Vanderbilt celebrated a historic achievement by securing its first-ever victory over a top-ranked team, defeating Alabama 40-35 in a thrilling contest. This notable win comes just a week after Alabama triumphed over then-No. 2 Georgia, making their loss to Vanderbilt all the more surprising. The Commodores entered this matchup with only two SEC wins since 2019, shocking the college football community with their performance.
Several key statistics highlight the significance of this upset:
1. This victory not only marked Vanderbilt’s first win over a No. 1 team but also the first time the Commodores scored more than 40 points against a top-five opponent.
2. Vanderbilt quarterback Diego Pavia has established himself as an upset specialist. Before this game, Pavia was tied for the most wins by a quarterback leading a team that was over a 21-point underdog in the last two decades. He now adds this victory to his previous successes at New Mexico State.
3. Alabama’s loss places them among only four No. 1 teams in AP poll history to lose to an unranked opponent the week after defeating a top-2 team, a feat last seen in 1960.
4. Historically, Vanderbilt had struggled against Alabama during Nick Saban’s era, scoring only 13 points in four previous games. In contrast, they reached 13 points in the first quarter of Saturday’s game alone.
5. The Crimson Tide lost a stunning 23 consecutive matchups with Vanderbilt, a streak that had stretched back to 1984, with the previous contest not even being decided by a single score since 2006.
6. Prior to this game, Vanderbilt had a dismal record of 0-60 against top-5 teams, the longest such losing streak in the AP poll era, dating back to 1936.
7. Pavia’s outstanding performance included going 16-for-20 for 252 yards and two touchdowns, achieving an impressive 80% completion rate, the highest by any quarterback against Alabama since 2010.