NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — The Vanderbilt Commodores have never beaten a No. 1 team in football. Thanks to a very fast start, they are putting themselves in position to do just that.
Or at least scare the Alabama Crimson Tide by taking their biggest lead ever over a top-ranked team.
Vanderbilt led Alabama 23-14 at halftime after scoring the first 13 points and took a 16-point lead that was the Commodores’ largest ever over the No. 1 team in the country. Only the Tide scoring late trimmed that to single digits.
Alabama just moved to the top of The Associated Press’ Top 25 after a big win over Georgia. The Tide won the opening toss and deferred.
Vanderbilt, which hasn’t beaten Alabama on the field since 1984, immediately drove down the field for a 7-yard touchdown run by Sedrick Alexander to take the lead. It was the first time since 2007 Vandy had opened a game against Alabama with a TD, and that was Nick Saban’s second game as coach.
Alabama rallied and won that day 24-10.
This time, the Tide (4-0, 1-0 Southeastern Conference) helped Vanderbilt pad that lead.
Jalen Milroe, who put himself among the top Heisman Trophy candidates with his play against Georgia, had his second pass tipped into the air by De’Rickey Wright who committed to Alabama and wound up at Vanderbilt.
Randon Fontenette grabbed the ball and ran 24 yards to the end zone for the Pick-6 and a 13-0 lead at 8:03 of the first quarter.
Jam Miller capped a seven-play drive for Alabama with an 8-yard TD run as the Tide appeared ready to take control.
Vanderbilt (2-2, 0-1) scored 10 straight to go up 23-7, just the second time in the last 10 seasons that a No. 1 team trailed an unranked opponent by 16 or more points. Clemson trailed by 18 to Boston College in 2020 and won 30-28.
The Commodores got help from Alabama to keep a 17-play drive that used up 9:50 of the clock with a pair of penalties. The Tide, with 17-year-old phenom Ryan Williams back to field the punt, also had another player on the field with the same No. 2 to give Vandy a first down.
On third down, Alabama linebacker Que Robinson hit quarterback Diego Pavia and drew a flag for roughing that Tide fans hated. Five plays later, Alexander scored from a yard out to put Vandy up 20-7.
Brock Taylor put Vandy up 23-7 with a 51-yard field goal with 4:10 left in the first half. Taylor had missed two field goals including one in the second overtime of a road loss at then-No. 7 Missouri.
Alabama finally answered with Miller’s second TD with 1:25 left.
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