NASHVILLE, Tenn. — On Nov. 5, staring at a 3-6 record and five-game losing streak, Vanderbilt’s postseason hopes were hanging by the thinnest of threads. Two weeks later the Commodores have their biggest game in four years ahead of them.
“It’s all part of the journey,” Vanderbilt head coach Clark Lea said. “I don’t think we can have this moment without (the prior) moment. I just don’t live that way. Everything we experience is designed for us, it doesn’t happen to us. It is through that adversity that we become.”
A 31-24 victory over Florida on Saturday at FirstBank Stadium puts Vanderbilt one win short of bowl eligibility. The defeat of the Gators (6-5, 3-5 SEC) followed much of the same script used in the previous week’s defeat of Kentucky: a dominant run game, a structured and sound defensive effort and a prayer at the end.
That dedication led to the team’s first back-to-back SEC wins since 2018, its first win against Florida since 2018 and the end of a 12-game home losing streak against league opponents.
Vandy (5-6, 2-5 SEC) now hosts rival Tennessee (9-1, 5-1 SEC) at 6:30 p.m. Saturday, and it must win to earn a 13th game for Team 2.
“Right now it’s going to be, ‘Let’s celebrate today, let’s shift focus to our final game, let’s fight to extend this season,’ ” Lea said. “I think that we’ve learned a lot through the course of this season, and we’ll take that learning forward as a program. But still—a lot ahead of us.”
Vanderbilt was in total control going into the fourth quarter with a 28-12 lead. But less than three minutes into the period, Florida quarterback Anthony Richardson connected on a 74-yard bomb to Daejon Reynolds, bringing the score to 28-18.
Vandy milked 5 1/2 minutes off the clock from there, running at will and dictating the game as it drove to the 21. But a first-down pass from Wright toward the end zone on the left sideline was picked off by Jason Marshall, giving the Gators life again.
But the Vanderbilt defense stood tall and forced a turnover on downs which was followed shortly by a 27-yard Joseph Bulovas field goal with 4:38 left putting the Commodores up 31-18.
The Gators refused to die, getting a 16-yard touchdown pass from Richardson to Reynolds with 3:13 on the clock. They got the ball back one last time with 46 seconds remaining and the ball resting on their own 9.
Florida drove to the Vanderbilt 34-yard line, but Richardson’s final desperate heave for the end…