In this story:
Vanderbilt football came up with a huge road win Saturday, beating Mississippi State by a score of 25-23.
The Commodores snapped their five-game losing streak and got their first win of SEC play with the win while still being in the mix for bowl eligibility. Perhaps most importantly was the fact that Vanderbilt started to find an identity on the offense and defense.
It was the most complete game Vanderbilt has played all season after the defense came up with clutch stops that sealed the game. With another Vanderbilt game down, here is the latest stock report for Vanderbilt football.
Man oh man did Vanderbilt need a great performance from its defense and the defense delivered. Was it perfect? No. But it made the plays it needed to make and that is what mattered most.
The Commodores looked more like their identity on defense a season ago where they would allow yards throughout the game before they ultimately made the biggest plays in the biggest moments. Twice in the final five minutes Mississippi State threatened to tie the game and potentially force overtime and both times Vanderbilt did what it needed.
The Commodores got the third down stop to force a field goal from Mississippi State to hold onto a 22-17 lead. Then, they stopped the Bulldogs again on a two-point conversion that would have tied the game with 30 seconds left in regulation.
Not to mention, Vanderbilt forced four three-and-outs defensively in the first half that proved big in the grand scheme of the game. Vanderbilt showed maturity and resilience on defense.
Vanderbilt kicker Brock Taylor was the most valuable player in the game. In the week leading up to the game, Taylor talked about how he wished he had more field goal attempts this season, but that it was nobody’s fault he had not gotten as many opportunities as he would have liked.
Saturday, he got maybe the most field goal attempts he may ever get in his career. Taylor was a perfect 6-for-6 on field goals throughout the game as he hit multiple field goals beyond 50 yards. The impressive part of his performance was how easy he made each of his field goals look. Every make he had went through the uprights with plenty of distance to spare.
Taylor has aspirations to be a kicker in the NFL. The game he had against Mississippi State was about as good of a performance you will see at any level of football.
Coming into the game, Vanderbilt looked like it was outmatched on paper in terms of how well it could run the ball. The Commodores were the No. 128 rushing offense while Mississippi State was the No. 32 rushing defense entering the night.
Pick your champion (you can change it later). We’ll email you when brackets open.
No purchase necessary. 50 U.S./D.C. 18+. Entry opens 3PM ET Dec 6, 2026 and closes 8PM ET Dec 18, 2026. Void where prohibited.See for complete details. The College Football Playoff (CFP) is not a sponsor or administrator of this contest.
But none of that mattered Saturday. Vanderbilt ran for 160 yards on the ground with running backs Sedrick Alexander and MK Young combining for 36 carries in the game. Maybe it was not the biggest rushing numbers, but Vanderbilt did not have many negative runs that set itself behind the chains.
Vanderbilt was able to stay on schedule defensively and it was because it was able to run the ball. A big reason for the running attack working was Vanderbilt’s offensive line. The Commodores were able to establish a push against a tough defensive front, something they have not been able to do a lot this season.
The positive performance gives hope that Vanderbilt has something to build off the next three weeks.
Vanderbilt freshman safety Mason Lewis has already had a great season. He won the starting job at STAR in the first month of the season and has been productive in his first season. Saturday, that type of performance continued.
Lewis led all Vanderbilt players with 10 total tackles, including three solo tackles. Lewis also had one-and-a-half tackles for loss. He was making plays everywhere for the Commodores. Lewis is a guy that gives the coaching staff plenty of hope for the future of this defense given his ability as a young player.
Vanderbilt tight end Jayvontay Conner had his quietest game of the season Saturday with just one reception for two yards.
Conner showed plenty of promise to begin the season with 10 catches for 117 yards through his first two games as a Commodore. Since then, Conner has caught a combined six passes for 51 yards and a touchdown.
Conner is not a bad player, he just has not been involved as he was to start the season. Part of that is that Vanderbilt has played tougher opponents and the other part is Cole Spence’s return from injury against Auburn Sept. 26.
On a day where Vanderbilt’s defense was one of the biggest stories, EDGE rusher Brian Allen Jr. was another player that did not get involved much.
Allen Jr. finished the game with just one tackle. It was his first game returning from an ankle injury that kept him out of the Kentucky game, so perhaps that had something to do with his low production. Whatever the reason, it would help the defense overall if he was able to find ways to get more involved.
Follow us on Twitter/X, Facebook, YouTube, Instagram, and TikTok for the latest news.
Graham Baakko is a writer for Vanderbilt Commodores On SI, primarily covering football, basketball and baseball. Graham is a recent graduate from the University of Alabama, where he wrote for The Crimson White, WVUA-FM, WVUA 23 as he covered a variety of Crimson Tide sports. He also covered South Carolina athletics as a sportswriting intern for GamecockCentral.
© 2026 ABG-SI LLC – SPORTS ILLUSTRATED IS A REGISTERED TRADEMARK OF ABG-SI LLC. – All Rights Reserved. The content on this site is for entertainment and educational purposes only. Betting and gambling content is intended for individuals 21+ and is based on individual commentators' opinions and not that of Sports Illustrated or its affiliates, licensees and related brands. All picks and predictions are suggestions only and not a guarantee of success or profit. If you or someone you know has a gambling problem, crisis counseling and referral services can be accessed by calling 1-800-GAMBLER.
