NASHVILLE, Tenn.—A dream start for Vanderbilt turned into a nightmare finish as No. 8 Tennessee scored 29 unanswered points in a 36-23 defeat of the Commodores at FirstBank Stadium on Saturday.

Vanderbilt led 14-0 within the game's final minutes but the Vols (538 yards of offense to Vanderbilt's 212) proved too much from there.

Tennessee's Nico Iamaleava threw for four scores while Diego Pavia (8-of-17, 104 yards, one score, one interception) was limited through the air.

On a chilly, sunny day with the temperature hovering around 40, Tennessee won the coin toss and deferred its choice the the second half. The Vols’ Josh Turbyville booted a high kickoff to Vanderbilt’s Junior Sherrill, who fielded it near the right hash, cut back to the left and ran 100 yards untouched to the end zone.

On the Vols’ second snap, Vanderbilt’s CJ Taylor ripped the ball loose from Dylan Sampson and linebacker Nick Rinaldi fell on it at the Vol 26.

Seven plays later, Sedrick Alexander followed blockers to the right and added a 4-yard scoring run with 10:22 left in the first quarter.

Tennessee struck back its next trip when Iamaleava hit Chris Brazzell II on third-and-14 and then found Dont’e Thornton in single coverage for a 28-yard score on the next snap.

Vanderbilt answered, driving 61 yards on seven plays to get a 32-yard Brock Taylor field goal with 4:01 remaining in the first quarter.

Vanderbilt then stuffed the Vols on consecutive third and fourth downs with a yard to go, taking over at the Vol 45 but Tennessee’s Jermod McCoy picked Pavia in the end zone to snuff that out.

A play later, Vanderbilt’s Martel Hight picked Iamaleava at the Vanderbilt 34 but Vanderbilt gave it back after a fourth-and-2 fell short thanks to a Will Brooks sack at the Tennessee 47. T

he Vols converted that into three when Max Gilbert bounced a 50-yard field goal off the crossbar and over, making it 17-10.

After the Commodores’ first punt, Iamaleava found Thornton for a short throw near the right hash; Thornton cut to his left and out-ran the Vanderbilt secondary for an 86-yard score.

Iamaleava found tight end Miles Kitselman in the end zone behind a defender and hit him with an 18-yard touchdown with 22 seconds left in the half.

The Vols tacked on an Iamaleava touchdown pass to Mike Matthews, a safety on Alexander and a Gilbert field goal in the second half before Pavia found Richie Hoskins with 5:53 left for the game's final points.

Vanderbilt will now await a likely bowl bid somewhere, which will be announced after the completion of next week's conference title games.