Upsets defined Week 6 of the 2024 college football season. Five top-11 teams in last week’s AP poll lost: No. 1 Alabama, No. 4 Tennessee, No. 9 Missouri, No. 10 Michigan and No. 11 USC.
The 247Sports national scouting team takes a closer look at the most impactful performances in those upsets. Yes, Texas A&M was a slight home favorite against Missouri. But the previously unbeaten Tigers carried a top-10 ranking into Kyle Field before the Aggies’ demolition of Mizzou.
Vanderbilt’s stunning upset of Alabama is obviously the most surprising result of the five top 15 upsets, but Arkansas‘ defensive struggle with Tennessee is not far behind. I join 247Sports national scouting analyst Greg Biggins to provide some scouting context to the top-15 chaos from this past weekend’s college football action.
VANDY OWNS THIRD DOWN, TOPPLES ‘BAMA
More than a three-touchdown home underdog, Vanderbilt rode 12-for-18 third-down success to a shocking 40-35 victory against No. 1 Alabama. Vandy’s ability to stay on the field and keep Jalen Milroe and the Tide offense on the sidelines fueled the massive upset.
Rising college football box office draw Diego Pavia scored an astronomical 92.1 passing grade, according to PFF, as he completed 16 of 20 throws for 252 yards and two touchdowns. Half of his completions converted late-down situations: seven for third-down conversions and one for a fourth-and-1 that resulted in a touchdown.
Vanderbilt’s staff deserves unlimited credit for knowing how to build money-down calls around Pavia’s mobility and playmaking awareness. On those eight passing conversions, Vanderbilt used rubs, motion, drags, rollouts and extra blockers to assemble those critical gains.
In other words, create relatively clean throwing lanes for relatively easy completions that led to run-after-catch yardage by design.
The cumulative result? The aforementioned 12-for-18 third-down success, plus a significant 75-46 advantage in offensive snaps and staggering time of possession edge — 42:08 to Alabama’s 17:52.
Pavia’s competitive fire comes as no surprise when you consider his background as a high school wrestler. A three-sport athlete at Albuquerque (N.M.) Volcano Vista, Pavia also played baseball and made three state-finalist appearances in wrestling, including one state championship in his weight class. — Gabe Brooks, 247Sports national scouting analyst
