Tag: Vanderbilt

College football fans stunned after No. 1 Alabama’s upset loss to Vanderbilt

Vanderbilt gets their first win against No. 1 Alabama in over two decades years.

Well, well, well. A week after defeating the Georgia Bulldogs and claiming the top spot in the AP poll, the Alabama Crimson Tide were looking for an easy victory over the non-ranked Vanderbilt Commodores. Instead, the Commodores caught fire, stunningly beating Alabama 40-35.

The Vanderbilt offense was ultra-efficient in this one, gaining 418 yards and 26 first downs with no turnovers. Diego Pavia threw for 252 passing yards and two touchdowns on just 20 attempts.

Overall, though, it was the running game that piloted the offense, with 166 yards on a whopping 54 attempts. While that amounts to just 3.1 yards per attempt, it was absolutely crucial in Vanderbilt winning the time of possession battle. Overall, the Commodores earned 42 minutes of possession in this one.

Alabama tried to keep pace with them offensively, with Jalen Milroe throwing for 312 yards on 25 attempts, but a pick-six in the first quarter and a fumble late in the 4th sealed the loss.

This is the first time Vanderbilt has beaten a top five team, and the first time they’ve beaten Alabama in 23 years.

Here are some of the best college football fan reactions to the upset loss:

 

 

 

 

Ally Zazzara records 100th career save for Lady Vols

Tennessee goalkeeper Ally Zazzara records 100th save for the Lady Vols.

Tennessee (6-1-3, 1-0-2 SEC) hosted Vanderbilt (5-2-4, 0-2-2 SEC) on Sunday at Regal Soccer Stadium. The Lady Vols and Commodores played to a, 1-1, tie.

Tennessee goalkeeper Ally Zazzara totaled a season-high 11 saves against Vanderbilt, including a penalty kick during the 12th minute. She also recorded her 100th career save for the Lady Vols in the contest.

Mac Midgley scored Tennessee’s only goal and Reese Mattern recorded an assist in the 83rd minute. Sydney Watts scored a goal for Vanderbilt during the 56th minute.

Tennessee extended its unbeaten streak to nine games. The Lady Vols have not lost a match since their season-opening game at Indiana on Aug. 15.

The Lady Vols will next play Missouri on Friday at Regal Soccer Stadium (7 p.m. EDT, SEC Network).

Panthers OC Brad Idzik recalls embarrassing story involving TE Jordan Matthews

Panthers OC Brad Idzik admits that TE Jordan Matthews put his playing career to an end when they were both back in college.

Carolina Panthers offensive coordinator Brad Idzik was already familiar with one of the team’s pass catchers entering his first year on the job. But that familiarity doesn’t necessarily stem from a positive experience—at least for him.

Idzik chatted with reporters before hitting the practice field on Thursday afternoon. He was asked about veteran tight end Jordan Matthews, who actually provided Idzik with what may have been the most humbling moment of his playing career.

“My last game at Wake Forest was at Vanderbilt,” said Idzik, who played wide receiver and safety for the Demon Deacons from 2011 to 2013. “And Jordan Matthews—we kid about it all the time—it was fourth-and-20, it’s a little embarrassing . . . fourth-and-20, we had a first-round corner on him and safety help and he catches a go ball to win the game. My last career college game.”

Here’s the catch:

Matthews finished the day with 11 receptions for 125 yards in Wake Forest’s 23-21 triumph.

“Yeah, yeah, it kills me,” Idzik later joked. “It’s my lingering moment of actually putting on the pads. So, he drove me to a coaching career quicker than I wanted to.”

Now, with Idzik helping coach up Matthews as a pro, that moment has come full circle in Carolina.

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Saints sign former Patriots second-round pick Joejuan Williams after group tryout

The Saints signed former Patriots second-round pick Joejuan Williams after a group tryout. He played college football at Vanderbilt:

The New Orleans Saints signed former Patriots second-round pick Joejuan Williams after a group tryout, per NewOrleans.Football’s Nick Underhill. The cornerback played college football at Vanderbilt and has lined up almost exclusively out wide in the NFL — on 436 of his 608 career defensive snaps, with 111 of them starting in the slot.

So he’s not exactly the Justin Simmons consolation prize some fans may have hoped for.  Instead, look for Williams to compete at the bottom of the depth chart with other corners like Rejzohn Wright, Mac McCain II, and Kaleb Ford-Dement. The Saints are still looking for players to round out their practice squad as guys like Rico Payton and Shemar Jean-Charles separate from the pack. And with injuries hitting three of their top four corners (Marshon Lattimore, Paulson Adebo, and Kool-Aid McKinstry) they need the help just to keep practice on schedule.

As for Williams? He’s listed  at 6-foot-3 and 212 pounds and was drafted at No. 45 overall in 2019, the sixth cornerback to be picked. But he played out his four-year contract with the Patriots without intercepting a single pass. He’s since spent time with the Chicago Bears and Minnesota Vikings but has struggled to earn snaps for either team, instead coming up from their practice squad. He needs to impress right away if he’ll catch on with the Saints.

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Countdown to Kickoff: Matthew Hayball is Saints Player of Day 43

Our Saints player of the day is Australian native Matthew Hayball. The former Vanderbilt punter is ready to make a name for himself:

Our countdown to kickoff for the New Orleans Saints continues with Day 43! Today’s Saints player of the day is punter Matthew Hayball. Let’s get to know the rookie.

  • Name (Age): Matthew Hayball (27)
  • Position: Punter
  • Height, weight: 6-foot-0, 189 pounds
  • Relative Athletic Score: N/A
  • 2024 salary cap hit: $798,333
  • College: Vanderbilt
  • Drafted: Undrafted in 2023 (New Orleans Saints)
  • NFL experience: 1st year

The Saints continued their trend of Australian punters when they signed Hayball to the team. He joins Australian punter Lou Hedley who the team signed last year. It’s worth noting that Hayball’s contract included $35,000 in guarantees whereas Hedley was guaranteed just $10,000 last offseason.

He played three years at Flordia Atlantic before transferring to Vanderbilt. In his final year at Vanderbilt, he punted the ball 57 times for 2,713 yards. With a 47.6 average distance, he ranked in the top-ten in college football for yards per attempt.

Hayball is looking to compete with Hedley for the starting job. He has a real shot at taking that position, as Hedley struggled last season. As we mentioned, Hayball can boot the football, and this is something that Hedley struggles to do, as his 43-yard average ranked 37th in the NFL. Hedley has worked to improve but Hayball is going to push him, and he might just push past him.

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Notre Dame makes offer to 2026 guard, daughter of former NBA player

Hope she picks the Irish.

Kate Harpring hasn’t even begun her junior year at Marist in Atlanta. That’s the same high school her father, former NBA player Matt Harpring, attended. But that hasn’t stopped many prominent programs from making her offers already. She confirmed that Notre Dame is one of those programs on social media:

On the same day, Harpring also announced an offer from Iowa, which only added onto the list of schools that already have offers to her. Among the other schools hoping to add her as part of their 2026 recruiting class are Florida State, Clemson, Louisville, Maryland, Kentucky, Arizona, Utah and Vanderbilt. Needless to say, the Irish will have plenty of competition here.

We don’t know how the Irish would look as far as competitiveness by the time she arrives on campus. However, if many prominent schools already have made her offers, she obviously is something special. Hopefully, she chooses to prove that in South Bend.

Contact/Follow us @IrishWireND on Twitter, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Notre Dame news, notes, and opinions.

Follow Geoffrey on Twitter: @gfclark89

Countdown to Kickoff: Anfernee Orji is the Saints Player of Day 58

Countdown to Kickoff: Anfernee Orji is the Saints Player of Day 58. A year on the practice squad has prepped him for the opportunity to make the team

We’ve got 58 days to go until the New Orleans Saints kick off their 2024 regular season against the Carolina Panthers, which makes Anfernee Orji our Saints Player of the Day. The current owner of the No. 58 jersey spent a year on the Saints practice squad which prepared him to compete for a roster spot at training camp later this summer:

  • Name (Age): Anfernee Orji (23)
  • Position: Linebacker
  • Height, weight: 6-foot-2, 230 pounds
  • Relative Athletic Score: 9.23
  • 2024 salary cap hit: $795,000
  • College: Vanderbilt
  • Drafted: Undrafted in 2023 (New Orleans Saints)
  • NFL experience: 1 year

Orji received $226,000 in guarantees last spring to sign with the Saints as an undrafted free agent, which just trails this year’s leader (tight end Dallin Holker, who was guaranteed $235,000). He showed some impressive movement skills through training camp and preseason but missed too tackles, and he spent his rookie year on the practice squad.

Now he’s competing with guys like D’Marco Jackson, Khaleke Hudson, Monty Rice, Jaylan Ford, and Isaiah Stalbird for two, maybe three roster spots, depending on how soon Nephi Sewell can return from a December knee injury. Orji’s coaches know him well and he has a good handle on the playbook. He also has the physical tools to stand apart from the pack. He just needs to put it all together and show he can be relied on when his number is called. Helping out on special teams will do a lot to strengthen his case, but it’s also important that he hold up in coverage and tackle cleanly when needed on defense.

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Photos of Vols’ elimination game win against Vanderbilt in SEC Tournament

A look at photos of Tennessee baseball’s elimination game win against Vanderbilt in the SEC Tournament.

No. 1 seed Tennessee (49-11) eliminated No. 8 seed Vanderbilt (38-22), 6-4, in the Southeastern Conference Tournament at Hoover Metropolitan Stadium in Hoover, Alabama on Saturday.

“Obviously, if you’re fortunate enough to get to this portion of the tournament, pitching is at a premium, as is energy level and stuff like that,” Tennessee head coach Tony Vitello said. “You just got to grit it out, and our team followed Zander’s (Sechrist) lead today, so we were blessed to have him out there.”

The Vols advance to the SEC Tournament championship game on Sunday versus No. 11 seed LSU. First pitch between Tennessee and the Tigers is slated for 3 p.m. EDT and will be televised by ESPN2.

Below are photos of Tennessee’s win against Vanderbilt in the SEC Tournament semifinals on Saturday.

 

Vols defeat Vanderbilt, advance to SEC title game

Tennessee baseball defeats Vanderbilt and advances to the SEC title game.

No. 1 seed Tennessee (49-11) defeated No. 8 seed Vanderbilt (38-22), 6-4, on Saturday in the Southeastern Conference Tournament semifinals.

The contest was an elimination game at Hoover Metropolitan Stadium in Hoover, Alabama.

Zander Sechrist (3-1) started for Tennessee and pitched six innings. He recorded five strikeouts. Sechrist totaled 80 pitches, including 57 strikes, against 23 batters.

Marcus Phillips pitched three innings in relief and earned his third save this season.

Tennessee totaled 10 hits against Vanderbilt, including a home run by Christian Moore.

Tennessee advances to the SEC Tournament championship game on Sunday against LSU. First pitch between the Vols and Tigers is slated for 3 p.m. EDT and will be televised by ESPN2.

How to watch Tennessee-Vanderbilt baseball game

How to watch the Tennessee-Vanderbilt baseball game on Saturday in the SEC Tournament.

No. 1 seed Tennessee (48-11) will play an elimination game against No. 8 seed Vanderbilt (38-20) on Saturday in the Southeastern Conference Tournament semifinals.

First pitch between the Vols and Commodores is slated for 4:30 p.m. EDT and will be televised by SEC Network.

The winner will advance to the SEC Tournament championship game on Sunday (3 p.m. EDT, ESPN2).

Live stream on Fubo TV

Tennessee leads the all time series against the Commodores, 186-166-2, dating to May 10, 1897.

The Vols won a three-game series, 2-1, at Vanderbilt during the regular-season. Vanderbilt defeated Tennessee, 13-4, on Wednesday in the SEC Tournament.

PHOTOS: A look at Tony Vitello through the years

Gary Cosby Jr./ USA TODAY Network