Diego Pavia delivered Vanderbilt’s biggest victory ever when he guided the Commodores past then-No. 1 Alabama last season in a monumental upset.
Pavia’s next task is producing another mammoth triumph in the rematch to continue the program’s best start since 2008.
Pavia looks to excel once again when No. 16 Vanderbilt faces the No. 10 Crimson Tide in a highly anticipated Southeastern Conference contest on Saturday afternoon in Tuscaloosa, Ala.
Last season, Pavia completed 16 of 20 passes for 252 yards and two touchdowns as the Commodores earned a 40-35 win in Nashville for the program’s first-ever win against a top-five program. It also was Vanderbilt’s first win against Alabama since 1984 to end a 23-game skid against the Crimson Tide.
So when the Commodores (5-0, 1-0 SEC) appear in town this weekend, they are no longer viewed as the pushover team that the Crimson Tide typically clobber.
Pavia is looking forward to experiencing the environment.
“Tuscaloosa will be a good, fun time,” Pavia said. “I’ve never played there. I think a few of the guys have been there. This is what you come into the SEC for, big games like this. We’ll be real excited to go down there and check them out.”
Last season, Alabama (3-1, 1-0) couldn’t prevent Vanderbilt from hogging the ball.
The Commodores converted 12 of 18 third-down opportunities and controlled the ball for 42 minutes and eight seconds.
Crimson Tide coach Kalen DeBoer hasn’t forgotten the details and knows Vanderbilt is an even better team this year in Clark Lea’s fifth season at the helm.
“We’re going to need everything (we’ve) got against a very good Vanderbilt team coming up here on Saturday,” DeBoer said. “Coach Lea, a ton of respect for him. I’ve known him for a long time. I knew a year ago, you could see and feel the positive movement that they had inside the program. You could see the style of play, it being team football.
“They continue to do that — 5-0, a ranked opponent coming into our house. Just got to continue to keep the focus on us.”
Alabama has won three straight games after producing a 24-21 victory at then-No. 5 Georgia last weekend.
Ty Simpson passed for 276 yards and two touchdowns and also rushed for a score as he continued his fine season. Simpson hasn’t been intercepted and is completing 69.3 percent of his passes for 1,138 yards and 11 touchdowns.
Simpson said his squad is taking a “Crimson Tide against the world” approach.
“That’s the kind of mentality that we have to have throughout the season,” Simpson said. “It’s Alabama against everybody.”
Vanderbilt is coming off a 55-35 home win over Utah State. Pavia tied the school record of five touchdown passes and topped 300 yards — he had 321 — for the first time in his two seasons at the school.
Pavia is completing 74.6 percent of his passes for 1,211 yards and 13 touchdowns against three interceptions. He also has rushed for 294 yards and two scores.
Pavia will long be remembered at Vanderbilt for the epic victory over Alabama in 2024. Now the Commodores are itching for another chance to beat the Crimson Tide.
“We know the task at hand, but we’re excited for it,” said Lea, “and this group has positioned us to be undefeated heading down there, and that means a lot.”
