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By Cole Sullivan
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Week 6 of the college football season features several marquee matchups, but one of the most notable will take place at 3:30 p.m. EST in Tuscaloosa, as the No. 16 Vanderbilt Commodores take on the No. 10 Alabama Crimson Tide.
Historically, Alabama has dominated this matchup. However, last season, when the Crimson Tide were ranked No. 1 in the nation, quarterback Diego Pavia and Vanderbilt pulled off the biggest victory in program history.
That game wasn’t without its prelude of drama, as former Alabama head coach Nick Saban made controversial remarks about Vanderbilt leading up to the matchup.
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“The only place you’re going to play in the SEC that’s not hard to play, Vanderbilt,” Saban said at the time. “When you play at Vanderbilt, you have more fans there than they have, and that’s no disrespect to them, it’s the truth.”
While Kalen DeBoer was coaching Alabama during that loss, Saban’s comments didn’t sit well with Commodores fans. Ahead of Saturday’s clash, Saban offered a public apology to DeBoer during a “College GameDay” segment, acknowledging that his previous remarks may have added extra bulletin board material.
“I want [to give] a public apology for saying that,” Saban said.
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Saban never lost to Vanderbilt in his 17 seasons with the Crimson Tide. Alabama’s 2024 defeat under Kalen DeBoer marked the first time the Commodores had beaten the Tide since 1984.
That loss also sparked a downward spiral for Alabama, ultimately keeping them out of the College Football Playoff — a result that was not taken lightly in Tuscaloosa.
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Alabama enters Saturday's matchup with one loss, having stumbled against Florida State in Week 1. However, the Tide bounced back with a statement road win over No. 5 Georgia in Athens, shifting expectations for what this team could accomplish.
Meanwhile, the Commodores are proving they’re no longer a pushover, entering the game undefeated at 5-0 with dominant performances against Virginia Tech, South Carolina, and Utah State.
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