Alabama vs. Vanderbilt is the game of the week in college football for Week 6. You read that correctly. What a time to be alive.
College GameDay will be in town for No. 10 Alabama vs. No. 16 Vanderbilt. The Crimson Tide is fresh off a massive road win over Georgia, while the Commodores enter at 5-0, brimming with confidence. Diego Pavia proved last season he could slay the mighty Crimson Tide. Can he do it again in Tuscaloosa?
The betting line opened with Alabama as a significant 13.5-point favorite. That line felt high immediately, and sharp bettors took full advantage of it. An abundance of early money must have poured in on Vanderbilt to cover the two-touchdown spread, because as of Monday morning, that number has dropped.
FanDuel brought the spread all the way down to Alabama -10.5 to try and balance the scales.
Alabama will look to avoid a repeat of last season against Vanderbilt
It would be a significant surprise after last season's loss in Nashville if Alabama takes this game against Vanderbilt lightly. But it's set up for the Crimson Tide much like last season was: Alabama faces the 'Dores a week after a significant and emotional victory over Georgia.
The difference this year is that Pavia and Vanderbilt aren't sneaking up on anyone. That hasn't mattered, though, as the Commodores are off to a 5-0 start. Alabama will pose the most significant challenge yet this season for them, however, but Vandy has already scored road wins over two Power Four opponents: Virginia Tech and South Carolina.
One thing is for certain: Vanderbilt won't be intimidated by the road crowd in Bryant-Denny Stadium this weekend. Pavia brought a swagger with him to the program, and they will come in fully expecting to win the game.
Unlike last year, Vanderbilt should have the full attention of Alabama. It's not likely that DeBoer will have to reinforce that with his team this year. It was clear a year ago that the Crimson Tide was sleepwalking through the first quarter, and Vanderbilt built a 13-0 lead before it felt like the team even got off the bus.
The win over Georgia was nice, but this weekend against Vanderbilt will be the perfect barometer for whether Alabama has turned the corner under DeBoer. They proved they can handle adversity just fine on Saturday night. But how will they handle prosperity?