The Vanderbilt Commodores celebrated a monumental achievement on Saturday, stunning the No. 1 Alabama Crimson Tide with a thrilling 40-35 victory, marking their first win against a top-ranked team in program history. Fans flooded the field, tearing down a goalpost and parading it through the streets before tossing it into the Cumberland River, a fitting tribute to a long-awaited triumph.
Running back Sedrick Alexander shone with two touchdown runs, while Randon Fontenette made a pivotal impact with a pick-six. Quarterback Diego Pavia outperformed Heisman contender Jalen Milroe, leading Vanderbilt to a victory that ended a 23-game losing streak against Alabama, a team they hadn’t beaten in 40 years. With this win, Vanderbilt improved to 3-2 overall and 1-1 in the conference, finally breaking a 0-60 record against top-five teams since the Associated Press poll began in 1936.
“This is the dream, right here,” said Vanderbilt head coach Clark Lea, an alumnus of the university. “For the next 12 hours, I’m going to enjoy the dream. This is what Vanderbilt football needs to be about: big wins on big stages. We’re going to go get some more.”
Alabama, fresh off an emotional victory against Georgia and ranked as the top team in the AP Top 25, entered the game as 22.5-point favorites. The loss marked a significant upset; it was the first time since 2008 that an AP No. 1 team lost as at least a three-touchdown favorite.
“We’re going to find out really how much we care about each other and what it looks like moving forward,” remarked Alabama’s first-year head coach Kalen DeBoer. “This is a different type of test now in our response.”
Vanderbilt set the tone early, with Alexander scoring a 7-yard touchdown on the opening drive to put them ahead for good. This marked the first time since 2007 that Vanderbilt scored a touchdown on their opening drive against Alabama. The Tide struggled with penalties and errors, allowing Vanderbilt to extend their lead.
Alabama managed to narrow the gap to 30-28 with a 58-yard touchdown pass from Milroe to Ryan Williams, but Vanderbilt quickly responded with a 6-yard touchdown pass from Pavia to Kamrean Johnson, pushing the lead to 40-28. Alabama’s Milroe did rally to score again, but Vanderbilt’s defense held strong as time wound down.
“Games like this change your life,” Pavia stated after the game, reflecting on the significance of the victory.
Milroe had an up-and-down performance, including a key turnover that Fontenette capitalized on for a touchdown, giving Vanderbilt an early 13-0 lead. The Commodores jumped to a 23-7 advantage, marking just the second time in a decade that a No. 1 team trailed an unranked opponent by 16 or more points.
Vanderbilt’s time of possession was crucial, as they controlled the ball for over 42 minutes, successfully converting 12 of 18 third-down attempts. Despite Alabama outgaining Vanderbilt 312 to 252 yards, the Commodores’ efficient offense and timely defense proved decisive.
Alabama linebacker Deontae Lawson acknowledged the sting of the defeat but emphasized that the season was far from over. “We never want to feel this again,” Lawson stated.
This landmark victory not only signifies a turning point for Vanderbilt football but also sets the stage for future challenges as they look to build on this historic win.
Source: ESPN
