2025 Alabama Football Early Opponent Preview, Game 5: Vanderbilt

On October 5, 2024, Vanderbilt beat Alabama in football for the first time since 1984. The Crimson Tide, which entered the game with a No. 1 ranking, was shellshocked. Goalposts came down. Celebrations were aplenty. The Commodores, which entered the game losers of two in a row, spun some of that momentum into their first winning season of the decade.

It was an early inflection point in the Alabama career of Kalen DeBoer. That game was the program's worst regular season loss since 2007. The team went on to lose twice more in the regular season, with all three such losses coming on the road, and drop its bowl game (which Vanderbilt did not).

Almost a full year later, the schools are scheduled to run it back in Tuscaloosa. The Commodores last played there in 2022, losing 55-3. The kickoff time and television designation for the Oct. 4 game have not been announced as of this writing. It's going to be Alabama's first game after its Sept. 27 road trip to Georgia, and second SEC contest of the 2025 season.

Offense:

The returns of playmaking All-SEC quarterback Diego Pavia and All-SEC tight end Eli Stowers headline the Commodores' offense. Despite big wins last year, Vanderbilt ranked 123rd in total offense in the FBS. It scored 30-plus points in a loss just once, at Georgia State. The impact of offensive coordinator Tim Beck and Jerry Kill on the development of this unit is immense. New Mexico State's fingerprints remain a presence with this group.

Defense:

Leading tackler Bryan Longwell is back in the linebacking corps. Sack co-leaders Randon Fontenette and Miles Capers (eight each in 2024) also return. That brings continuity and explosiveness to this side of the football, which has also added transfers like CJ Heard (Florida Atlantic). It is also worth noting that defense is in the DNA of head coach Clark Lea, who was the Notre Dame defensive coordinator immediately prior to taking his current post.

Schedule:

Vanderbilt has the distinction of some of its toughest games being on the road in 2025, including the Alabama rematch. An out-of-conference test at Virginia Tech, a college football fan-favorite venue and atmosphere, highlights the nonconference slate. The Commodores get a Georgia State team that handed them their worst 2024 loss on home field. The SEC road games are an absolute gauntlet: South Carolina, Alabama, Texas and Tennessee. Lea's team has Power Four home contests against LSU, Missouri, Auburn and Kentucky.

Outlook:

Winning seasons have not been the norm in Nashville as of recent seasons. The script was flipped in a memorable 2024 season; at one point, the team was ranked, taking Texas to its limit that weekend. A bowl victory, the program's first since 2013, capped that run off. This fall's schedule is a behemoth before counting the Alabama game. The Commodores have returned their best offensive players and have impact names on defense. Those players will be relied on to pull Vanderbilt through if the team is to accomplish another above-.500 campaign, but that will be a difficult ask.

The Game:

Date: October 4, 2025
Time: To be announced
TV: To be announced
Location: Saban Field at Bryant-Denny Stadium, Tuscaloosa, Ala.
Series history: Alabama leads 60-20-4 (The Crimson Tide vacated wins over the Commodores from 2006 and 2007)
Last meeting: October 5, 2024 (Vanderbilt won 40-35)

The Team:

Coach Clark Lea (Fifth season, 16-33 overall record)
Offensive coordinator: Tim Beck (Second season)
Defensive coordinator: Steve Gregory (Second season)
2024-25 record: 7-6 (3-5 SEC)
2024 rankings: 123rd (total offense), 74th (total defense)
Players to watch: Diego Pavia, Eli Stowers, Randon Fontenette
Top newcomer: Safety CJ Heard
Biggest question: Has Vanderbilt assembled a talented enough roster for sustained success, even with a tough schedule?

The School:

Location: Nashville, Tennessee
Founded: 1873
Enrollment: 13,575 (2024)
Nickname: Commodores
Colors: Black and gold
Mascot: Mr. C

The Program:

Last win in series: October 5, 2024
Last conference title: None in the SEC, last undisputed title was 1915 in SIAA
National championships: None claimed
Playoff appearances: None
Last season missing bowl game: 2023
Heisman winners: None
2025 NFL Draft selections: One (Julian Ashby, selected 251st overall by New England Patriots)

The Schedule:

August 30: Charleston Southern
September 6: at Virginia Tech
September 13: at South Carolina
September 20: Georgia State
September 27: Utah State
October 4: at Alabama
October 18: LSU
October 25: Missouri
November 1: at Texas
November 8: Auburn
November 22: Kentucky
November 29: at Tennessee

This is the fifth story in BamaCentral's summer preview series of all 12 regular season opponents for Alabama football in 2025. Ensuing stories will be published throughout June and early July.