Diego Pavia, Vanderbilt Aim for Another Upset As Alabama Fans Prepare For 'Revenge' Game In Tuscaloosa

TUSCALOOSA, AL — Anticipation is at an all-time high on Alabama’s campus ahead of Saturday’s SEC rematch with Vanderbilt — a game that few circled in the preseason but now has the entire college football world watching. 

This matchup isn’t just about rankings. It’s about revenge, momentum, and proving that last season’s shocker wasn’t a fluke.

While it might not be the two SEC teams that you would've imagined garnering the attention, folks around the Alabama campus are no longer overlooking this Vanderbilt squad led by Diego Pavia that shocked the world last season. 

See Them Now? Vanderbilt Football Thrives As College Football Still Questions Longevity

By Friday morning, Alabama fans were already setting up camp near the College Gameday set. Some arrived as early as 10 a.m., more than 24 hours before the broadcast, just to secure a prime spot.

Alabama fans already camping out before College Gameday, as Vanderbilt looks for another win. Via: Trey Wallace

I guess it shouldn't surprise me any longer, given the popularity of college football. 

But, what kind of WiFi signal are you getting in ‘The Quad’ as you set up a tent to sleep in overnight? Arriving at 10am on a Friday was the move for Preston, a recent graduate of Alabama from Enterprise. 

"Coming here at ten in the morning, because if you get here any later the line will be all the way to Denny Chimes. Getting here early is the best way to do it," Preston told OutKick on Friday. " 

For Preston, this is more than fandom — it’s a tradition. Donning a championship belt as part of his gameday outfit, he proudly explained: "I prep like this every week. I’ve been doing it for about five years, and this is how I show my support."

And he wasn’t alone. Students were already pitching tents Friday, bracing for a long night before the gates opened.

Alabama fans already camping out before College Gameday, as Vanderbilt looks for another win. Via: Trey Wallace

Diego Pavia Has Folks Nervous, Even If They Try To Downplay Vanderbilt

Plenty of folks I spoke with leading up to kickoff were of the same mindset as the football team. This was going to be a revenge game. 

After being embarrassed last season, entering the game as the No. 1 team in the country, there is a sense of overwhelming confidence around campus that Alabama is going enact revenge on the Commodores today. 

"I know what he did last year, but this team won't make the same mistake again," Thomas, from Cullman mentioned to OutKick about Diego Pavia. "I'll give him credit, he talks a ton of sh-t and backs it up. But, that comes to an end this weekend. Good luck to him against our defense. I'm thinking 42-17 will be the final score."

And that right there is what Vanderbilt players want to hear. Once again, plenty of fans think this is some sort of miracle run by the Commodores, but they are clearly mistaken. 

The Work Has Paid Off For Vanderbilt, Now It's Time To Prove It Again

What we've seen from Clark Lea's squad over the past few years has been a slow build, with this type of outcome that spurns from the hard work and buy-in from those within the Vanderbilt football building. 

As for what Pavia was thinking before taking the field in Tuscaloosa on Saturday afternoon, it all came down to playing hard enough to create doubt once again for Alabama. 

"I don’t know what they’re doing. I just focus on us, but I know we’ve got to bring it. That’s for sure," Diego Pavia told Chris Low. "The crowd, I think, is going to be a big factor in the game. But we just gotta play within the white lines. If we do that, if we play our game, it won’t be close."

And guess what? He's not wrong. 

It's certainly not a fluke that Vanderbilt is 5-0 heading into this showdown with Alabama. This is not your grandfather's Commodores, or even your dad's. This is a football team oozing with confidence, who plans on winning later today. 

Also, it is not a morale game, hoping to leave the State of Alabama with a close loss. No, the reason why fans of the Tide' are quietly nervous about this game is because they know Vanderbilt can win. 

The fans roaming around campus this morning might not want to admit it, but the thought of losing once again to this Vanderbilt team is nerve-wracking. 

For Alabama head coach Kalen DeBoer, the pressure is real. Losing back-to-back games to Vanderbilt would be unthinkable for fans in Tuscaloosa. Yet, the possibility is what makes this rematch so compelling.

If the Commodores walk out of Bryant-Denny Stadium with another upset, Diego Pavia might not just be the face of Vanderbilt football — he could be jokingly crowned the "Governor of Alabama."