The Commodores improved to 7-1 with a gritty 17-10 victory over Missouri, showing defensive dominance when it mattered most. Although Missouri’s front line deserves credit for pressuring Vandy all game, limiting their run game, and keeping QB Diego Pavia under fire. But despite being out-gained, Vanderbilt stayed gritty in the red zone and forced a crucial fumble in the 4th quarter to seal the win. Here’s where Vandy’s winning streak is about to be tested in their upcoming game.

On the October 27 episode of The Ruffino & Joe Show, Blake Ruffino previewed Week 10’s matchup between Vanderbilt and Texas, and he wondered aloud, stating, “Oh, well, is this the week that Vandy gets clipped?” Then he admitted, almost to himself, “I don’t know. I think that they are.” But Vandy keeps winning, with its only loss this season coming against Alabama.

Here, Ruffino noted the skepticism surrounding their recent victory over Missouri. “Everybody wants to not justify their win versus Missouri because Beau Pribula got hurt right before halftime. I get it. I guess I understand it.” It looks like Vanderbilt is being forced to prove every win isn’t just luck, as their defense has had its ups and downs this season.

Against Alabama and LSU, they struggled to hold opponents in check. But against Missouri, the Commodores looked sharp and limited the Tigers to just 4.8 yards per play. Although that’s a vast improvement compared to LSU and Bama, it’s not striking.

Perhaps that’s why Ruffino said the Commodores earned the win the hard way. “They came up with a fourth down stop, and he (Pribula) didn’t get in the end zone. I mean, he played half of that game, literally, and they forced him out of the game.”

While Ruffino made it clear there’s no ill will toward Missouri’s players, as he acknowledged the bigger picture. “At what point do you look at this team and say, ‘Look, man, this team has better athletes than Texas. They got a lot of really good dudes on defense.’ And they do,” said Ruffino. Missouri’s defense brought the heat, and the numbers don’t lie. Pavia earned a 53.7 overall grade from PFF on Saturday, marking his third-worst performance of the season. Even in Vanderbilt’s win, the Tigers’ defense made its presence felt every snap.

Now, as Vanderbilt gets ready to face Texas, and with ESPN odds suggesting they might lose despite their ranking, their ‘lucky’ streak is definitely being tested. Still, it can’t be overlooked that the team delivered at the perfect time. As Ruffino put it best, saying, “I like Clark Lee, man, and I like what this team has done.”

Now, while Vanderbilt keeps its winning streak alive on the path to the CFP, Diego Pavia made that stance clear.

Diego Pavia’s bold commitment

Diego Pavia has the fifth-best odds for the Heisman, but Saturday wasn’t his finest hour. The Vanderbilt QB looked off his game, managing just 129 passing yards and throwing a costly interception deep in his territory. But Pavia didn’t hold back when asked about their title appearance or CFP hopes. “Going into this next game, it’s one game at a time. Texas is a good team. They won tonight at a critical time, and we’ll see them at home. Dude, we’re really excited just to get another opportunity to play,” he said. Looking at Texas’s win against Mississippi State, he knows the challenge will be formidable, but he believes in his squad.

He praised the defense for “playing lights out” and the offensive line for their dedication. “Our O-line, they were coming up to me after the game and they’re like, ‘Yo, bro, sorry, sorry, sorry.’ And I’m like, ‘Dude, we won,‘” said Pavia. Finally, he summed up the mindset at Vanderbilt, stating that dominance is the new standard.

“They just want to play better and become so dominant. That’s the expectation of being a Vanderbilt football player now. Not these little-margin wins. It’s going out there and just laying it all on the line,” said the star QB. Although their dominance wasn’t as evident against Missouri, we’ll see how they manage to win against Texas.