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 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 Pri
