Top 6 Vanderbilt memes cracking up the internet after Texas escape Week 9

The No. 25 Vanderbilt Commodores have been on a high since their shock Week 6 win against the Alabama Crimson Tide. They beat both the Kentucky Wildcats and the Ball State Cardinals to continue their good run of form.

In Week 9 of college football action, the feel-good factor was ended due to a narrow 27-24 loss to the No. 6 Texas Longhorns.

A huge part of the stellar effort was down to the performance of influential quarterback Diego Pavia, who went 16-of-29 for 143 yards, resulting in two touchdowns and two interceptions.

He added 67 yards on 16 carries, resulting in one touchdown in a chaotic game where the Commodores came to within a late scoring drive from registering the upset.

During his postgame news conference, formerly embattled Vanderbilt coach and now the toast of the SEC, Clark Lea, highlighted the importance of Pavia to the Commodores.

"Diego is a special player, a special competitor, and we need to enjoy him while we have him here for this final stretch," Clark Lea said. "I don't think that type of player comes around all the time.

"There is a toughness there that very few in my coaching career I've seen exhibit," Lea said. "You are just never going to count him out. I promise you, we were just looking for that onside kick."

After the narrow escape by the Longhorns, who were two-touchdown favorites against the Commodores, college football fans posted some hilarious memes about the game.

Vanderbilt one game away from bowl eligibility

The Vanderbilt Commodores' schedule before the season began did not countenance thinking about bowl eligibility. They had clashes against heavyweights like the Alabama Crimson Tide, Missouri Tigers and the Texas Longhorns within a month of each other.

However, coach Clark Lea's team is now one win away from becoming bowl-eligible for the first time since 2018, when the Commodores finished 6-6 under former coach Derek Mason. On that occasion, the team lost 45-38 to the Baylor Bears in the Texas Bowl.

According to a 247Sports prediction model, the Commodores are being mocked to be rewarded with the juicy Liberty Bowl against the Cincinnati Bearcats. It will be played on December 27 at the Simmons Bank Liberty Stadium, Memphis.

Vanderbilt has already massively exceeded expectations this season. Going toe to toe with the big guns in the Southeastern Conference and becoming bowl-eligible would be a perfect bow to what has been an encouraging season for the Commodores.