Kalen DeBoer’s squad faced their first loss of the season as Alabama was knocked out by Vanderbilt, 35-40. Who thought the Vanderbilt Commodores would be the first team this season to defeat Alabama? Commodores running back Sedrick Alexander displayed some phenomenal performance throughout the game. Randon Fontenette and Diego Pavia also shined and helped Vanderbilt register their third victory this season.

No. 1 Alabama was all over the media last week after they defeated No. 2 Georgia Bulldogs. Their first defeat this season is again going to put a lot of pressure on the new head coach, Kalen DeBoer. At the same time, Crimson Tide’s loss not only raises questions about their performance but also leads to their snubbing in the latest college football rankings, allowing Texas to reclaim its spot among the elite teams.

Brett McMurphy, a college football insider with Action Network, tweeted his AP Rankings ballot following Alabama’s unexpected loss to Vanderbilt. Right now, Texas is at 1st rank. They have reclaimed the top spot, thanks to Crimson Tide. Texas have played five games so far, and with a perfect 5-0 record, they have won all their games by significant margins, which not only solidifies their position but also warns opponents to buckle up.

People who were criticizing Kalen got one more chance to question his leadership qualities and coaching strategies moving forward. The No. 1 team has dropped to No. 10 in the latest rankings. The team they defeated last week? The Bulldogs? Well, they’re No. 3? What a fall for DeBoer.

Now that Alabama has tasted the first defeat, many are eager to see how DeBoer will adjust his game plan to regain momentum. He already has a lot of pressure to continue the long-lived legacy of Nick Saban, and upcoming matchups against formidable opponents could put more pressure on him.

However, back-to-back four victories tell a lot about his intention and vision this season. But Kalen and his staff will have to focus on the things that went wrong yesterday. Meanwhile, Vanderbilt’s fans are still celebrating. Yesterday’s victory not only helped them end a 40-year drought against Crimson Tide, but it also marked a significant milestone for Commodores.

Vanderbilt Commodores shock No. 1 Alabama with a 40-35 upset win

As soon as the game got over, Vanderbilt’s fans stormed the field. The visuals tell how important the game was for them. Fans who witnessed the game live at the stadium really had a memorable day. Running back Sedrick Alexander displayed impressive game plays throughout the game. He was a real star for headcaoch Lea. Alexander gave the start to the team with his two touchdowns. At the same time, quarterback Diego Pavia also put on an impressive show and outperformed Alabama’s Heisman contender Jalen Milroe by completing 16 out of 20 passes for 252 yards; he also added two touchdowns.

Saturday’s victory not only ended Vanderbilt’s long-standing losing streak against Alabama but also shed light on how intense the season is getting week-by-week. With yesterday’s win, Lea’s team has improved to 3-2 on the season and set the stage for an exciting matchup against Kentucky next week.

AP News reported head coach Clark Lea’s statements after the win. Lea described Vanderbilt’s historic victory over No. 1 Alabama as a “dream” and said, “This is the dream, right here.” He added, “And for the next 12 hours, I’m going to enjoy the dream. We’ve got more ahead of us, but this is what Vanderbilt football needs to be about: big wins on big stages. We’re going to go get some more.”

The Commodores dominated Alabama from the first quarter, scoring the first 13 points and establishing a 16-point advantage. Which is their largest ever top-ranked team so far. Vanderbilt’s impressive performance resonated throughout the stadium, with happy fans celebrating every big play, underscoring the significance of this historic victory. Only a late touchdown by Jam Miller just before halftime narrowed the gap to 23-14. Alexander’s opening drive with a 7-yard touchdown marked the first time since 2007 that the Commodores had opened a game against Alabama with a touchdown.