Game Preview: No. 5 Texas vs No. 25 Vanderbilt

The Texas Longhorns (6-1, 2-1) were served a large piece of humble pie last week against the Georgia Bulldogs. The Longhorns were the number one-ranked team headed into last week’s game but looked outmatched at times. After the loss, they fell to number five in the polls. There is no time for the Texas players or staff to sulk over the loss as a capable Vanderbilt team awaits this weekend.

This is not the Commodore team we have come to know since James Franklin left for Penn State in 2014. Texas heads to Nashville to take on a Vanderbilt team that is ranked in the regular season AP Poll for the first time since 2008. The Commodores beat Alabama at the start of October, one week after Alabama beat Georgia in a thrilling game. Vanderbilt is undefeated at home this season. The Longhorns need to put the Georgia loss behind them quick or it will beat them.

The Man Behind the Vanderbilt Resurgence

Transfer quarterback Diego Pavia came to Vanderbilt from New Mexico State with mild expectations on a national scale. Pavia showed his talent at New Mexico State with 33 total touchdowns, but thejump from New Mexico State to the SEC is a large one. However, Pavia has improved his completion percentage from 60% last season to 66% this season. With the struggles of Quinn Ewers and Carson Beck, Pavia may be in line to be the first-team All SEC quarterback.

Pavia will present the dual threat factor unlike any quarterback the Longhorns have faced in 2024. He has nearly 500 yards of rushing to go along with 1,400 yards passing through seven games. Look for a lot of Pavia on the ground against the Longhorns. In the victory versus Alabama Pavia had 20 carries. Look for a similar work load against the Longhorns. Vanderbilt will look to follow a similar recipe they had against Alabama which is to have the ball in Pavia’s hands as much as possible.

3rd Down Will Determine the Game

Vanderbilt is 5th in the nation in 3rd down conversation at 51%. They also lead the SEC in Time of Possession which means they will try and kill you by death of a thousand cuts. Long drives while keeping the Texas offense off the field is the recipe for the Commodores to pull off the upset. Texas will constitute the best defense Vanderbilt has played this season and will test Vanderbilt’s offensive recipe.

The Longhorns are allowing under 30% of 3rd down conversations in 2024 to opposing offenses. That is good for 10th in the nation. Something has to give with the Vanderbilt offense and Texas defense on 3rd downs. It’s hard to imagine that 3rd down when Vanderbilt has the ball will not go along way in determining who leaves Nashville with the victory.

Who Will Finish the Game at QB for Texas

There is no question who will start at quarterback for Texas and that is Quinn Ewers. Since returning from his abdomen injury, Ewers doesn’t look right. Before his injury, Ewers was playing the best football of his career and maybe the best in the nation at the quarterback position. Ewers missed a month of action which is no short amount of time to miss, but rust should not last more than one game at the most.

Ewers struggled against Oklahoma in his first action back, especially with missing receivers high. He seemed to settle in after the first quarter, but Oklahoma’s lack of offense negated Ewers’ ineffectiveness. Those struggles were magnified against Georgia. Ewers looked like he was playing scared in the loss to the Bulldogs. He was not stepping up in clean pockets or letting it rip when he needed to. That is why Steve Sarkisian put Arch Manning in for two drives before halftime. Ewers was given the reigns again after halftime but he needs to play better moving forward. If he plays timid or scared in Nashville, he is doing a disservice to the team and Sarkisian knows that.