Three Matchups to Watch: Vanderbilt vs. Alabama – The Vanderbilt Hustler

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Vanderbilt (4-5, 1-5 SEC) is coming off of its first SEC win of the season at Mississippi State. Head Coach Clark Lea and the Commodores are hoping this win will breathe life back into the ’Dores in their final three games of the season. Vanderbilt will host Alabama (7-2, 5-2 SEC) this Saturday following the Crimson Tide’s massive win last weekend against No. 24 LSU. 
Alabama had a tumultuous October, with losses to No. 1 Georgia and No. 9 Tennessee. However, Kalen DeBoer and company seem to have hit their stride in these past couple weeks, defeating Texas A&M and picking up a signature win in Baton Rouge against Lane Kiffin’s Tigers. Alabama has climbed from No. 13 to No. 7 in the past three weeks and is looking to keep its playoff aspirations alive with a win in the Music City. Alabama holds a 61-20-4 edge in the total record between the two programs. However, most Vanderbilt fans remember the last time Alabama came to Nashville fondly in 2024 when the Commodores upset then-No. 1 Alabama in an unprecedented 35-40 win. This historic game was the first time Vanderbilt had ever beaten a top-five program and put the Black and Gold on the map, largely setting up their record-breaking 10-3 season the following year. Both teams will undoubtedly keep that contest in mind going into this weekend. The Hustler breaks down three crucial matchups to watch as Vanderbilt prepares to face the Crimson Tide.
Controlling the turnovers
A deciding factor in this game is turnovers. Both teams have experienced games decided by turnovers this season. Vanderbilt has had 15 turnovers this season, while Alabama has had 12 turnovers. In the Commodores’ most recent matchup, freshman quarterback Jared Curtis had a fumble that was ran back for a touchdown in the 3rd quarter. This singular play completely flipped the momentum of the game, allowing Mississippi State to make a comeback and have an opportunity to tie the game on a two-point conversion in the last 30 seconds of the game. Alabama has had similar issues with turnovers throughout the season. In its loss against Tennessee, the Crimson Tide accumulated four turnovers, ending crucial drives and putting massive pressure on its defense to make stops. The continual upset of momentum left the Alabama offense disconnected and unable to develop a rhythm or score. These turnovers undoubtedly contributed to its 26-10 loss in Knoxville. 
Turnovers have been major determinants of the outcome of Vanderbilt’s games. In every game that Vanderbilt has lost, it has had at least one turnover. Likewise, in 75% of the games the Commodores have won, they have forced at least one, often multiple turnovers. Senior cornerback Jordan Matthews had a crucial interception against Mississippi State; this turnover allowed the Commodores to go down the field and pick up a field goal. Additionally, senior edge Miles Capers and junior safety CJ Heard have been invaluable in forcing turnovers this season. Capers has recorded a forced fumble and an interception this season. Heard has recorded an interception and two forced fumbles so far this season. Vanderbilt defense ability to force these could very easily be a determinant on the outcome of this game. It is just as crucial for Vanderbilt to hold on to the ball on offense, especially against an Alabama defense led by senior Bray Hubbard and sophomore Dijon Lee Jr. Both defensive backs have accumulated two interceptions and one forced fumble for the season. Vanderbilt’s fumble recovery that secured a win over North Carolina State in the final six seconds earlier this season proves how impactful turnovers can be in a close game. This is why keeping control of the ball will be a battle for both teams in this matchup. 
Alabama’s wide receiver room has both depth and talent, and it has been a problem for other SEC matchups this year. Led by Rico Scott with 501 yards for the season, Lotzeir Brooks with 497 yards for the season and Ryan Coleman-Williams who has accumulated 429 yards for the season, the Crimson Tide have dominated in the backfield with 18 passing touchdowns and an average of 254 yards per game. Alabama is ranked fourth in the SEC in passing offense, In games where the Crimson Tide have really dominated, a large percentage of their total offensive yards were passing yards. Against LSU, 72% of Alabama’s total yards were passing, and against Texas A&M, 82% of its total offensive yards were passing. This indicates the importance of the wide receivers to Alabama’s ability to score and win. Vanderbilt’s secondary will need to find a way to shut down these receivers to stay in the game. 
The Commodores are ranked eighth in the SEC in passing defense and have recently shown potential against nationally ranked opponents. Although they struggled to defend Ole Miss and Georgia earlier in the season, against then-No. 12Kentucky, Vanderbilt held the Wildcats to 201 passing yards. Their relative success can be attributed to CJ Heard and freshman safety Mason Lewis, who has received more playing time recently because cornerback Martel Hight moved to wide receiver. Heard and Lewis have amassed 43 and 22 tackles, respectively. It will be especially important for the pair to cover the long balls because the leading trio of Alabama receivers are a significant threat in the backfield. Scott, Brooks and Coleman-Williams each average more than 15 yards per reception. Although Heard and Lewis have made impressive stops this season, they will both need to come up big to control passing lanes and establish dominance early in the game. 
Alabama has been affected by a slew of injuries in the last couple of weeks that could hinder its performance in Nashville. Against LSU, tight end Josh Ford suffered a torn ACL, ending his season. This is a huge loss for the Crimson Tide. Ford has two touchdowns this season and has been essential for offensive blocking. Quarterback Keelon Russell also sustained an ankle injury against LSU but finished the game. Russell is expected to play on Saturday, albeit a little banged up. Starting defensive back Zabien Brown sustained a leg injury against Tennessee and attempted to play against LSU but was swiftly taken out of the game. Both Brown and starting offensive guard William Sanders are questionable going into their game against Vanderbilt. The loss of experienced blocking from Ford and Sanders could leave Alabama’s offensive line exposed. This is something that Commodore defensive stars linebacker Nick Rinaldi and edge Miles Capers need to be aware of. Taking advantage of the weakness on the offensive line and putting pressure on Russell could give Vanderbilt a spark of momentum to build on throughout the game.
The Commodores will host Alabama on Saturday, Nov. 14, at 11:45 a.m. CST.
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