Since the establishment of the Southeastern Conference in 1932, the Vanderbilt Commodores have struggled to sustain a winning football program. The last time Vanderbilt had a winning season was in 1982, when the team finished with an 8-4 record.
Four decades later, the Commodores accomplished one of the toughest feats in Vanderbilt football: defeating the Alabama Crimson Tide.
“This isn’t a finish point, but it’s a hell of an arrival,” Vanderbilt head coach Clark Lea said after the game. “This is the dream right here.”
This victory snaps Vandy’s 23-game losing streak against Alabama and is the program’s first win against an AP top-five team.
Although Lea was born and raised in Nashville, his journey through collegiate athletics started in Alabama. In 2001, he played baseball at Birmingham Southern College and led the team to an NAIA championship.
For his sophomore season, Lea returned to his hometown and played at Belmont University before transitioning from baseball to football. Lea remained in Nashville to play fullback at Vanderbilt for his final two years of eligibility.
Lea started coaching football in 2007 as a linebackers coach at South Dakota State. After a few successful seasons as Notre Dame’s defensive coordinator, he found his way back to his alma mater in 2020 when he took the head coaching job.
His first three seasons at Vanderbilt did not go in his favor, as the team finished last in the SEC every year.
Although his seat was getting increasingly hot, Lea made a statement at the 2022 SEC media days that has resurfaced on social media recently.
“We know that in time, Vanderbilt football will be the best program in the country,” Lea said.
This offseason, Lea sought after dual-threat quarterback Diego Pavia, who entered the transfer portal after playing two seasons at New Mexico State. Pavia brought the Aggies 17 victories in two seasons, including an upset victory over the Auburn Tigers in Jordan-Hare Stadium last year.
Vanderbilt landed Pavia in the transfer portal. The Commodores also hired former New Mexico State head coach Jerry Kill as chief consultant to the head coach and senior offensive advisor, and they hired the Aggies’ offensive coordinator Tim Beck to the same position at Vanderbilt.
Last season, the Commodores ranked last in total offensive yards in the SEC and had the second-worst rushing attack, but this season, with Pavia under center, Vanderbilt has transformed its offense into a serious threat.
Against Alabama, Pavia completed 80% of his passes for 252 yards and two touchdowns, ran the ball 20 times for 56 yards, and avoided turning the football over. Vandy had 418 total yards of offense and dominated the time of possession battle.
The Crimson Tide defense did not find an answer for Pavia. Vanderbilt’s offense established the run game early by scoring a touchdown on the ground with running back Sedrick Alexander, and whenever Alabama committed to the run, Pavia made the defense pay by throwing the ball over the top for big completions.
7-0 Vanderbilt. This game will be a great test for Kalen DeBoer and Alabama today. Again I repeat: This is not the same Vandy teams of the past. https://t.co/dHahu0nCFC pic.twitter.com/gTckZN9hW1
— Matthew Mason (@MatthewMason__) October 5, 2024
It feels great to be able to celebrate with the team that I love and care about,” Lea said. “I look forward to doing that more in the future.”
Next Saturday, Vanderbilt will try to keep its wave of momentum going on the road against Kentucky. As for Alabama, the team will have a chance to bounce back at home against South Carolina on Saban Field at Bryant-Denny Stadium. This game will air on ABC at 11:00 a.m. CT.
