This past weekend was magical for Vanderbilt as it upset the formerly top-ranked Alabama Crimson Tide in an instant classic on West End. Under a sellout FirstBank Stadium crowd — featuring an overwhelming amount of Crimson and White — the Commodores proved they belong in the SEC. There’s a different energy to head coach Clark Lea’s team this year: They boast a new confidence, perhaps largely due to their quarterback and leader, Diego Pavia, that few teams in the nation match.
Much of campus is still grappling with what will likely go down as the greatest upset in the history of Vanderbilt Football. In the meantime, The Hustler’s sports staff rides the waves of low tide and breaks down what this means for Commodore Nation.
Q. What does this win mean for the Vanderbilt community, from players to coaches and fans to alumni?
Henry Oelhafen, Deputy Sports Editor: It means everything. Lea was so emotional in his post-game presser that he couldn’t find the words to describe what this victory meant to his team. After the Commodores went 2-10 (0-8 SEC) last season, fans, alumni and players were beaten down; now, the fanbase and team are reinvigorated with hope. Vanderbilt’s win — its first-ever over a top-ranked opponent — is a testament to the hard work of the players and coaches, particularly Lea and offensive coordinator Tim Beck. Students carrying the goalpost to the Cumberland River was iconic. The gravity of this win for Vanderbilt nation cannot be overstated.
Jonah Barbin, Sports Podcast Producer: To steal what is perhaps a hackneyed SEC phrase, this win just means more. On Saturday night, if you listened to Lea or Pavia in their pressers, scrolled through X or strolled down Broadway, it was clear how much this win meant to the entire Vanderbilt (and Nashville) community. As exciting as this victory is, don’t let the national media’s “this was a massive upset” storyline control how you categorize this win. While historic, this was an arrival for the Commodores, as Lea stated after the game. The writing has been on the wall for the Vanderbilt fans who’ve been watching all season. I expect this team to both make a bowl game and have a chance to dethrone another No. 1 (Texas) in a few weeks.
Q. What were you most impressed with from Vanderbilt’s offense on Saturday?
David Hernandez, Lead Sports Analyst: The most impressive part of Vanderbilt’s win on Saturday was offensive coordinator Tim Beck’s schemes and playcalling. Alabama was left guessing on every play and had few answers for Pavia and Co. Gutsy play calls elevated the Commodores’ countless pre-snap motions and a hammering run game for the offense. Beck seemingly had something in the bag for every scenario. Pavia will deservingly get much of the spotlight, but it’s undeniable that bringing Beck to Vanderbilt was the right choice.
Vincent Xu, Sports Copy Editor: The offensive linemen, so often football’s unsung heroes, made everything else possible. They stepped into the ring with the biggest and baddest team in the nation and didn’t flinch. Senior Gunnar Hansen was awarded SEC Co-Offensive Lineman of the Week and Outland Trophy Player of the Week, but it takes a village to hold Alabama’s pass rush to zero sacks. With that said, I would like to applaud the eight other offensive linemen who made an appearance on Saturday (in order of number): Chase Mitchell, Kevo Wesley, Steven Hubbard, Xavier Castillo, Steven Losoya, Cade McConnell, Gage Pitchford and Charlie Clark.
Q. What is the energy on campus like right now after Vanderbilt’s best win in program history?
Jayce Pollard, Assistant Sports Specialist: The vibes on campus are immaculate. From professors to students, every person is talking about the game. Nobody can believe it happened, and everyone has a story about what they did to celebrate it. In my four years at Vanderbilt, I’ve genuinely never seen anything like it. The Commodores’ impractical almost-run to the NCAA Men’s Tournament two years ago is probably the closest thing to this energy, but that was dispersed over weeks instead of being one concentrated event. This is, without a doubt, the biggest deal for Vanderbilt sports on campus in a long time.
Grace Hall, Deputy Sports Editor: Vanderbilt’s win reinvigorated the university and the city. Every conversation on campus right now involves three questions: Did you rush the field? Where and how did you celebrate? Did you travel downtown with the goalpost? In past years, students who attended games were scoffed at. Today, Vanderbilt students walked to stores to buy newspapers to commemorate the win (and sold them out). If that doesn’t tell you all you need to know, I don’t know what will. Lea and Co. proved that FirstBank Stadium is the place to be on Saturdays and that Nashville belongs to the Commodores.
Q. What’s your current confidence level regarding Vanderbilt’s chances at a bowl game? How many games can the Commodores win?
Oelhafen: I answered this question in our last mailbag, and my outlook was rather bleak. After two close losses to Georgia State and Missouri, coupled with a grueling SEC schedule ahead, it felt like Vanderbilt faced an uphill battle toward bowl eligibility. This win over Alabama changes everything. It not only improves Vanderbilt’s record but also shows the Commodores can compete with any team. Ball State should be an easy win, while Auburn, South Carolina and Kentucky — three teams at the bottom of the SEC — are very realistic chances for victory. It’s still a long road ahead, but for now, I’ll be cautiously optimistic and say Vanderbilt gets to a bowl game.
Aiden Rutman, Sports Editor: I disagreed with Henry last week, and this week, though we’re on the same side, I think he needs to push it further. There’s no reason to believe a program that took down the No. 1 team in the country can’t come back and win three more games. Ball State should be a cakewalk, leaving extremely winnable games against LSU, Kentucky, South Carolina and Auburn. Let’s not overlook Vanderbilt, though: If the Black and Gold can take down Alabama, they can take down anybody, including Texas and Tennessee. Will Vanderbilt win its final seven games? No. Can it? Absolutely.
Q. Is there an outside chance Diego Pavia will win the Heisman Trophy?
Hernandez: Is Pavia immortalized in Vanderbilt history? Yes. Will he win the Heisman Trophy? It would be borderline impossible. Even though Pavia winning the Heisman would be a storybook finish to this season, the race is currently stocked full of players posting unbelievable seasons. Colorado’s wide receiver-cornerback hybrid Travis Hunter is an absolute force, playing over 90% of the Buffaloes’ offensive and defensive snaps. Boise State’s running back Ashton Jeanty is putting up video game numbers with 1,031 rushing yards in five games. Quarterbacks Cam Ward, Jalen Milroe, Jaxson Dart and Dillon Gabriel also lurk in this race. For Pavia to have a shot, Vanderbilt will need to go far, and his stats will have to skyrocket.
Rutman: The stats aren’t there yet for Pavia. He’s been excellent thus far for the Commodores but hasn’t put up Heisman numbers. Though he’s thrown for 973 yards and rushed for another 335 while compiling 10 total touchdowns, those statistics don’t compare to the aforementioned Jeanty, Ward and Co. That said, he’s generated a ton of attention, and the national media is starting to consider him for the award. In fact, On3’s weekly Heisman Poll featured Pavia in ninth place. He’s far too dynamic and charismatic to be excluded from the conversation. If Vanderbilt keeps its momentum and finishes the season with a few more big upsets, Pavia will stay in the Heisman conversation.
Q. What does Vanderbilt need to do to keep its momentum and beat Kentucky?
Pollard: Vanderbilt can’t get complacent again like it did after wins over Virginia Tech and Alcorn State. When Lea talked to the media before the Georgia State game, he said the vibes were off in practice because too many guys were taking the next matchup for granted. That can’t happen again, and the responsibility for that is on the coaches and players alike. Kentucky has its problems, but it’s still an SEC team that had Georgia on the ropes and took down Ole Miss. Vanderbilt can’t afford to mess around and find out.
Xu: I agree with Jayce that hubris was Vanderbilt’s downfall against Georgia State, but I think this time around is different. In a colorful post-game interview, Pavia wasted no time turning his attention to preparing for Kentucky. Moments later, Lea echoed those same sentiments. This team rallies behind Pavia and works behind the scenes every day. They know Kentucky isn’t to be taken lightly, and both teams will have something to prove after big wins. Lea and Co. will be mentally and physically prepared for Saturday if they keep their heads down and work like they have the past couple of weeks.
