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Alabama spent 1 week at No. 1 in the AP Top 25 poll.
There will not be another.
The Crimson Tide lost 40-35 on Saturday in Nashville, Tennessee, to a Vanderbilt team that had previously been 0-60 against teams ranked inside the AP top 5. Alabama gave up 418 yards of offense and simply could not stop Vanderbilt from scoring.
Vandy quarterback Diego Pavia completed 16 of his 20 pass attempts for 252 yards and 2 scores. He also ran for 56 yards. Vanderbilt averaged 5.6 yards per play and while it was outgained by 3 yards per play by the Crimson Tide, it didn’t matter. Vanderbilt went 12-for-18 on third down and converted its only fourth down.
Alabama turned the football over twice and gave up 2 sacks. The offense averaged 8.6 yards per play and put up nearly 400 yards of offense despite holding the ball for just 17 minutes and 52 seconds.
This was about the Crimson Tide’s inability to get off the field on defense. Vanderbilt believed, and came armed with a brilliant gameplan to control the tempo. The Crimson Tide never held a lead. Vandy only had 3 penalties, didn’t give up a sack, and didn’t commit a turnover.
And Alabama was appropriately shredded on social media following its first loss of the season.
Alabama beating Georgia to move to #1 then losing to unranked Vandy would be literally the funniest thing in the world
— Michael Kasper (@KasperStats) October 5, 2024
Vanderbilt pushing Alabama around like shit through a tinhorn
— Brandon Marcello (@bmarcello) October 5, 2024
The anatomy of this all-time upset is the most surprising part. Vanderbilt owned Alabama at the line of scrimmage today.
— Brad Crawford (@BCrawford247) October 5, 2024
Wow Bama’s defense is…what’s the word…bad
— Dan Wolken (@DanWolken) October 5, 2024
Alabama's played in tough environments before, but they have no clue how to handle playing in Vanderbilt's active construction site.
— Chris Vannini (@ChrisVannini) October 5, 2024
Vanderbilt scored 13 points against Alabama during the entire Nick Saban era and 13 points in the first quarter against Kalen DeBoer.
— we can’t have nice things (@anchorofgold) October 5, 2024
Vandy beats Alabama!!!!
Gotta be one of the biggest SEC upsets ever
— Matt Jones (@KySportsRadio) October 5, 2024
In the last 6 quarters of football, Alabama's defense has given up 60 points and forced only 3 punts on 15 possessions.
— College Football Nerds (@CFBNerds) October 5, 2024
Vanderbilt, 0-60 all-time against top-5 foes, stuns No. 1 Alabama 40-35. First time beating them in 40 years.
And just a week after the Tide beat No. 2 Georgia.
Easily Bama's worst loss since ULM in Saban's first year.
All hail Clark Lea and Diego Pavia.
— Stewart Mandel (@slmandel) October 5, 2024
You could've been born any time, and you got to be alive when Diego Pavia dropped 40 on Bama. We are truly blessed.
— parker fleming (@statsowar) October 5, 2024
Vandy didnt just beat Bama. They beat the shit out of them. Bama had no answers. Amazing.
— Dave Portnoy (@stoolpresidente) October 5, 2024
Can’t believe Bama lost in a construction site
— Bunkie Perkins (@BunkiePerkins) October 5, 2024
I’m not even kidding losing to Vandy here is the most embarrassing moment I’ve had being a Bama fan in a long long time
— Austin Randolph (@austinsrandolph) October 5, 2024
Pavia is such a stud. Vandy’s offense makes you work. You have to look at everything with all the misdirection and they gashed Bama all day.
Anchor Down!
— Russillo (@ryenarussillo) October 5, 2024
Derek Peterson does a bit of everything, not unlike Taysom Hill. He has covered Oklahoma, Nebraska, the Pac-12, and now delivers CFB-wide content.
