An eventful weekend for Commodore Nation just got even more eventful, as four athletes from Vanderbilt Football were announced as SEC Players of the Week.
The Black and Gold knocked off formerly top-ranked Alabama, 40-35, in an instant classic on West End on Saturday night. The win marked perhaps the most significant moment in the history of Vanderbilt Football, as it was the first time the ‘Dores had ever taken down a No. 1 team. Beyond that, though, it left Vanderbilt’s campus with a sense of pride – and joy – that it hadn’t felt for a long, long time.
Those emotions continued through Monday morning, as Vanderbilt nearly swept the Southeastern Conference’s “Players of the Week” awards. Diego Pavia, Brock Taylor, Gunnar Hansen and Miles Capers were all honored.
Pavia, Vanderbilt’s quarterback and extremely vocal leader, won the league’s Offensive Player of the Week award. This marks his second time winning the title, as he was also honored after Week One against Virginia Tech. Pavia accounted for 308 total yards and 2 second-half touchdowns in the miraculous victory.
Taylor was honored as the SEC Special Teams Co-Player of the Week after nailing 51 and 33-yard field goals and going 4-of-5 on his extra point attempts. In a game as close as this one was, Vanderbilt needed all the points it could get, and Taylor delivered.
Hansen was named the SEC Co-Offensive Lineman of the Week after his unbelievable efforts in the trenches kept Alabama out of the pocket entirely. The Crimson Tide recorded zero sacks on Saturday, and Hansen and the rest of the line’s efforts were a driving force behind the 40-point offensive masterclass that the Commodores cooked up.
Last but certainly not least on the list, is Miles Capers, who won the SEC Co-Defensive Lineman of the Week award after coming up with the biggest play of his collegiate career in the game’s fourth quarter. The senior edge razor (hybrid edge-rusher) forced a fumble on Alabama quarterback Jalen Milroe at the beginning of the fourth quarter. From there, the Commodores recaptured momentum and drove down the field to make it a two-score game.
This marks the first time in school history that Vanderbilt has collected more than two weekly awards from the SEC.
These four — along with the rest of Vanderbilt Football’s players and coaches — will look to keep things moving when they hit the road to face the Kentucky Wildcats on Oct. 12 at 6:45 p.m. CDT.
