Diego Pavia passed for a school-record 484 yards and accounted for six touchdowns to lead No. 14 Vanderbilt to a 45-17 stomping of Kentucky on Saturday in Southeastern Conference play at Nashville, Tenn.
Pavia completed 33 of 39 passes and matched his career best of five touchdown passes in his final regular-season home game for the Commodores (9-2, 5-2 SEC). The Heisman Trophy candidate also rushed for 48 yards and a score and was intercepted once to help Vanderbilt improve its College Football Playoff at-large hopes.
Tre Richardson caught six passes for 159 yards and three scores for the Commodores. Junior Sherrill had eight catches for 115 yards and a touchdown and Richie Hoskins also had a touchdown reception as Vanderbilt rolled up 604 offensive yards.
Martel Hight intercepted two passes and Kolbey Taylor had one pick for the Commodores, who will look for the first 10-win season in program history when they play Tennessee in Knoxville on Nov. 29.
Cutter Boley completed 26 of 44 passes for 280 yards, two touchdowns and two interceptions for Kentucky (5-6, 2-6). J.J. Hester and Fred Ferrier II had fourth-quarter scoring catches for the Wildcats, who had a three-game winning streak snapped.
Pavia broke the Vanderbilt single-game mark of 464 passing yards set by Whit Taylor against Tennessee in 1981. This marks the second time that Pavia tied the school mark of five touchdown passes. Bill Wade (1950), Jay Cutler (2005) and Johnny McCrary (2014) also threw five.
After Hight’s second interception with 9:39 remaining in the game, Pavia trotted out with his offensive teammates. Then coach Clark Lea sent Blaze Berlowitz in to replace Pavia, who received a loud ovation from the Vanderbilt fans as he walked to the sideline.
The Commodores turned the game into a rout with three third-quarter touchdowns.
Pavia tossed a 7-yard scoring pass to Sherrill with 8:55 left in the quarter before scoring on a 6-yard run to make it 38-3 with 3:14 remaining. Pavia later tossed a 32-yard touchdown pass to Hoskins to push the margin to 42 with 1:17 left in the period.
Richardson scored three first-half touchdowns as Pavia’s co-star as Vanderbilt took a 24-3 advantage.
Brock Taylor kicked a 39-yard field late in the first quarter and Pavia followed with a 71-yard scoring pass to Richardson less than two minutes into the second quarter. Richardson scored on a 15-yard catch and run to give the Commodores a 17-point lead with 4:35 left in the half.
Jacob Kauwe booted a 47-yard field goal to get the Wildcats on the board with 59 seconds left in the half. Just 21 seconds later, Richardson caught a 56-yard scoring pass from Pavia as Vanderbilt held a 21-point halftime advantage.
