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Vanderbilt stuns Virginia Tech, prevails in OT despite blowing 17-point lead
By Sydney Hunte
Published:
Vanderbilt pulled off a rather shocking 34-27 win in overtime over Virginia Tech in Nashville on Saturday.
The Commodores were double-digit underdogs against the visiting Hokies coming into this one, and for good reason. Clark Lea’s team had won just 9 games in his tenure coming into the contest, including 2-win seasons in 2021 and 2023.
But Vandy turned heads across college football after opening up a 17-0 2nd-quarter lead against Virginia Tech. The Hokies, though, stayed in it, ultimately taking a 27-20 lead with less than 4-and-a-half minutes remaining in regulation.
After Sedrick Alexander’s TD catch with just under 2 minutes to go saw the Commodores pull level, they had a chance to win it on a walk-off field goal, but Brock Taylor’s 43-yarder sailed to the right of the mark.
In overtime, though, Diego Pavia willed his team to the lead, running it in from 4 yards out as Vandy went up 34-27. And the Commodores’ defense held firm to keep the Hokies out of the end zone and pick up a season-opening win.
It was Vanderbilt’s first victory over an opponent from a power conference since beating Florida on November 19, 2022. It hadn’t scored that many points against a P4/P5 team since putting up 35 points in 2020 against Kentucky in a losing cause.
Can the Commodores make it 2-0? They host FCS Alcorn State in Week 2.
Sydney is an Atlanta-based journalist who has covered everything from SEC and ACC football to MLS, the U.S. men's national soccer team and professional tennis. His work has appeared on such platforms as SB Nation, Cox Media Group and FanSided.
