The upset No. 25-ranked Vanderbilt Commodores are becoming adept enough at the art of out-favored opponents to crack the AP Top 25 during the regular season for the first time since 2008, while the No. 5 Texas Longhorns appear at FirstBank Stadium in Nashville.

The Longhorns are looking to bounce back from last week’s disappointing home loss to the then Bulldogs, 30-15, while fourth-year Clark Lea has his program high at 5-2, also the best start for Vanderbilt since 2008, with upset wins over Alabama and Kentucky before a less impressive effort against Ball State last week.

Injury report

Texas enters the game without two key starters junior wide receiver Isaiah Bond (ankle) and senior safety Andrew Mukuba (knee), both of whom were officially ruled out by the Longhorns with the release of Friday’s injury report.

Because of that update, there’s nothing new to report from the team on Saturday as kickoff approaches at 3:15 p.m., Central on SEC Network, other than the brief flare-up of drama during warmups when Texas freshman wide receiver Ryan Wingo, was about to to receive Extensive playing time with Bond out, if not his first career start, clashing with a Vanderbilt staffer.

Wow.

First quarter

Some familiar themes emerged for Texas on the first possession after losing the coin toss and Vanderbilt deferring: a special teams penalty that hurt field position while attempting to return the opening kickoff and a major offensive error early when a throw from redshirt junior quarterback Quinn Ewers on a The run route that drew a run-pass option was deflected at the line of scrimmage.

It was the seventh first-quarter turnover this season for Texas, the most in the FBS thanks to three interceptions on the Longhorns’ last five opening possessions.

With the Longhorns defense forced into a sudden change situation defending a short field, the Commodores quickly took advantage and picked up a first down after gaining nine yards on a run to open the drive before quarterback Diego Pavia took part of unleashed his signature magic on third down. and 8, scrambling to the right and blowing up a corner by Texas junior nickelback Jaylon Guilbeau, who eventually pushed Pavia into the end zone after an impressive poise along the sideline.

The Horns worked on the perimeter in screening and perimeter passing and were able to generate some rhythm offensively, getting into the Commodores’ red zone with the help of a 31-yard catch and run by second-year wide receiver DeAndre Moore Jr. drive a well-placed throw to junior wide receiver Matthew Golden for a three-yard touchdown in the front corner of the end zone. The drive ultimately totaled nine plays and 75 yards to tie the game with 6:09 left in the first quarter.

When Vanderbilt called a straight handoff on 3rd-and-3 and came up short, it remained an odd play call until Lea opted to go for it on 4th-and-1 from the Commodores 34-yard line, gaining nine yards on one side won, a conversion negated by a procedural penalty for Vanderbilt.

And then Texas swung the momentum further when senior wide receiver Silas Bolden found a seam on the punt return and picked up 24 yards to the Vanderbilt 49-yard line.

The Horns consolidated it with a 20-yard gain on a deep over route by junior tight end Amari Niblack, who hadn’t played on offense since the win over UTSA six weeks ago and ended on a 3rd-and-8 conversion by Ewers and Moore who connected on a 27-yard touchdown.

Vanderbilt was able to scheme open running back Sedrick Alexander for a 15-yard gain on the first play from scrimmage after the ensuing kickoff, a play that ended with a tackle by Texas super senior cornerback Jahdae Barron, which led to a good-natured jawing of the two Austin-area products.

Second quarter

After Alexander moved the chains with a six-yard run to start the second quarter, Pavia hit a breakaway run-pass option for a 15-yard gain. Then the Horns made another big play, stopping the Commodores’ promising drive when juniors Jack and Ethan Burke deflected a pass from Pavia that was intercepted by redshirt junior safety Michael Taaffe.

Mistakes in the offensive line were exposed as Texas tried to capitalize on the turnover when junior right tackle Cam Williams was called for an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty on a nine-yard run by junior running back Jaydon Blue and junior left tackle Kelvin Banks was called for a holding penalty that led to a well-planned blitz by Vanderbilt that netted a quick sack of Ewers.

With Michael Kern back in a punter for the first time since the Mississippi State game, the freshman hit a ball deep to the 1-yard line, where it was caught by Moore.

Pavia created some space for Vanderbilt, keeping a four-yard read option on first down on a drive that nearly ended in disaster when Texas junior edge Trey Moore blew up a kick pass to the tight end which he nearly intercepted.

After a strong start on third down, the Horns quickly faced a 3rd and 7, with Ewers hitting senior tight end Gunnar Helm over the seam for a 24-yard gain that could have passed for more had Moore’s block not put the defender into Helm’s feet had tumbled. . Moore made up for it a play later by getting open down the left sideline and stepping through an arm tackle for a 25-yard touchdown reception, his fifth of the season.