Birmingham Bowl lightning delay: When will Vanderbilt vs. Georgia Tech resume

With 7:17 left in the fourth quarter, action has been paused between Vanderbilt and Georgia Tech in the Birmingham Bowl due to lightning. As of the delay, Vanderbilt boasts a 35-13 lead over the Yellow Jackets.

While fans at the game certainly aren’t happy about the weather delay, perhaps it’s best for both teams to have a moment to cool down. Things got chippy between Vanderbilt and Georgia Tech in the third quarter, with several players exchanging words and shoves after plays.

Players weren’t the only ones feeling the heat. Georgia Tech head coach Brent Key was given an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty for shouting at an official after a questionable call. As the fourth quarter began, Vanderbilt head coach Clark Lea discussed the obvious tension between the two teams.

“It’s two competitive and tough teams,” Lea said. “Obviously, it’s getting a little chippy, but they’re playing hard. Both sides want to win, so that’s the first thing.

“It is about focusing. It is about the discipline, respect and spirit for us. We got to close the game out, which means we have to focus on our end, on execution, and doing things we need to do to finish against really good team.”

Vanderbilt showed a surplus of focus through the first eight minutes of the fourth quarter, rattling off 14 unanswered points and squeezing a fumble out of the Yellow Jackets.

Pending any further delays, the Birmingham Bowl will resume at 7:30 p.m. ET. If the Commodores pull out the win, it’ll be their first bowl victory since 2013. The game will be on ESPNU when it resumes.

Vanderbilt QB Diego Pavia granted extra year of eligibility

Vanderbilt quarterback Diego Pavia helped set in motion the granting of a waiver from the NCAA that will allow players who previously played at the JUCO level an additional year of eligibility for the 2025-26 season.

Pavia was previously granted an additional season of eligibility after his motion for a preliminary injunction was approved by the U.S. District Court of Middle Tennessee. Monday, the NCAA Division I Board of Directors granted a waiver that will apply to athletes across every sport. 

Amid the credit he was receiving for the ruling, Pavia took to social media to react to the news.

“Don’t thank me, THANK GOD,” he wrote.