In a stunning display of school spirit, Vanderbilt Commodores fans stormed the field, dismantling a goalpost and triumphantly carrying it out of the stadium. The euphoric crowd then marched the goalpost a couple of miles, ultimately depositing it into the Cumberland River. This joyous celebration was well-deserved, as Vanderbilt had just pulled off a historic 40-35 upset over top-ranked Alabama.
The Commodores’ Sedrick Alexander scored two touchdowns, while Randon Fontenette’s pick-six and Diego Pavia’s impressive performance outshone Heisman Trophy contender Jalen Milroe. This monumental win marked Vanderbilt’s first-ever victory over a number one team, snapping a 23-game losing streak against Alabama and a 60-game drought against AP top-five teams.
Coach Clark Lea beamed with pride, declaring, “This is the dream, right here. We’re going to go get some more.” Meanwhile, Alabama’s first-year coach Kalen DeBoer vowed to find out how much his team cared about each other, saying, “We’ve been tested in different ways… and this is a different type of test now in our response.”
The Commodores dominated from the start, with Alexander scoring on the opening drive. Alabama’s mistakes and penalties only added to Vanderbilt’s lead, which the Tide struggled to close. Despite Milroe’s late-game heroics, Pavia sealed the deal with a 6-yard touchdown pass to Kamrean Johnson, securing a 40-28 advantage.
This shocking upset marked the second-largest in SEC play since 1978, with Vanderbilt overcoming a 22.5-point spread. As the final whistle blew, Vanderbilt fans and players erupted in jubilation, knowing that this victory would change their lives forever.
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