Capping off the 2024 season with a victory in the biggest SEC showdown, the Vanderbilt Commodores upset No. 1 Alabama Crimson Tide, 40-35 on October 5. This game remains arguably the SEC’s biggest upset ever and gave Vanderbilt its first win over Alabama since 1984. Pre-season expectations are relatively easy to shatter, which Alabama did around the college football landscape with an impressive five-turnover performance. This program and this coach expect a ton, but it’s hard to fathom anyone in Vegas coming within two scores of that spread in any game with Bama sepia tones attached — much less this one specifically.
First Half: Vanderbilt Comes Out Swinging
Vanderbilt was not phased by Alabama being top-ranked. Quarterback Diego Pavia spearheaded the attack, throwing for 252 yards and two scores and rushing for 56 yards. The Alabama offense struggled even when forced to take a unique approach by Vanderbilt’s defense. Milroe threw for 312 yards but was not much of a factor on the ground.
The Commodores carried a surprising 23-14 lead advantage into halftime. Most expected Alabama to mount their second-half comeback like they had done in the past games. But Vanderbilt maintained control of the game, taking advantage of Alabama’s problems on third downs.
Second Half: Commodores Keep Things Steady
Alabama clawed back, pulling to within 30-28 lead as Vanderbilt looked very composed under pressure. The Commodores attacked all night, finishing 12-of-18 on third down to put the game away. The most critical of which came on the Commodores’ final drive that included a 19-yard connection from Pavia to Sederick Alexander with under four minutes remaining in the game leaving UMass little time when it took over five seconds after Vanderbilt punted.
This was an upset not just for Alabama’s season, but for the entire SEC and College Football Playoff narrative. That puts first-year Alabama coach Kalen DeBoer in a more precarious situation, as the team has very little room for error in the ever-crowded SEC race. It was a stunner and may knock Alabama out of the playoff if other contenders continue to play strongly over the final two weeks.
Impact on Alabama and SEC Race – Alabama had the natural course of events, with stars Mayock over Darnold and the domination taking place.
Alabama needs to harness a sense of urgency, ready or better than a lot of moments that are. Their defense, which showed weakness in the second half against Georgia the prior week, gave up 27 points to Vanderbilt after halftime. A catastrophic inability to get Vanderbilt off the field on third downs was obvious for Alabama.
The loss isn’t just a blow to Alabama’s hopes for staying on top of the standings but also serves as another drawback in an increasingly challenging SEC. The good news is with the 12-team College Football Playoff format set to be introduced in 2024, Alabama can still bounce back and make a run at the postseason; it just got more difficult.
A historic victory for Vanderbilt
Conversely, this win is a signature moment for Vanderbilt. It is the program’s first-ever victory over a top-five team. This is a huge win for a program that has often lived in the shadows of the SEC’s top dogs. The Commodores, who had never before beaten a top-five team in the program’s history, ended that streak in style. Now, head coach Clark Lea and quarterback Diego Pavia can celebrate a historic win that will be remembered as one of the best games in Vanderbilt football history.
The Road Ahead
Now, each faces vital challenges. The Crimson Tide regroups and prepares to correct the problems highlighted by Vanderbilt. Their fate now lies in how they fare against SEC competition the remainder of the way and whether they can find their footing to make a run at the playoffs. Conversely, Vanderbilt is flying as high on confidence right now as it has at any point this season. Giving the team a boost and carrying that with them throughout the season, their 54-53 win is huge.
At the end of the day, Vanderbilt’s unfathomable win over Alabama, not only ripped into the SEC but likewise put the remainder of college football on notification – no person is invulnerable. When we look back on 2024 in the future, this is the game it will be remembered for — and we’re still months removed from knowing the long-term ripples of what happened here today.