VUFB Game Week – Georgia State – Vanderbilt Commodores

Nationally-ranked Commodores return home with first of two straight nonconference matchups
Game 4: 20/23 Vanderbilt (3-0) vs. Georgia State (1-2)
When: Saturday, Sept. 20 • 6:30 p.m.
Where: FirstBank Stadium • Nashville, Tenn.
Watch: ESPNU (Jay Alter and Rocky Boiman)
Listen: 102.5 The Game (Andrew Allegretta, Norman Jordan and Kevin Ingram)
STREAK SNAPPED
• Vanderbilt exorcized its longest active SEC losing streak with a dominating 31-7 win at No. 11/10 South Carolina in Week 3.
• For a second-straight week, the Commodores pitched a second-half shutout, outscoring the Gamecocks 17-0 down the stretch. Including their go-ahead touchdown in the second quarter, the Dores ran off 24 unanswered points against the Gamecocks.
• Vandy’s defense forced four turnovers in the victory, the most for the Commodores since October 2022. Zaylin Wood and Bryan Longwell each snagged interceptions while Bryce Cowan and Randon Fontenette both forced fumbles for the first time in their careers.
• Offensively, Diego Pavia threw for 177 yards and two touchdowns, his fourth-straight game with multiple TD passes. Jamezell Lassiter and Sedrick Alexander each added rushing touchdowns for the Dores.
• The win over South Carolina was the first for the Commodores since 2008, snapping a 16-game skid against the Gamecocks. It also marked Vanderbilt’s first road win over an AP-ranked foe since knocking off No. 6 South Carolina in Columbia in 2007.
POLL PLACEMENT

• Vanderbilt returned to the polls, coming in at No. 20 in the AP poll and No. 23 in the coaches poll.
• The No. 20 mark in the AP poll is Vanderbilt’s highest ranking since 2008 when the Dores reached No. 13.
• It’s the second consecutive season the Dores have appeared in the polls, marking the first occurrence since 2012 and 2013. It is just the second time Vanderbilt has reached the top 25 in consecutive seasons since 1956 and only the sixth occurrence in the AP poll’s 90-year history.
CONTROLLING THE SEAS
• Vanderbilt’s defense ranks 18th nationally, holding opponents to just 237 yards per game through three contests in 2025. The Dores rushing defense is tied for 17th nationally, surrendering only 82.3 yards per game on the ground. The pass defense ranks 28th nationally, allowing 154.7 yards per game and is tied for eighth with just one passing TD against this season.
• The Commodores defense surrendered just 135 total yards to Charleston Southern in the season opener.
• The 135 yards were the eighth-lowest total allowed in the past 30 seasons by Vandy. It was also the second-lowest output by an opposing offense in the season opener.
• The Commodore defense racked up three sacks and totaled seven stops behind the line of scrimmage.
• Bryce Cowan led the Dores’ defense with five tackles, one shy of his career-best six set against Tennessee in 2023.
• Miles Capers led the black and gold with 2.5 tackles for loss, including a strip sack. The forced fumble was the fourth of Capers’ career, extending his team-leading total. The 2.5 tackles for loss total was a career best for Capers as well.
• The Dores followed by holding Virginia Tech to just 248 total yards, including a stifling 21-yard second half, in the Week 2 win. Nick Rinaldi led the way with six total tackles and a career-best 2.5 stops behind the line of scrimmage. Rinaldi, Khordae Sydnor and CJ Heard all recorded their first sacks.
SECOND HALF SUPERIORITY
• Vandy has owned the second half to start the season, outscoring opponents 68-3 through the opening three games.
• The Commodores have outgained their opponents 592-258 in the second half this season.
• Vandy has scored on 11-of-14 second half drives (excluding kneeling out the clock), including nine touchdowns.
• Vanderbilt’s three second-half points allowed are tied for the fewest nationally, while its 258 yards surrendered in second halves ranks eighth in total yards allowed, third among teams with three games played, and fourth in yards/game in the second half.
HEARD HIM
• Safety CJ Heard leads the Commodores with 17 tackles through his first three games in the black and gold while adding a sack, three quarterback hurries and an interception.
• Heard has been especially impactful in the last two weeks, racking up a season-high 12 tackles and adding a QB hurry to lead the Dores in the win at South Carolina. The 12 stops were one off his career high of 13. At Virginia Tech, Heard announced his presence with five tackles, a sack and two QB pressures.
• The FAU transfer snagged his first career interception in the season opener against Charleston Southern.
RINALDI RISING
• Former walk-on and now senior linebacker Nick Rinaldi has continued his exceptional work to begin 2025. After a career-best season featuring 52 tackles, 6.0 tackles for loss and five sacks in 2024, Rinaldi has already piled up 5.0 tackles behind the line and a pair of sacks in three games this season.
• His five tackles behind the line of scrimmage and his two sacks both lead the Dores this fall.
• Rinaldi was all over the field in the win at No. 11/10 South Carolina, racking up seven tackles, 2.5 TFL and a sack. His performance earned him Burlsworth Trophy Walk-On of the Week honors.
• In the win at Virginia Tech in Week 2, Rinaldi led the Dores with six tackles, 2.5 TFL and a sack. He also added a QB hurry to the ledger.
• The back-to-back games with 2.5 TFL are tied for his career high and are the only consecutive games with multiple TFL in his career.
SHERRILL STILL ROLLING
• Junior Sherrill snagged his second touchdown reception of the season in the win at South Carolina, tying him for the team lead alongside Sedrick Alexander. Sherrill is third on the team with eight catches while averaging 9.9 yards per reception in 2025.
• He continued his impactful play from 2024 with three catches and a touchdown in the opening game of the 2025 season. The touchdown grab was the seventh of Sherrill’s career to begin his junior season.
• Sherill finished his rookie year with 20 receptions for 293 yards and two touchdowns while playing in all 12 contests. He surpassed all three totals in 10 games last season.
• The Nashvillian has made at least one catch in 27 straight games.
• Sherrill received the opening kickoff vs. Tennessee and returned it 100 yards to the house for Vandy’s longest kickoff return for a touchdown since 2014.
• He had a personal-best five catches for 62 yards and a receiving touchdown vs. No. 5/6 Texas on Oct. 26, 2024.
• Sherrill was rated the No. 8 freshman wide receiver in the nation by Pro Football Focus in 2023.
WHITE ANCHORING THE LINE
• Graduate center Jordan White has provided an instant impact for the Commodores in his first season in the black and gold. The veteran has recorded Vandy’s top overall and run block grades in each of the first three weeks.
• White was named the SEC Co-Offensive Lineman of the Week for his performance in the win at No. 11/10 South Carolina, helping the Commodores roll up 22 first downs while averaging better than five yards per play and controlling the ball for 35:43. White did not allow a pressure on 30 pass snaps in the victory.
• For the season, White is Vandy’s highest graded offensive lineman both overall and in run blocking. He is second on the team in pass block, just 0.1 off a tie for the best PFF grade in dropbacks. He has allowed just two pressures in 91 snaps and has not surrendered a sack.
LET’S TALK LASSITER
• Sophomore walk-on Jamezell Lassiter broke free for a 44-yard touchdown run in the win at South Carolina, his second TD carry of the season.
• Lassiter’s other TD run came from 35 yards out against Charleston Southern in the opener.
• The pair of touchdowns represent Lassiter’s only two career rushes, making him the first Commodore to score on each of his first two career carries since at least 2002.
• The 44-yard TD rush is Vandy’s longest TD scamper of the season.
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