"Bring Us Bama," How Towel Shifted Focus to Vanderbilt vs. Alabama Rematch

NASHVILLE—-There it hung from a suite in Vanderbilt’s south end zone as if it were the battle cry for those who remained in FirstBank Stadium through the final moments of Vanderbilt’s 55-35 win over Utah State.

“Bring us Bama,” a sign that hung from the suite that generally houses another sign that supports Vanderbilt quarterback Diego Pavia’s movement to “make Vanderbilt turnt” said.

It’s the type of declaration that this program has so often been scared to make over the years. It’s the type of game it’s been scared of, too.

This Vanderbilt team doesn’t appear to be scared, though. Clark Lea wouldn’t look to instill anything other than a chip on the shoulder, unwavering confidence in it. When some would back down from a spotlight considering this program’s history, this Vanderbilt team–and its quarterback, in particular–is embracing the idea that it’s got a crack at the nation’s most prestigious program on the road a week after it went to Athens and knocked off No. 5 Georgia.

“Tuscaloosa will be a good time,” Pavia said after Vanderbilt's Saturday win over Utah State as he finally looked ahead to a game that he's worked to avoid addressing publicly. “This is why you come to the SEC, for big games like this. We’ll be really excited to go down there and check them out.”

Perhaps the root of Vanderbilt’s confidence–or at least a part of it–in its ability to rise to the occasion at Bryant Denny Stadium comes from its body of work and what it did last season at the place in which the fans declared they wanted Bama on Saturday.

That night was the best in this program’s history and saw each piece of its operation become immortalized after a 40-35 win over No. 1 Alabama. It was the type of upset that college football has prided itself on providing. This Vanderbilt team is setting out to prove that it wasn’t a fluke, though.

“I don’t think it’s any different than any other game we play on our schedule,” Vanderbilt safety Marlen Sewell said. “We don’t vary opponents based on what we did in the past, what they have this year. We’re gonna come in and have a fresh mindset. No matter who it is, we plan to dominate each and every game.”

This Vanderbilt team has done that in its 5-0 start to the 2025 season in which it’s won each game by 20 points or more. What it sees on Saturday will challenge it in a way that it’s yet to be challenged, though.

Kalen DeBoer’s Alabama team has proven that it can beat anyone in the country and if it’s going to overlook anyone, it’s certainly not going to be this Vanderbilt team. That’s what an upset win that derails an otherwise College Football Playoff bound season does. That’s what the College Gameday spotlight does.

Vanderbilt has removed the unassuming title from itself, but it’s okay with that.

Oct 5, 2024; Nashville, Tennessee, USA; Vanderbilt Commodores quarterback Diego Pavia (2) hands the ball off to running back AJ Newberry (23) against the Alabama Crimson Tide during the first half at FirstBank Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Steve Roberts-Imagn Images | Steve Roberts-Imagn Images

“We know the task at hand,” Lea said, “But, we're excited for it, and this group has positioned us to be undefeated heading down there, and that means a lot.”

It would mean plenty for this program to leave Tuscaloosa with a win, as well. If it could pull it off as double-digit underdogs, it would likely become a top 10 team heading into its bye week and would cement itself as a legitimate College Football Playoff contender.

Outside of Vanderbilt’s building, it appears to be a foregone conclusion that this will be the end of the road on Vanderbilt’s undefeated run. Lea’s team isn’t backing down, though.

Instead it’s taking on the message of that white, fan-made towel in its end zone.