Diego Pavia dove into the end zone on a 1-yard touchdown run with 1:52 left to give No. 10 Vanderbilt a 17-10 victory over No. 15 Missouri, Saturday in Nashville, Tenn.

On a day when the Heisman Trophy candidate Pavia struggled, Vanderbilt (7-1, 3-1 Southeastern Conference) survived thanks to a key defensive play by CJ Heard.

Coming free on a safety blitz, Heard stole a handoff exchange from Missouri quarterback Matt Zollers to Jamal Roberts, giving the Commodores the ball at the Tigers’ 44 with 7:02 left.

Nine plays later, Pavia scored on a second-down run as the Commodores enhanced their College Football Playoff credentials and damaged those of the Tigers (6-2, 2-2).

It was a defensive struggle until Vanderbilt’s Makhilyn Young scored on an 80-yard sprint on a misdirection play late in the third quarter to give the Commodores a 10-3 lead.

Missouri answered early in the fourth quarter as Matt Zollers directed a 75-yard drive, which he finished with a clutch 6-yard touchdown pass to Jude James on a fourth down play to tie it.

Zollers, a true freshman who had thrown only six passes in his college career, entered in the third quarter after starting quarterback Beau Pribula suffered a leg injury and was carted off the field.

Pribula, who completed 9 of 14 passes for 68 yards, was hurt when he was knocked backward on a quarterback keeper. Miles Capers made the stop at the 1-yard line on a fourth down play.

Zollers completed 14 of 23 passes for 138 yards. He directed a late 74-yard drive which fell just short as Missouri attempted to tie the game.

On the game’s final play, Kevin Coleman Jr. caught a 36-yard pass from Zollers but came down at the 1-yard line as time expired.

Pavia finished with 10 completions in 19 passing attempts for 129 yards with an interception. He rushed for 20 yards on eight carries. Both of his yardage totals were season lows in a game this year.

The defenses dominated the first half. After the teams traded punts on the game’s first six possessions, Robert Meyer gave Missouri a 3-0 lead with a 39-yard field goal midway through the second quarter.

Pavia answered with his best series of the game, completing four straight passes for 68 yards to set up a 38-yard field goal by Brock Taylor which tied it 3-3.

Missouri’s Ahmad Hardy, who entered as the leading rusher in the SEC, carried 20 times for 97 yards.

The win will likely keep Vanderbilt in the top 10 for the second straight week. Its last appearance in the top 10 was in 1947.

–Field Level Media