The Vanderbilt Commodores have taken down the No. 1-ranked Alabama Crimson Tide, 40-35, in one of the biggest upsets in college football history.
Source: NCAA (Photo: Courtesy)
Vanderbilt picks up its first win against an AP top-five team in the program’s history.
Kalen DeBoer has lost his first SEC road game just one week after the Tide were given the number one ranking. Alabama outscored Vanderbilt 172-13 in four matchups with the Commodores under Nick Saban.
Vanderbilt was 0-10 against AP No. 1 ranked teams and 0-60 versus top-five teams heading into this matchup in Nashville.
Vanderbilt head coach Clark Lea had a clear game plan — keep the ball out of Alabama’s hands. And the Commodores executed this plan to perfection. Vanderbilt more than doubled Alabama’s time of possession, 42 minutes to 18 for the Tide.
However, many underdogs attempt this strategy. So what was different?
Turnovers. Heisman hopeful Jalen Milroe threw a first-quarter pick-six, putting the Commodores up 13-0. Then in the fourth quarter, the Tide were driving the field, down 33-28. Vanderbilt came off the edge, blindsiding Milroe in the pocket, punching the ball out and recovering the fumble.
This play set up the game-sealing touchdown, as Vanderbilt took four and a half minutes to drive 53 yards, extending the lead to 40-28 with under five minutes to play.
On the other side of the ball, the Vanderbilt offense, captained by transfer quarterback Diego Pavia, made clutch play after clutch play as the Commodores went 12-18 on third down tonight. Last week, then-No. 2 ranked Georgia was 3-15 on third down against the Tide defense.
Pavia was an incredibly efficient 16-20 passing tonight, tallying 252 yards and two touchdowns in the air. Milroe finished 18-24 with 310 yards, a touchdown and a pick.
Vanderbilt (3-2, 1-1 SEC) will try to carry this momentum to Lexington next week as they take on Kentucky. As for Alabama (4-1, 1-1 SEC), it will look to bounce back against South Carolina at home before traveling to Knoxville to take on No. 4 Tennessee in two weeks.
