After going 3-10 against Kentucky, Auburn finally parted ways with Hugh Freeze, handing the reins to interim head coach D.J. Durkin. The Tigers hoped a new voice on the sideline would bring stability and perhaps end Diego Pavia’s Vanderbilt hot streak. After leading them with a 20-10 score in the first half, it seemed like a done deal for the Tigers. But then came the third quarter’s rookie mistake that gave Vandy a last hope to survive, dragging the Tigers down in the game.

With 7:44 left in the third, Diego Pavia launched a 57-yard touchdown pass to Tre Richardson, who found himself completely uncovered beyond the 15-yard line. That single play flipped the score, giving Vanderbilt a 24-23 lead. Not one Auburn defender was within 15 yards of Richardson when he scored. A lousy mistake for a unit ranked ninth nationally in rush defense. Yet, in fairness to Durkin, the call wasn’t reckless. He made it to try and pressure the quarterback and make a big defensive stop. But the play backfired and ended up costing Auburn instead.

This moment didn’t just turn the entire game for Vanderbilt, but also turned into a big moment for a guy who’s been doubted his entire life. “I’ve been doubted everywhere,” Richardson said. “Every school I go to, they’d be like, ‘Oh, you came from a trash high school, you came from JUCO, you came from a D-II.’ So, I’m just showing anybody you can play from anywhere.” Richardson recorded a season-long 37-yard catch in the first half. This was another 30+ yard long reception by him after the Missouri game.

But despite Vanderbilt’s game-changing touchdown, Auburn’s Ashton Daniels quickly acted, rushing for another touchdown, which put the Tigers back in the lead with a 30-24 score. But then Diego Pavia made a 28-yard scramble and penalty, which helped Vanderbilt to regain the lead before entering the fourth quarter. This is when the game turned into a back-and-forth battle.

As Deigo Pavia ran for a touchdown to give Vanderbilt a 31-30 lead, they extended the lead to 38-30 with a 9-yard touchdown run by Sedrick Alexander. Even Auburn didn’t hold back as they responded with a 75-yard drive with a 23-yard touchdown to Cam Coleman, followed by a two-point conversion, which tied the game at 38 all. But that’s when Vanderbilt made a bold decision, which ended Auburn’s only chance to seal the win. In the end, Durkin’s aggressive call defined the night and handed him his first major blemish as interim head coach.

Diego Pavia’s game-changing decision

Vanderbilt had its big chance to win the game against Auburn. With just 1:06 left on the clock and the score tied 38:38, Vandy reached its 25-yard line. It was 4th and 1, which means they only needed one yard for a first down. Vanderbilt was already in field goal range, but that’s when things turned. Despite going for a safe field goal, Vanderbilt decided to go for it on fourth down.

That’s when Diego Pavia tried running for the first down, but Auburn’s defense stopped him for a 3-yard loss, turning the ball over. This ended Vandy’s only chance to take the lead. So why did Vanderbilt do it? Well, the answer is simple: clock management. If Vandy had kicked a field goal right away, the Tigers would have still had around a minute left to drive down the field and score again.

But if Diego Pavia had gotten that one yard, Vanderbilt could have run down the clock and made their game-winning field goal, giving no time to Auburn to respond. Well, the move was sure risky, and that’s what happened; failing to gain that single yard cost them a chance to win, but eventually the game went overtime. Even with that mistake, Vanderbilt owned the game and won with a 45-38 mark.

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