Ahead of the Alabama game, Vanderbilt’s Clark Lea spoke candidly of what he thinks of his opponent. Lea compared the 2025 Bama squad to the 2023 Washington team that Kalen DeBoer led to the national title game. After Saturday’s game, that praise feels justified. Ty Simpson sliced up Vandy’s defense for 340 yards in a 30–14 statement win at Tuscaloosa. Although it wasn’t a flawless performance. Simpson did have to shake off an early pick on his very first drive. But he later found his rhythm, connecting with Ryan Williams and Germie Bernard for scores that kept the Tide rolling. With back-to-back wins over ranked opponents and Simpson completing over 75% of his passes in 3 of the last 4 games, this Alabama team is heating up fast. And after such a performance, even the rival coach had nothing but praise for DeBoer and his squad.

In the postgame press conference, Clark Lea didn’t shy away from giving credit where it was due. “I think the first thing you’ve got to do is credit coach DeBoer and Alabama for the way they played. They took it to us… So, hats off to them.” It was a tone of respect and a little reality check. Last year Vanderbilt stunned Alabama 40–35, so now this one felt like payback in crimson. And this time, the Tide also broke the Commodores’ dream start. Vanderbilt came in unbeaten at 5–0, their best start since 2008. But now that perfect record stands at 5-1. So who made the biggest impact in Alabama’s victory?

According to Lea, Vanderbilt knew coming in that this game would be decided on 3rd downs and red zone efficiency. Two areas where Alabama excelled. And the most intriguing fact? Ty Simpson did everything to make it count. “I think on both sides of the ball, we struggled on third down tonight,” admitted Lea. “You’ve got to give Simpson a lot of credit for extended plays and conversion downs.” However, Lea’s praise for Simpson didn’t stop there.

“He’s a good player,” added Lea. “Made more plays than we made tonight on third down. Offensively, we seemed to never get rhythm, especially in the second half. Too many three-and-outs and that allowed them to take the time of possession.” Simpson controlled the game when it mattered most. Even ESPN analyst Desmond Howard stated, “Alabama’s QB, Ty Simpson, right now has played himself into the Heisman conversation. After the FSU game, this kid has completed 70 percent of his passes, 11 TD passes, and he has protected the ball. No turnovers.” But it wasn’t just Bama’s offense making waves.

The defense had its moments too. Yes, 2 red-zone turnovers swung the game in the Tide’s favor and kept Vandy from mounting a serious threat. On the other side, Vandy’s run game showed flashes of life, but the passing attack remained a question mark. Now, if the Dores want to be real SEC contenders, they’ll need to stretch the field through the air. But as if the loss wasn’t enough drama, Vanderbilt’s QB found himself in a heated argument after the final whistle.

Diego Paiva responds to an Alabama fan

Despite the final whistle, the action didn’t stop when the clock hit zero. But why? As he was leaving the field, Commodores QB Diego Pavia found himself in a fiery clash with an Alabama fan. The fan, sporting a Crimson polo, was yelling at Pavia and the rest of his team from behind a barrier. Pavia is not one to stay silent. “I do whatever the f— I want,” shouted Pavia repeatedly, drawing the attention of teammates and onlookers alike. However, the altercation reportedly stemmed from an earlier incident.

At that time, Pavia had made a provocative gesture toward Bama fans. And now, even Bama players noticed the fiery QB. OT Kadyn Proctor shrugged it off, saying, “That’s cool, he feels confident in his team, and that’s great. But we obviously do too. We obviously feel confident in Alabama.” Amid the chaos, Diego still put up an impressive performance.

He racked up 21-of-36 passing for 198 yards. To cap it off, he also threw a TD, along with 12 rushing yards. But a first-half fumble along with the two costly interceptions helped secure the Tide’s win. Now the question is whether Kalen DeBoer can keep this winning streak alive as they go further into conference play.