Vanderbilt stuns Alabama to shake up SEC, College Football Playoff

A week after beating No. 1, Alabama was stunned at Vanderbilt 40-35, a result that shakes things up in the College Football Playoff and the SEC title race.

It is Vanderbilt's first loss to Alabama since September 29, 1984 and its first loss to a team ranked in the top five.

The second-place Crimson Tide entered the game more than a three-touchdown favorite against the Commodores, who last won a conference game against Florida on November 19, 2022. But Alabama looked flat after a thrilling loss to Georgia last week.

Vanderbilt took a 14-0 lead early in the first quarter. The Commodores' first touchdown came on the game's opening drive, when Sedrick Alexander completed a 75-yard march that lasted more than six minutes. On the Crimson Tide's first possession, Randon Fontenette intercepted Heisman Trophy candidate Jalen Milroe and returned it 29 yards for a touchdown.

Milroe responded with two first-half touchdown runs as Alabama closed to a 23-14 halftime lead. The Crimson Tide got within 30-28 when Milroe hit freshman Ryan Williams for a 58-yard touchdown late in the third quarter.

From then on, Vanderbilt took control. A field goal made it 33-28, and then a sack by Milroe forced a fumble that was recovered by Commodores defender Yilanan Ouattara. Vanderbilt quarterback Diego Pavia found Kamrean Johnson for a 6-yard touchdown to cap the ensuing drive and push the lead to 40-28.

Alabama scored a late touchdown on the Williams run, but Vanderbilt was able to run out the clock as Pavia and the offense converted three first downs

Alabama's loss leaves Texas, Texas A&M, LSU and Tennessee as the SEC's undefeated teams with seven weeks left in the conference race. The Tide still have hope of winning the league title or securing a playoff spot, but their margin for error became significantly smaller with a loss.

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