gain. Flushed from the pocket on second down, Pavia had no room to scramble against a zone defense before a third-down draw play was initially ruled a fumble by Alexander on a hit by Texas sophomore linebacker Liona Lefau with Taaffe coming in later. Moore recovered the fumble, which underwent a long review and eventually stood.

The Horns weren’t able to convert when a shot play intended for Wingo caused some contact by the defensive back in coverage that went uncalled and led to a drive that ended with another sack of Ewers.

A completion to Stowers and a penalty on Texas sophomore cornerback Manny Muhammad helped Vanderbilt get to the edge of field-goal range, where Brock Taylor connected from 54 yards to make it 21-10 at halftime with the Commodores receiving the opening kickoff the second half.

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Third quarter

Aided by the the halftime break, the Texas defense came out prepared to key on the Vanderbilt running backs, forcing the Commodores into a third and long situation that resulted in a poorly-executed screen pass that fell incomplete.

Sophomore running back Quintrevion Wisner picked up 10 yards on a zone play to open the second half for the Texas offense, then Ewers found him under pressure on a check down for a 12-yard gain down the sideline. After a false-start penalty on junior right guard DJ Campbell, Wisner picked up nine yards before a loss of a yard put the Horns in 3rd and 7, which forced a timeout by Lea. Wisner converted it with a 20-yard run up the middle.

Afforded a fresh set of downs, Ewers hit Helm for a short gain over the middle and Wisner moved the chains again with a six-yard run. On a run-pass option, Ewers was given a throw read and then had the window closed on his intended target, taking a sack before failing to find Wingo in the end zone. Clutching and then throwing after climbing the pocket on 3rd and 15, Ewers had the ball go through Wisner’s hands, narrowly avoiding an interception before Bert Auburn converted a 40-yard field goal.

The Vanderbilt offense continued to struggle dealing with Pavia’s dinged ankle, running it twice before a third-down incompletion forced by Texas freshman cornerback Kobe Black, leading to a 19-yard return by Bolden, his second strong effort of the game.

Able to pick up a first down on two plays, the Commodores blew up a screen pass, resulting in another tipped interception against Ewers. Trying to hit a shot play on the sudden change, Pavia misfired badly, leading to a pass broken up by Barron on third down in four-down territory for Vanderbilt. Against physical coverage by Muhammad, Pavia benefited from the handsy approach from the sophomore, drawing a pass-interference penalty and extending the drive. Pavia picked up 13 more yards on a run and catch over the middle before gaining five tough yards up the middle on consecutive runs. Trying to target Stowers over the middle against Taaffe didn’t pay off, however, forcing a fourth-down attempt that Pavia completed through traffic on a roll out to make it a single-score game at 24-17.

Blue was dropped for a two-yard loss on a first-down run and Ewers had to check down to Moore for six yards on second down, setting up 3rd and 6, a completion to Wingo to move the chains. Another first down was the result of Blue making a nice move on the open field on a check down, ending the third quarter facing a 2nd and 2.

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Fourth quarter

On a 3rd and 1 that Wisner successfully bounced outside for a conversion, Niblack was called for holding and Ewers was sacked again. Then the punt returner for Vanderbilt was able to escape what looked like a sure stop for minimal gain, picking up 15 yards. After picking up one first down, two runs by Pavia up the middle set up 3rd and 6, a check down by Pavia under pressure that lost a yard and sent the punt unit onto the field for the Commodores.

For whatever reason, Texas didn’t like the look in possible fake punt territory and took a timeout before Vanderbilt punted it away and took a penalty for catch interference.

Banks was quickly called for a second holding penalty on an outside zone run by Wisner. Behind the chains, Ewers threw incomplete on a hitch route intended for Bolden and then missed badly under pressure on a shot play intended for the Oregon State transfer. Facing 3rd and 20, Ewers was able to climb the pocket and hit Bolden over the middle for a massive first down and 24-yard gain.

But Wisner was only able to gain one yard on his first-down run, Ewers had to throw the ball away under pressure on second down, and his third-down attempt to Moore was short of the chains even if Moore had been able to come up with the diving catch, which he was not.

Punting the ball away, Kern managed a 40-yard effort, giving the Commodores a chance to tie or take the lead with 8:09 remaining.

Pavia completed two short passes to pick up a first down, gained five yards on a run of the middle, and was able to avoid a sack on second down by throwing a ball away under pressure. The Texas defense forced a check down on third down and Vanderbilt went for it on 4th and 2 with Pavia under heavy pressure and forced to lob up a prayer intercepted by Lefau.

When Blue picked up a solid gain on a first-down run, Helm was called for holding on the slice zone, a questionable call. Behind the chains, the second attempt at a first-down run gained little yardage, but Ewers was able to find Wingo for 14 yards before Blue gained 23 yards on a 3rd and 9 Counter play.

The offense stalled in the red zone at the two-minute warning, but was able to take a seemingly decisive 10-point lead on a 23-yard field goal by Auburn.

In another critical mental error by Texas, redshirt senior defensive tackle Vernon Broughton was flagged for a justifiable personal foul penalty for targeting Pavia on another prayer that the Longhorns intercepted, this time a 72-yard return by Black for a touchdown negated because of the penalty that will keep Broughton out for the first half of the Florida game following the bye week.

The penalty also kept alive any chances of the Commodores pulling off an incredible, unlikely comeback, but a blitz forced a throwaway by Pavia as the clock factored against Vanderbilt with 70 seconds remaining. Another throwaway set up 3rd and 10, when Pavia fired a dart for a conversion into the red zone, maintaining some hope consolidated by a touchdown pass from Pavia with 46 seconds remaining.

Having failed to recover seven consecutive onside kicks, Vanderbilt had to attempt the effort after a timeout by Texas and Moore recovered it easily to gain possession with 44 seconds remaining and the Commodores possessing two timeouts, setting up victory formation for the Longhorns and the program’s first SEC road win, 27-24.