NASHVILLE, Tenn. -- Diego Pavia threw for a career-high 484 yards and five touchdowns and No. 14 Vanderbilt beat Kentucky 45-17 Saturday as the Commodores kept their hopes for a College Football Playoff berth alive going into the regular-season finale.

"This needed to be a statement win for us," Vanderbilt coach Clark Lea said.

Pavia, who struck yet another Heisman Trophy pose celebrating with teammates, set the program record, topping the 464 yards Whit Taylor had at Tennessee in 1981. Pavia also ran for 48 more yards and a sixth score.

"He's the best player in the country and deserves to be in the Heisman conversation," Lea said of Pavia. "He tips the field when he steps on it. There's only a few players in the world that when the ball's in your hand that they can take over a game

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