Disappointing Auburn hosts surprising Vanderbilt, hoping to keep bowl hopes alive

FILE – Auburn head coach Hugh Freeze walks off the field after a loss to New Mexico State in an NCAA college football game Saturday, Nov. 18, 2023, in Auburn, Ala. Auburn can cap Freeze’s first season back in the Southeastern Conference with a winning record by beating Maryland in the Music City Bowl. (AP Photo/Butch Dill, File)

Quarterback Diego Pavia and the surprising Vanderbilt Commodores will visit Auburn as the Tigers hope to keep their bowl hopes alive.

The Commodores are a win away from becoming bowl eligible for the first time since 2018. The Tigers must win three of their last four to make a bowl after finally picking up their first SEC victory against Kentucky.

The Commodores have already upset then-No. 1 Alabama and pushed No. 6 Texas to the brink. Pavia was quarterback of the New Mexico State team that upset Auburn last season at Jordan-Hare Stadium. He passed for three touchdowns in that game.

A key matchup is Auburn’s running game against Vanderbilt’s defense. Jarquez Hunter and the Tigers’ runners took over against Kentucky, totaling 326 yards on 50 carries with Hunter supplying most of it. The Commodores are allowing 114.8 yards per game on the ground, ranking 28th nationally. Auburn’s ground game ranks 47th with 178.6 ypg. Hunter leads the way with 863 yards and five touchdowns.

Hunter is coming off a monster game that the offense badly needed. His 278 rushing yards against Kentucky was the most by an FBS player this season and the fourth-most by an Auburn runner. Hunter rushed for a then-career high 183 yards and two scores in last year’s Auburn win over Vandy.

Vanderbilt QB Diego Pavia has been terrific this season after transferring from New Mexico State, where he led the team to a 31-10 upset of Auburn in 2023. Pavia ranks third in the SEC with a pass efficiency rating of 155.1. He leads all league quarterbacks with 537 yards rushing.

Facts & figures

Auburn has won all nine meetings in the series at home. … Vandy has nine current players and coaches who were part of New Mexico State’s win at Jordan-Hare Stadium. … Pavia also ran for three touchdowns and passed for another three in New Mexico State’s 2022 win over a Liberty team coached by Hugh Freeze, who is now at Auburn. … The Tigers held Kentucky to 70 yards rushing, the fewest by an SEC opponent since Mississippi State managed just 13 in 2022. … Vandy’s Eli Stowers ranks fifth among FBS tight ends with 496 yards receiving.

Kickoff for Vanderbilt (5-3, 2-2 SEC) at Auburn (3-5, 1-4) is Saturday at 11:45AM CDT on the SEC Network.

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