This season, the underdogs are stealing the spotlight in college football. It all started with the Vanderbilt Commodores pulling off something truly shocking. They beat Alabama, the so-called number-one team in CFB, and it became one of the biggest stories of the season. The buzz is still strong after Vanderbilt’s incredible 40-35 upset over Alabama and head coach Kalen DeBoer.

Some might call it luck, but Vanderbilt proved they’re no fluke by following up that win with a 20-13 victory over Kentucky. On the flip side, Alabama learned a tough lesson from Clark Lea’s team. They faced South Carolina next, and thanks to Vandy quarterback Diego Pavia, Alabama was better prepared this time. Pavia’s performance seemed to pave the way for South Carolina’s near-upset of Alabama.

J.D. Pickell from On3 shared his thoughts on October 14, highlighting how Vanderbilt’s head coach set the stage to take down Kalen DeBoer, and how South Carolina almost followed suit. He said, “Diego Pavia, the Vandy quarterback, and LaNorris Sellers, the South Carolina quarterback, what those two guys have in common when it comes to what they did against Bama—they were just playmakers. Playmakers can mean a lot of things, but to me, it means they found plays that weren’t exactly called within this football game to give their team a chance to win.”

Who would’ve thought Vanderbilt and South Carolina could give Alabama such a tough fight? Even the On3 insider admitted, “Bama has struggled the last couple of weeks defensively.” But after learning from their loss to Vanderbilt and tightening up their defense, Kalen DeBoer and Alabama managed to beat the Gamecocks 27-25.

So, how did Diego Pavia pave the way? The 23-year-old shined in both passing and rushing, with 56 rushing yards and completing 16 of 20 throws for 252 yards and two touchdowns. This win was especially sweet for Pavia, as Vanderbilt hadn’t beaten Alabama since 1984. And while South Carolina’s last win over Alabama was in 2010, Pavia and his team showed that the underdogs can make a real impact. Even though South Carolina’s offense struggled with turnovers, their defense put up a solid fight, making Alabama sweat.

South Carolina’s got Alabama on the ropes

After a late-game scare, Alabama overcame South Carolina by a small margin, 27-25. LaNorris Sellers of South Carolina hit a touchdown pass to cut the Gamecocks’ lead to 27-19, but the team was unable to tie the score due to a failed two-point convert. Sellers’ interception cemented Alabama’s victory even though the team recovered an onside kick. However, it appeared like Alabama’s defense became better. But at crucial junctures, it was unable to contain South Carolina’s offensive. Therefore, both teams gave their all to secure a victory.

With South Carolina’s current record of 3-3, Shane Beamer’s chances of making the playoffs are diminishing. The squad must win every game in the upcoming weeks in order to qualify for the 2024 college football playoffs. On October 19, players like LaNorris Sellers, Braylon Staley, Josiah Thompson, Kam Pringle, and others will have the opportunity to make up for their loss by playing against Oklahoma. The matchup is guaranteed to be intense. So, savor your Saturday.