NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — The Vanderbilt Commodores needed some fourth-quarter magic to rally for a 24-14 victory over Ball State on Saturday night at FirstBank Stadium.
Brock Taylor connected on all three of his field-goal attempts for Vanderbilt (5-2). Diego Pavia completed 17 of 31 passes for 275 yards and one touchdown and a two-point conversion, while rushing for a team-leading 82 yards on 13 carries — including a fourth-quarter touchdown. Eli Stowe caught the lone touchdown pass. Cole Spence made the play for the 2-point conversion.
Ball State (2-5), a member of the Mid-American Conference, scored a touchdown on its first possession with Kadin Semonza completing all six of his passes on the drive. Kiael Kelly put the finishing touches on the drive, running 9 yards for the touchdown.
Vanderbilt started slowly on offense with Ball State’s defense stepping up in the red zone. A first-quarter drive by the Commodores stalled on the Ball State 9-yard line forcing a 27-yard field goal by Taylor. In the second quarter, Ball State once again kept Vanderbilt out of the end zone with the drive ending on the 6-yard line. Taylor was on target with a 24-yard field goal.
Late in the second quarter Vanderbilt’s offense, starting at its own 3-yard line, finally found the end zone when Pavia connected with Stowe for a 41-yard touchdown. Pavia then found Spence with a pass in the end zone for the two-point conversion and a 14-7 edge at the half.
Ball State tied the game in the third quarter when Semonza threw a 7-yard touchdown pass to Tanner Koziol.
Taylor gave the Commodores the lead for good in the fourth quarter with a 38-yard field goal for a 17-14 advantage.
The final touchdown drive for the Commodores ended with a quarterback keeper by Pavia, who ran it in from 5 yards out to close out the drive.
THE TAKEAWAY
The Commodores’ offense managed a total of 422 yards against a Cardinals defense that was giving up an average of more than 500 yards a game.
Pavia was a key once again as Vanderbilt converted 8 of 13 third-down attempts.
The Commodores were led in tackles by Nick Rinaldi, a junior walk-on, with seven — five of them solo with one sack.
UP NEXT
Vanderbilt will host No. 1 Texas on Saturday afternoon.
Ball State will host Northern Illinois on Saturday afternoon.
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