According to ESPN’s rankings, the most memorable game of the 2024 college football season is a historic upset that rocked the sport. Bill Connelly, the creator of the SP+ computer model, ranked the top 100 games of the season after Ohio State’s run to the national championship in the inaugural 12-team College Football Playoff.
Two playoff games made it to the top five: Notre Dame’s narrow three-point victory over Penn State in the Orange Bowl semifinal (No. 4) and Texas-Arizona State’s dramatic overtime win in the Peach Bowl quarterfinal (No. 3).
Alabama appeared in both of the top two games on Connelly’s list. The Crimson Tide’s thrilling 41-34 win over Georgia in Week 5 secured the No. 2 spot. That win lifted Alabama and first-year coach Kalen DeBoer to the top of the AP Poll.
However, the No. 1 game of the season was the one that toppled Alabama just a week later. “The best moment (to date) of the post-Saban era in Tuscaloosa was quickly followed by the worst,” Connelly stated.
On October 5, then-No. 1 Alabama (4-0) faced unranked Vanderbilt (3-1) with a 23-game winning streak over the Commodores. The Tide hadn’t lost to Vanderbilt since 1984 and were favored by 22 1/2 points, according to ESPN Bet.
But on that night in Nashville, the streak came to an end. Vanderbilt quickly surged to a 23-7 lead, thanks to two touchdowns and a field goal on their first three possessions. Alabama quarterback Jalen Milroe contributed to the early deficit by throwing an interception that was returned for a touchdown.
Vanderbilt, under coach Clark Lea, was formidable on offense with the dual-threat quarterback Diego Pavia. Despite Alabama’s efforts to rally in the second half, their comeback attempt fell short. A late fourth-quarter touchdown gave the Tide a chance, cutting the lead to 40-35 with 2:46 remaining. However, Pavia led a seven-play, 57-yard drive that consumed the last 2:44, sealing the victory for the Commodores.
Vanderbilt fans flooded the field and celebrated the historic win by tearing down the goal posts at FirstBank Stadium.
Vanderbilt finished the season 7-6, capped by a Birmingham Bowl win over Georgia Tech. This marked the first time the Commodores won more than six games and a bowl game since 2013.
Meanwhile, Alabama’s devastating loss played a significant role in them missing the playoff, as they also suffered additional losses to Tennessee and Oklahoma, finishing the season 9-4. While Alabama fans would likely prefer to forget the trip to Nashville, Vanderbilt’s historic victory and the celebration that followed will be remembered for years.
