Kalen DeBoer, Alabama's football loss to Vanderbilt is a humiliation

Kalen DeBoer won't stand this. He lost to Vanderbilt. Let that sink in. Vanderbilt.
Vanderbilt hero Diego Pavia leads the state of Alabama.
Nick Saban supplies Vanderbilt with bulletin board material while Alabama feasts on rat poison.

Kalen DeBoer will never live this down.

He lost to Vanderbilt.

Let that sink in.

Vanderbilt.

The school that lets the SEC hang around to shore up its scholastic and women's bowling doctrine just beat Alabama 40-35 at home.

Crimson Tide fans who stormed Vanderbilt Stadium watched in horror as No. 2 Alabama suffered one of the most shocking defeats in the program's history.

Alabama lost to Vanderbilt for the first time in 40 years. DeBoer gets a line on his resume that Nick Saban, Mike Shula, Dennis Franchione, Mike DuBose, Gene Stallings and Bill Curry avoided: He lost to the bright minds of the SEC.

Saban managed to overcome a comparable humiliation. In his first season at Alabama, he lost to Louisiana-Monroe. Saban won six national championships at Alabama, but even so, every college football fan can remember the GOAT losing to ULM in his first season in Tuscaloosa.

However, these were different circumstances. Saban didn't inherit a roster fresh from a Rose Bowl appearance. His Crimson Tide team was unranked as it fell to Louisiana-Monroe.

DeBoer's squad had national championship aspirations. These goals remain plausible, but after this performance they are realistic.

Ups and downs: Alabama's upset results in wins and losses in Week 6

A loss to Vanderbilt results in a setback for Kalen DeBoer

Such losses stick to a coach like an anchor.

Saban recovered, but many never recover from such humiliation.

And make no mistake, this result should humble DeBoer.

Yes, Vanderbilt improved significantly in Clark Lea's fourth season. And yes, Commodores quarterback Diego Pavia rules the Yellowhammer State.

When Pavia was quarterback for New Mexico State last season, he defeated Auburn. Now he has shattered Alabama's crown.

Forget Jalen Milroe for the Heisman Trophy and reset the odds on Pavia.

Pavia was filled with euphoria and was asked to explain the commotion. He referenced God and then dropped an F-bomb during a postgame interview on SEC Network.

That pretty much sums it up.

Lordy, how the (redacted) does this come about?

Georgia pushed Alabama's defense into a black hole in the fourth quarter last week, and slooooopthis unit is gone. Vanderbilt owned the ball for more than 70% of this game.

I could say Pavia did whatever he wanted with the Tide, but that would give Alabama's defense credit for their presence. The defense never deigned to show its face in Nashville.

Nick Saban gives Vanderbilt bulletin board material before Alabama game

The rat poison Saban has been warning about for years? As soon as Saban arrived on the “College GameDay” set, Alabama viewed rodenticide as good food. Alabama enjoyed the rat bait during a Week 2 game date with Fire against South Florida. It devoured all five courses on Saturday.

For his part, Saban recently said in his talking head role that Vanderbilt is the only SEC home venue that doesn't present difficulties for away teams.

“You have more fans there than them,” Saban said while on the clock for ESPN.

Think of it as bulletin board material for Vanderbilt.

Saban told no lies about FirstBank Stadium, but the crimson-clad fans in Nashville became props in college football history as a foghorn blared as the final seconds ticked away and those in black and gold tried to figure it out , which is what you'll achieve if you defeat the nation's bluest bluebloods.

They storm the field and accept the fine.

The entire SEC (excluding Vanderbilt) should be punished for this result.

Just three weeks ago, Georgia State defeated Vanderbilt. In 2019, Georgia State destroyed Tennessee.

Mercy, if the SEC expands again and takes the Panthers in, they would ruin this conference. Just kidding, I think.

The truth is that the gap between college football's elite and the lower echelons is narrower than it used to be. The transfer era and deep-pocketed backers have negated Alabama's ability to amass a three-man All-Star roster.

And yet, how did this happen?

How could an Alabama team that ended Georgia's 42-game regular-season winning streak a week ago lose to a team that hadn't won an SEC game since November 2022?

Pavia for example. Sixteen of his 20 passes reached their intended destination. He has also played it many times and he instills in Vanderbilt a fierce spirit and the belief that no opponent is too powerful.

Alabama's minus-two turnover rate also proved costly.

The score went from strange amusement to five-alarm fire when Vanderbilt's Miles Capers sacked Milroe midway through the fourth quarter. The Commodores turned the takeaway into a touchdown and a two-score lead.

At this point it began to crystallize. This wouldn't be a sleepwalking victory for Alabama. Instead, it became a troubling loss for DeBoer that no one will soon forget.

Pavia will always be the quarterback to beat Alabama. And DeBoer will forever be the guy who lost to Vanderbilt.

Blake Toppmeyer is the national college football columnist for the USA TODAY Network. Email him at [email protected] and follow him on Twitter @btoppmeyer.

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Kalen DeBoer, Alabama's football loss to Vanderbilt is a humiliation

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A loss to Vanderbilt results in a setback for Kalen DeBoer

Nick Saban gives Vanderbilt bulletin board material before Alabama game

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