NASHVILLE, Tenn. — Sedrick Alexander ran for two touchdowns, Randon Fontenette scored on a pick-six and Diego Pavia outplayed Heisman Trophy candidate Jalen Milroe as Vanderbilt stunned Alabama 40-35 on Saturday for the Commodores’ first win over the nation’s top-ranked team.
Vanderbilt (3-2, 1-1 Southeastern Conference) had lost all 60 games against AP top-five teams, according to SportRadar. The Commodores hadn’t beaten Alabama on the field in 40 years, but they snapped a 23-game skid making big play after big play to give coach Clark Lea his alma mater’s biggest win ever.
The Commodores scored the first 13 points and took a 16-point lead that was their largest ever over the No. 1 team in the country. Only Jam Miller running for his second TD just before halftime trimmed that to 23-14.
Alabama had just moved to the top of the AP Top 25 after an emotional win over Georgia.
Alexander capped the game’s opening drive with a 7-yard TD to put Vandy ahead to stay. It marked the first time since 2007 that Vandy had opened a game against Alabama with a TD — Nick Saban’s second game as coach.
The Tide (4-1, 1-1) helped Vanderbilt pad that lead with too many mistakes, sloppy play and penalties.
Alabama got within 30-28 with Milroe’s 58-yard TD pass to Ryan Williams.
Vanderbilt answered with 10 points. Of their total, 13 came off Milroe’s two turnovers, the second a strip sack by Miles Capers recovered by Yilanan Ouattara at midfield for Vanderbilt.
Pavia capped the drive with a 6-yard TD pass to Alabama native Kamrean Johnson with 5:07 left for a 40-28 lead. Milroe tried to rally Alabama, with Williams scoring on an end around on fourth-and-1 from 2 yards out with 2:46 left.
Vanderbilt fans and players started celebrating as Pavia knelt down to run out the clock.
Milroe had his second pass of the game tipped into the air by De’Rickey Wright, who committed to Alabama and wound up at Vanderbilt. Fontenette grabbed the ball and ran 24 yards to the end zone for the pick-six and a 13-0 lead at 8:03 of the first quarter.
Vanderbilt jumped out to a 23-7 lead, just the second time in the last 10 seasons that a No. 1 team trailed an unranked opponent by 16 or more points. Clemson trailed by 18 to Boston College in 2020 and won 30-28.
Alabama didn’t come back in this game.
Vanderbilt never trailed as the Commodores played keep-away, holding the ball for just over 42 minutes. Alabama had a 312-252 yardage advantage on offense. It didn’t matter.
The Commodores got help from Alabama to keep a 17-play drive that used up 9:50 of the clock with a pair of penalties. The Tide, with 17-year-old phenom Williams back to field the punt, also had another player on the field with the same No. 2 to give Vandy a first down.
On third down, Alabama linebacker Que Robinson hit Pavia and drew a flag for roughing that Tide fans hated. Five plays later, Alexander scored from a yard out to put Vandy up 20-7. Brock Taylor put Vandy up 23-7 with a 51-yard field goal with 4:10 left in the first half.
Poll implications
Alabama will drop out of the top spot after this loss to the SEC’s perennial cellar dweller. Alabama now is 64-4 against unranked teams as the AP’s top-ranked team.
The takeaways
Alabama: The Tide played sloppy coming off an emotional win over then-No. 2 Georgia and hurt themselves with too many penalties. The Tide had six penalties for 57 yards. They also failed to sack Pavia even once.
Vanderbilt: Lea’s numerous offseason changes paid off, and those included bringing in Pavia as a graduate transfer along with his head coach and offensive coordinator from New Mexico State. … Kicker Brock Taylor also got a much-needed confidence boost after missing two field goals in the second overtime of a road loss at then-No. 7 Missouri. After having his second extra point attempt blocked, he came back to make a pair of field goals, including a 51-yarder.
Up next
Alabama returns home to host South Carolina.
Vanderbilt visits Kentucky.