Missouri Tigers football moved up one spot in the AP Top 25 Poll to No. 15 after a 23-17 double overtime win against Auburn. Week 9 brings another road test, this time in the form of No. 10 Vanderbilt, which is fresh off a 31-24 win against former No. 10 Louisiana State University.
This is the first time the Tigers will see two AP Top 10 ranked opponents in the regular season since 2019. After losing to then No. 8 Alabama in Week 7, Mizzou has now lost its last 11 games to top 10 teams.
The Commodores, currently second in the Southeastern Conference in points per game, present a struggle for the Tigers’ defense. Vanderbilt hasn’t beaten the Tigers since 2019, but this isn’t the same team that was once on a 10-game conference losing streak from Nov. 26, 2022, to Oct. 4, 2024.
Scouting the Commodores
Graduate quarterback Diego Pavia has been at the forefront of Vanderbilt’s success this season. In seven games, he has completed 129 passes for 1,569 yards and 15 touchdowns while only having four interceptions. Pavia’s 70.49% completion rate is good for second in the SEC.
Graduate tight end Eli Stowers has been Pavia’s favorite target in the passing game, catching 28 passes for 355 yards and two touchdowns.
On top of his throwing capabilities, the 2024 SEC Newcomer of the Year is a threat on the ground. He leads the Commodores with 438 rushing yards and has tacked on four rushing touchdowns this season. Pavia rushed 17 times for 86 yards and two touchdowns in Vanderbilt’s upset win over LSU.
The Commodore’s backfield as a whole ranks third in the conference with 213 rushing yards per game.
A pair of juniors make up the committee-style run game. Sedrick Alexander has taken 63 carries for 361 yards and six touchdowns, and Makhilyn Young has accumulated 296 yards and four touchdowns on an astounding 11 yards per attempt in 27 carries.
It will be a big test for Mizzou’s front seven to get through Vanderbilt’s stout offensive line, as Pavia has only been sacked five times this season. For reference, the Tigers graduate quarterback, Beau Pribula, has been sacked 17 times.
Shifting to the defense, Vanderbilt is middle of the pack in the SEC for most stats. Its best trait is the ability to stop the run. The Commodores are only allowing 92.1 rushing yards per game and have given up just three rushing touchdowns.
Their monster trio on the defensive line of edge Miles Capers, defensive lineman Zaylin Wood and defensive lineman Khordae Sydnor have terrorized opposing quarterbacks. The graduate defenders have combined for 10 sacks, 17.5 TFLs and six pass breakups.
Vanderbilt has earned its No. 10 rank — the highest since 1947. Given its well-rounded roster and rowdy road environment, the Commodores could contend for the Tigers’ hardest matchup to this point.
Where Missouri has advantages
The Commodores haven’t seen a team with a pass rush as good as the Tigers. They have compiled 21 sacks this season, tied for fourth most in the conference. Missouri is also only allowing 83.6 rushing yards per game.
While Vanderbilt’s run defense is also strong, the offense should still move through sophomore running back Ahmad Hardy. The Power Four rushing leader has been held to under 60 rushing yards in back-to-back weeks, but has the explosiveness to make a big play happen on any handoff.
These two teams as College Gameday’s choice would seem unimaginable just a couple of years ago. Going from the bottom feeders of the SEC to top-15 teams in the nation is a testament to the effect of the transfer portal and NIL.
Gameday festivities begin at 8 a.m., and kickoff is set for 2:30 p.m. Oct. 25. Both will be broadcast on ESPN.
Jazzy • Oct 21, 2025 at 5:10 pm
Bottom feeders? MIZZ 10-3 Music city bowl last year and 11-2 Cotton bowl in ‘23. Quite a stretch from bottom feeder.