Alabama fans were waving the American flags and chanting ‘USA, USA…’ when Donald Trump entered the Bryant-Denny Stadium last Saturday. The loyal Crimson Tide fans were assured that their boys were facing stiff challengers, which was the Georgian team. And why wouldn’t they be? Crimson Tide attracts huge gatherings, especially during games against arch-rivals. But fast forward to this weekend, they are going to have a different feel altogether. This time, it’s not the charge of one hundred thousand people but the silence of much fewer fans against the Vanderbilt team.

X generated a buzz within the fanbase when a tweet was posted by the account @Bear Bryant’s Burner this week. The news? Alabama is about to have its smallest crowd SEC game in almost 75 years outside of COVID season. Due to the construction of Vanderbilt’s FirstBank Stadium, the attendance is limited to only 28,934, while it generally accommodates 40,350. It doesn’t matter how many people shove into the stadium, it will still represent Alabama’s lowest decibel output in an SEC game since they faced Vanderbilt in 1963. Yeah, that was long ago!

It’s kind of wild if you look at it. One week, Alabama’s playing in front of 100,000+ fans with all the lights, cameras, and action. The next, they are pulling into a stadium that has less than 30,000 capacity. It is like having an experience that shifts from an event filled with a loud music band to a secondary event organized with a soft guitarist. However, even if there are significantly fewer people, it does not seem that Alabama is overly concerned.

Why would they be? They are coming off an astonishing 41-34 victory over the Georgia Bulldogs, while starting quarterback Jalen Milroe is on it. In the last game, he threw 27 completions out of 33 passes and had 374 yards, including three touchdowns. But it is only right to mention the freshman wide receiver Ryan Williams, who burned the Bulldogs’ defense for 177 yards. The Tide is still riding high.

A different vibe but the same dominance

The Tide may be down on fans this season but Alabama is still very much in charge. Kalen DeBoer’s team is currently unbeaten this season and boasts a 23-game winning streak against Vanderbilt. They have dealt with business so far, and the game on Saturday doesn’t seem like it will be the exception.

Yes, Vanderbilt has some scrappers – they played fairly well against Missouri last week, being 18-point underdogs. Quarterback Diego Pavia demonstrated some of it as he passed for 178 yards and rushed for 90 yards while scoring three touchdowns. It’s a bit of the dual-threat thing, which certainly might complicate things for Alabama.

But let’s be real. For all the heart Vanderbilt might bring, Alabama remains the favorite. Pavia may have been good for the Ateneo Racers, but that is not going to be enough to penetrate through the Tide’s defense. Following their dominant victory against Georgia, they are not going to lose focus now, no matter the crowd.

So, while the setting might be smaller, the stakes are still huge. Alabama is going against Vanderbilt with something to prove, and while they may not have a home crowd upon which to rely, they’ll surely have a full slate on their hands.