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 exhilarating win in opposition to Georgia every week in the past, that streak seemed 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 surprising 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 go within the course 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 had 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 fingers of quarterback Diego Pavia.
It might be a smart move:
Pavia comes out of a run faux and lofts a deep shot within the course of broad receiver Junior Sherrill, who ran beneath the throw for a surprising landing to provide 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 nearly a replay of his landing in opposition to the Bulldogs from final week, Williams hauls in a throw from Milroe and breaks by means of a pair of defenders, en path to a 58-yard landing to provide Alabama new life.
Vanderbilt tacked on a discipline purpose 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.
Nonetheless, their third play of the drive led to catastrophe:
Move rusher Miles Capers beats the best deal with off the sting and will get to Milroe, and his hit knocks the ball free. Yilanan Ouattara fell on the free 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 in a position to 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 transformation 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 following 12 hours I’m going to benefit from the dream.”
Benefit from the dream, Vanderbilt.
