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 to extend their winning streak to three.
Vanderbilt coach Clark Lea wasn’t pleased with the energy of his team in the first half, but he was proud they found a way to win.
“We were good enough tonight to come out with a good result,” Lea said. “How many times do you have to be in these games to realize there is never an opportunity where you can come out and play out of focus from your own identity or at a low energy and expect to win?
“We did enough tonight to win but… I didn’t love the energy level and that is something we will talk about.”
Brock Taylor connected on all three of his field-goal attempts for Vanderbilt (5-2). Diego Pavia, playing despite suffering an injury in a 20-13 victory over Kentucky last time out, completed 17 of 31 passes for 275 yards with 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 effort, running 9 yards for the touchdown.
“We couldn’t have started the game on better terms,” Ball State coach Mike Neu said. “I’m proud of the fight from this team and the way we battled. We knew it was going to be a street fight. In the second half, we had some negative plays that hurt us.”
Vanderbilt (5-2) 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.
“We’re a team that’s not beating ourselves right now, and in college football that is going to go a long way in positioning you at least within striking distance of the results you want,” Lea said. “Obviously, as we stare down the teeth of our schedule coming up in the next five games starting with Texas, we can’t lose that aspect of our identity.”
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.
Ball State was led in tackles by Joey Stemler with six, five assisted, a career high.
UP NEXT
Vanderbilt will host No. 1 Texas on Saturday afternoon.
Ball State will host Northern Illinois on Saturday afternoon.
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