Alabama is rolling into Nashville this Saturday in Week 11 for the first time since their absolutely wild upset loss to Vanderbilt back in 2024. The Tide, sitting at 7-2 overall and 5-2 in the SEC, are right there on the brink of locking up a College Football Playoff spot. Meanwhile, Vanderbilt, at 4-5 and 1-5, is scrapping for bowl eligibility after snagging their first win since September last week, a two-point nail-biter over Mississippi State. Alabama, on the other hand, just pulled off a huge 31-13 road win over LSU in a ranked matchup. So, what’s gonna happen when these two meet again?
Coleman-Williams is Back and Ready to Feast
If there’s one guy who just loves playing against Vanderbilt, it’s Ryan Coleman-Williams. This dude has shredded them before, even in that shocking 2024 upset loss, he still managed to snag three catches for 82 yards and two touchdowns, one through the air and a two-yard rushing score. Then, last season when they played in Tuscaloosa, he went for six catches, 98 yards, and another touchdown. Now that he’s worked his way back from injury, this game is a prime chance for Coleman-Williams to absolutely show everyone he is 100% back and ready to dominate. You know he’s got this one circled on his calendar.
Vandy’s Run Game is a Flat-Out Mismatch
Let’s talk about the trenches, because Alabama has a massive advantage there. Vanderbilt’s run game is, well, it’s rough. They’re averaging a measly 112.1 rushing yards per game, which is the second-worst in the entire SEC. And it gets even worse in conference play, where they’re barely scraping by with 98.5 rushing yards per game. Now, you line that up against Alabama’s run defense, which is allowing just 104.6 rushing yards per game, good for fifth-best in the SEC. You see the problem, right? Alabama’s strong front is going to shut that down cold. If Alabama gets ahead early, Vandy’s going to be forced to become one-dimensional, and that’s not good news for them.
Jared Curtis vs. Bama’s Ball-Hawks: A Recipe for Disaster?
Being forced into a one-dimensional offense would be brutal for Vanderbilt, especially with their true freshman quarterback, five-star Jared Curtis. Look, the kid has potential, we all know that, but he’s struggled with turnovers. He’s thrown eight interceptions on 224 passing attempts this season. That’s the worst interception ratio of any SEC quarterback with at least 150 attempts. You pair that with Alabama’s defense, which is tied for fourth nationally and *leads* the SEC with 13 interceptions as a unit, and you’ve got yourself a recipe for disaster if you’re a Vandy fan. Alabama’s defense is going to be licking its chops.
Watch Out for the Letdown Spot
Okay, here’s the one big “if” for Alabama. They’re coming off that emotional, hard-fought road win in Baton Rouge against LSU, where they pulled away in the fourth quarter. It felt like a season-defining moment, right? But remember what happened two years ago? They lost to Vanderbilt the week *after* a dramatic win over Georgia. This kind of game, an early start time, coming off a huge win, with everyone already talking about Alabama’s CFP spot, it’s a classic letdown spot. If Vanderbilt can catch Alabama sleeping, if the Tide isn’t fully dialed in, things could get interesting.
Alabama needs this win to keep that CFP dream alive, and Vanderbilt is fighting for every shred of bowl eligibility they can get. This Saturday is going to be another high-stakes showdown in the SEC, and you know both teams will be leaving it all on the field.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
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