Alabama’s reign at the top of the college football rankings is expected to be brief following a stunning defeat to unranked Vanderbilt. After a significant victory over then-No. 1 Georgia, Alabama stumbled, losing 40-35 in Nashville. This marks Vanderbilt’s first win against a top-five opponent in 61 games and their first victory over a No. 1 team in 11 attempts.
The Alabama defense struggled against Vanderbilt’s Diego Pavia, allowing the Commodores to generate 418 yards compared to Alabama’s 394. Vanderbilt excelled on third downs, converting 12 of 18 opportunities, and controlled the game clock, holding possession for over 42 minutes as Alabama trailed throughout the contest.
Historically, Alabama now holds a record of 63-4 when ranked No. 1 in the AP Top 25 against unranked teams. Despite this setback, Alabama remains in contention for a playoff berth, especially with the College Football Playoff expanding to 12 teams in 2024. A single loss does not eliminate their chances.
The loss will undoubtedly be painful for the team as they await the updated rankings from the Coaches Poll and AP Top 25.
In the context of the upcoming rankings, other teams in the top 10 also faced defeats, including No. 4 Tennessee and No. 9 Missouri. Nevertheless, Alabama’s loss to an unranked Vanderbilt will weigh heavily, likely leading to a significant drop in their ranking.
Current predictions suggest Alabama may fall to around No. 12 in the forthcoming rankings.