Vanderbilt broke a 40-year dropping streak in opposition to Alabama and obtained the primary win over a top-five staff in program historical past with a 40-35 stunner over the No. 1 Crimson Tide.
The Commodores obtained a pick-6 within the first half and put the sport away within the fourth quarter after Alabama QB Jalen Milroe fumbled as he was sacked.
Eight performs after Milroe’s fumble, Vanderbilt QB Diego Pavia discovered Kamrean Johnson for a six-yard TD on third down. It was one more third-down conversion for the Commodores in a day crammed with them.
Till Saturday, Vanderbilt hadn’t overwhelmed Alabama since a 1984 win in Tuscaloosa. And the collection hadn’t been shut in recent times. Within the 4 occasions Alabama performed Vanderbilt when the Crimson Tide was coached by Nick Saban, Vanderbilt scored a mixed 13 factors.
The Commodores hit that quantity within the first quarter on Saturday when Randon Fontenette intercepted a deflected move and ran it in 29 yards for a TD.
Alabama lower the Vanderbilt result in 5 on a fourth-down landing run by freshman sensation Ryan Williams. However Vanderbilt was in a position to run the clock out with three first downs and forestall Alabama from getting an opportunity to win the sport with one other landing.
Not solely is the win the primary for Vanderbilt over Alabama in 40 years, it is the primary time the Commodores have overwhelmed the Crimson Tide in Nashville since 1976. Alabama had received 23 consecutive video games over Vanderbilt relationship again to that 1984 win and Vanderbilt entered the sport 0-60 in opposition to groups ranked within the prime 5 of the AP Prime 25.
Diego Pavia is the king of Alabama
Final season, Diego Pavia was the beginning quarterback of a New Mexico State staff that ran Auburn out of its personal stadium. Saturday, he powered Vanderbilt to the largest win in program historical past.
Pavia’s switch to Vanderbilt wasn’t one of many largest switch portal strikes of the season. However it’s turned out to be one of the vital consequential already. He was extremely clutch all through the sport and threw simply 4 incompletions. Pavia was 16-of-20 passing for 252 yards and two TDs. His first TD got here on fourth down within the third quarter with the Commodores main by Alabama by simply two.
Vanderbilt was 12-of-18 on third downs and Pavia’s TD move was its solely fourth-down try. Alabama’s protection merely couldn’t get off the sector. Vanderbilt held onto the ball for over 40 minutes and didn’t flip it over whereas turning each of Alabama’s turnovers into touchdowns. That’s a recipe for an upset each single time.
An surprising loss for Alabama
Nobody would have guessed that Kalen DeBoer’s first loss as Alabama’s coach would come at Vanderbilt, a staff that was picked to complete final within the 16-team SEC. Make no mistake, the Commodores are feisty and have an opportunity to contend for a bowl this yr. And it’s clear that Alabama has some work to do.
The Tide seemed phenomenal within the first half in opposition to Georgia per week in the past earlier than letting the Bulldogs take the lead late forward of Ryan Williams’ heroics. Williams was superior once more on Saturday — he had a stupidly good TD catch within the fourth quarter — nevertheless it’s clear that he and Milroe can’t carry Alabama by themselves.
Milroe was 19-of-25 passing for 312 yards and accomplished passes to 9 completely different receivers. Williams had three catches for 82 yards and two complete scores. However the run recreation managed simply 84 complete yards and the protection gave up too many massive performs by means of the air.
Alabama’s playoff hopes aren’t shot by any means, however the Tide at the moment are the shining instance of simply how robust life within the SEC goes to be for all the prime groups. If Alabama is dropping on the highway to Vanderbilt, it’s arduous to see anybody else going undefeated through the common season.
