BLACKSBURG, VA — Vanderbilt football pulled away from Virginia Tech in the second half, not allowing a touchdown after halftime in its 44-20 win on Sept. 6.
The Commodores (2-0) saw a strong performance from Diego Pavia but an even better performance from the run game, with 264 yards (excluding kneel-downs) with just six negative yards.
That doesn’t mean the game was without issues. Penalties were significant, as Vanderbilt was called for 11 for 77 yards, compared to just three penalties for 30 yards for Virginia Tech.
Here’s what I liked and didn’t like:
What I liked
Rushing offense
Vanderbilt’s rushing offense was nearly unstoppable in the second half. The production came from multiple sources as Pavia, Sedrick Alexander and Makhilyn Young all had success. Tre Richardson and Kayleb Barnett saw rushing production on jet sweep and reverse plays.
Tre Richardson’s skill
Richardson was an under-the-radar pickup in the transfer portal. He looks like the real deal after making some highlight reel-worthy catches, including one for a touchdown.
The Commodores still lack receiver depth, and that could be a problem in the future, but for now they seem to be in good hands as long as they have Richardson.
Rebounding after a slow start
Vanderbilt came back to dominate after a slow start and trailing 20-10 at halftime. Its ability to come back and win games in which it played poorly at times will be beneficial as the season goes on.
What I didn’t like
Turnovers
Vanderbilt led the country with just seven lost turnovers in 2024: three fumbles and four interceptions. It committed two in the first half against Virginia Tech. Pavia threw an interception after escaping pressure on one play after a holding flag had already been thrown. Alexander committed a fumble in Vanderbilt territory. Both turnovers led to Virginia Tech touchdowns.
Penalties
Penalties were an issue against Charleston Southern, too, so it’s concerning to see it crop up again. The Commodores especially had a high rate of procedural penalties, such as delay of game, offsides and ineligible receiver downfield.
While they overcame it in this game, that won’t always be the case if they can’t clean up the penalties when SEC play begins.
Brock Taylor’s missed extra point
The normally automatic Brock Taylor missed an extra point in the third quarter after the Commodores committed a false start. Though the penalty pushed the distance back, Taylor should still be expected to make it from that distance. It likely was just a blip; he missed just one extra point a year ago.
Aria Gerson covers Vanderbilt athletics for The Tennessean. Contact her at agerson@gannett.com or on X @aria_gerson.
This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: What I liked and didn’t like from Vanderbilt football vs Virginia Tech
