Coming into video games on Saturday, Vanderbilt was 0-60 all-time when going through an opponent ranked within the high 5. With Alabama coming to city ranked No. 1, and coming off an exciting win in opposition to Georgia every week in the past, that streak appeared to extend by one this weekend.
Besides, somebody forgot to inform the Commodores.
Vanderbilt constructed a 23-14 lead by the halftime break and held on down the stretch for a shocking 40-35 upset of the Crimson Tide.
The primary signal of hazard for Alabama got here on their first drive of the sport. After Vanderbilt took the opening kickoff and went 75 yards in ten performs for a landing, Jalen Milroe and the Crimson Tide offense took the sector.
Within the blink of an eye fixed, it was 13-0 Vanderbilt:
Milroe’s cross within the route of freshman Ryan Williams will get deflected into the air and into the ready arms of Randon Fontenette, who returns it 29 yards for the landing. Whereas Vanderbilt missed the PAT, the Commodores have been out to an early 13-0 lead.
Alabama slowly labored again into the competition, and made it a one-score sport after trailing 23-14 at halftime on this landing run from Milroe:
However Vanderbilt had a solution. After the groups traded punts, the Commodores confronted a 4th and 1 in Alabama territory late within the third quarter, with a 23-21 lead. Vanderbilt head coach Clark Lea left his offense on the sector, and put the ball within the palms of quarterback Diego Pavia.
It could be a smart move:
Pavia comes out of a run pretend and lofts a deep shot within the route of broad receiver Junior Sherrill, who ran beneath the throw for a shocking landing to offer Vanderbilt a 30-21 lead.
Nearly instantly, Alabama made it a one-score sport once more, because of extra heroics from their younger broad receiver:
In virtually a replay of his landing in opposition to the Bulldogs from final week, Williams hauls in a throw from Milroe and breaks by way of a pair of defenders, en path to a 58-yard landing to offer Alabama new life.
Vanderbilt tacked on a area aim on their subsequent possession to make it a 33-28 sport, however the Crimson Tide wanted simply two performs to get again into Vanderbilt territory.
Nevertheless, their third play of the drive led to catastrophe:
Go rusher Miles Capers beats the best sort out off the sting and will get to Milroe, and his hit knocks the ball unfastened. Yilanan Ouattara fell on the unfastened soccer, and the Commodores took over possession.
Vanderbilt would rating on that ensuing possession, to construct a 40-28 lead, on this throw from Pavia to Kamrean Johnson:
Alabama scored on their subsequent possession to chop the Vanderbilt result in 40-35, on a brief landing run from Williams. However the Crimson Tide couldn’t get the cease they wanted, and Vanderbilt was capable of run out the clock. A key play on their last possession was this run from Pavia himself, to assist preserve the Vanderbilt offense off the sector, and work the ultimate minutes off the clock:
After the sport Pavia — who completed the sport finishing 16-of-20 passes for 252 yards and a pair of touchdowns — was overjoyed with ESPN’s Alyssa Lang, saying that “video games like this modification your life.”
That was not all he stated:
“That is the dream proper right here,” stated Lea with Lang after the sport. “And for the subsequent 12 hours I’m going to benefit from the dream.”
Benefit from the dream, Vanderbilt.
