The low point of Vanderbilt football’s 2024 season was unequivocally the 36-32 loss to Georgia State.

On Sept. 14, 2024, the Commodores were simply punked by the Panthers. This didn’t prove to be an upset by an unexpectedly good team, either. Georgia State finished 3-9 with one of the three wins over an FCS team. Vanderbilt gave up 426 yards of offense, had a fumble and gave up a safety.

That game served as a wake-up call.

The Commodores are in a different place now. Going into the loss at Georgia State, Vanderbilt was not necessarily even expected to make a bowl game.

Now, the Commodores are potential College Football Playoff contenders − if they don’t get caught looking too far ahead to upcoming matchups against Alabama and LSU. Vanderbilt (3-0) will face Georgia State (1-2) at FirstBank Stadium on Sept. 20 (6:30 p.m. CT, ESPNU).

“The lesson is, we have to focus on the things that we control,” Vanderbilt coach Clark Lea said. “We have to focus on our execution, our structure and play a clean game. All we can do is our best, and we’ll measure that against Georgia State’s best.”

Here are the lessons Vanderbilt learned from the loss last year:

Vanderbilt didn’t heed Clark Lea’s warning before Georgia State loss

One of the issues that popped up before the Georgia State loss last year was a lack of focus and discipline in practices the week leading up to the game. Vanderbilt was coming off back-to-back wins over Virginia Tech and Alcorn State.

“We look at discipline, respect and spirit as something that needs to define our interactions, habits and behaviors, not just when we’re in this room or in the locker room on the practice field, but on campus and in the community,” Lea said. “I was not happy a year ago with the level of discipline that we were carrying … and then I think that carried over to the game.”

Lea sent a warning about that lack of discipline even before the game.

“This week, I felt like the mentality has lagged a little bit,” Lea said two days before the Georgia State game. He believes that the loss was the price the Commodores played for their lax preparation.

Since then, Lea hasn’t said anything similar, a testament that Vanderbilt has fixed the issue. There’s been a lot more winning on the field, too.

Why Diego Pavia, Vanderbilt can’t overlook anyone

The week after Vanderbilt lost to Georgia State, it kicked off SEC play at Missouri and lost in double overtime. The week after that, the Commodores beat Alabama.

Back then, Vanderbilt was confident it could beat Alabama, and it was right. But that confidence may have been focused in the wrong place.

The Commodores’ offensive scheme is designed to chew clock, which can lead to thinner margins in some games. That means they can’t overlook any opponent.

This lesson will loom large in the coming weeks for quarterback Diego Pavia and the Commodores, as the impending rematch with Alabama looms on Oct. 4, one day short of a year since the upset.

Pavia was 18-of-33 for passing for 270 yards and two touchdowns along with 15 carries for 40 yards and a fumble against Georgia State.

“We kind of just had in our mind that we were going to win that game already,” Vanderbilt’s Martel Hight said. “That’s where we failed last year. But this is a different team, so we’re going to approach the game way better this year.”

Loss helps Vanderbilt focus on Georgia State, not Alabama, CFP

Certainly, last year’s loss is a significant motivating factor for the 2025 team. In the pregame media sessions, no one was focused on Alabama or on the College Football Playoff. They know the dangers of overlooking an opponent.

“Today was a better day, yesterday was a better day, Sunday was a better day than we had a year ago this week,” Lea said. “Certainly, it’s really important to our players to show up and play well. … This is a team that is a year better from the experience last year and highly motivated to have a great season. And to have a great season, we need to be where our feet are.”

Something Vanderbilt always talks about is to focus on itself and not the opponent. If the Commodores play the way they are capable of, they will beat Georgia State just like they beat Virginia Tech and South Carolina.

And in the expanded College Football Playoff era, there are no unimportant games. When every loss weighs heavy, each game requires the same approach.

“This year, we’re more intentional,” Vanderbilt’s Randon Fontenette said. ” … Everybody showing up to where they’re supposed to be and doing what they’re supposed to do and last year it wasn’t that and you know how it happened.”

Aria Gerson covers Vanderbilt athletics for The Tennessean. Contact her at agerson@gannett.com or on X @aria_gerson.

This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: Vanderbilt football on upset alert again vs Georgia State?