One of the biggest takeaways from Vanderbilt’s shocking win over Alabama is that Diego Pavia has truly claimed Alabama as his territory. Looking back to November 2023, Pavia led New Mexico State to a stunning victory over Auburn at Jordan-Hare Stadium, humiliating the Tigers. In a season where Alabama and Georgia couldn’t achieve such dominance, Pavia delivered a resounding win.
Fast forward to October 5th, 2024, and Pavia has now guided Vanderbilt to the biggest victory in their program’s history. He shredded Alabama’s secondary and executed the option flawlessly. Kane Wommack’s defense had no answers, and every time Alabama’s defense needed a third-down stop, Pavia kept Vanderbilt’s offense moving.
It’s clear that his confidence has rubbed off on his teammates. Even when Alabama threatened a comeback, the Commodores stayed composed and unfazed.
When a team upsets Alabama, it’s often due to an exceptional performance from the quarterback, and Pavia’s performance was reminiscent of Johnny Manziel or Stephen Garcia at their best. Everything he did seemed to work, and his display will go down as one of college football’s all-time greatest upsets.
Even if Pavia never wins another game for Vanderbilt, he’ll be a hero in Nashville for life, and will likely never have to pay for a meal in the city again. What’s even more remarkable is that this victory didn’t feel like a fluke. Vanderbilt jumped out to an early 13-0 lead and never trailed. Alabama, even in their worst times, has never struggled like this against the Commodores, and Pavia’s arrival has altered history. It will be exciting to see what he and Vanderbilt accomplish next.
