NASHVILLE, Tenn. — An offseason’s worth of hype went up in smoke in a little over three hours.
Virginia Tech suffered an embarrassing loss in its season opener, falling to Vanderbilt 34-27 in overtime after backup quarterback Collin Schlee’s fourth-down pass sailed incomplete through the back of the end zone.
The Hokies (0-1) were slow out of the gates, falling behind 17-0 in the first half, though they rallied to take a 27-20 lead in the fourth quarter on a 62-yard touchdown pass from Kyron Drones to Ali Jennings.
Vanderbilt answered with an 8-yard touchdown pass from Diego Pavia to Sedrick Alexander with 1:51 to play. The Commodores (1-0) had a chance to win it as time expired, but Brock Taylor’s 42-yard field goal sailed wide right.
No matter. Vanderbilt won it in overtime. Pavia, who ran for 104 yards, powered his way into the end zone for a 4-yard touchdown to start the scoring, giving the Commodores a 34-27 lead.
With Drones cramping late in the game, Schlee took over on the Hokies’ possession. After he ripped off a 14-yard run, the offense stagnated.
Schlee was sacked on third down to bring up a fourth-and-11 from the 13-yard line. The backup’s desperation pass sailed high and out of the back of the end zone, falling incomplete as Vanderbilt pulled off the improbable upset as two-touchdown underdogs.
Pavia accounted for 294 yards and three touchdowns in the win. It was Vanderbilt’s first victory against a power-conference opponent since 2022. The last time it beat a Power 4 or 5 non-conference opponent was in 2017 against Kansas State.
Drones threw for 322 yards and two scores in a losing effort. The Hokies had just 75 rushing yards on 30 carries.
It was Virginia Tech’s 11th straight non-conference loss against teams in the Power 4 or 5, a streak that dates back to the West Virginia opener at FedEx Field in 2017.
Vanderbilt took it to Virginia Tech in the first half, out-gaining the Hokies 165-86 and controlling the clock with a nearly 2:1 advantage in time of possession.
After getting a 43-yard field goal by Taylor on the opening drive, the Commodores seized great field position on the next possession when defensive tackle Glenn Seabrooks III snagged a tipped Drones screen pass out of the air and returned it 15 yards to the Hokies’ 26-yard line.
They capitalized early in the second quarter when Pavia hit Skinner on a 14-yard fade pattern in the end zone, going up over Mansoor Delane.
After Virginia Tech fizzled on its next drive, Vanderbilt went 80 yards in 12 plays, punching it into the end zone on a 7-yard touchdown run by Alexander to make it 17-0.
The Hokies got on the board in the final minute of the first half, getting a 40-yard field goal by John Love to make it 17-3.
Virginia Tech came out firing to start the second half, moving 83 plays in six yards to get into the end zone. Drones hit Jaylin Lane and Jennings for gains of 26 and 29 yards before Bhayshul Tuten rumbled into the end zone from 24 yards out, pulling the Hokies within 17-10.
Tech nearly forced a turnover of its own when Josh Fuga tipped a pass high into the air, but Delane couldn’t snag it downfield as it hit the turf. The Commodores took advantage on a disjointed drive that included a fumble Pavia somehow turned into positive yardage.
Vanderbilt was going to try a 54-yard field goal but drew a delay of game penalty that brought on the punt team. After a boot through the end zone, the Commodores were given new life when the Hokies were flagged for having two players with No. 0 on the field — Jennings and Keli Lawson.
Given a second chance, Vandy opted for a 53-yard field goal, with Taylor booting it through with distance to spare to make it 20-10 Commodores.
Tech cruised down the field on its next drive, with Benji Gosnell catching back-to-back passes for 17 and 26 yards, with a roughing the passer call tacking on another 15. The drive stalled, though, and the Hokies settled for a 38-yard field goal that cut the lead to 20-13.
The Hokies tied it up with 10:12 to play when Drones patiently let a screen develop and put nice touch on a lob pass to Tuten, who coasted into the end zone untouched for an 11-yard touchdown that knotted the game at 20.
Virginia Tech took its first lead on the next drive, going 97 yards and putting it in the end zone when Drones found Jennings wide open on a 62-yard connection for a touchdown.
It took Vanderbilt little time to even things up. The Commodores moved 70 yards in six plays, with just 2:24 coming off the clock, when Pavia escaped pressure and flung a pass out wide to an open Alexander, who scored an 8-yard touchdown, tying the game at 27 with 1:51 to play.
The Commodores had a shot to win it with a 42-yard field goal as time expired, but Taylor pushed it wide right, giving Virginia Tech new life, though Vandy won it in overtime.
Box Score: Vanderbilt 34, Virginia Tech 27 (OT)
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