HOUSTON – After leading the Vanderbilt Commodores to the program’s first-ever win over a top-ranked team, head coach Clark Lea has been named the Bear Bryant Awards Fan Favorite Coach of the Week presented by Accenture. The 40-35 win over No. 1/2 Alabama in front of a sellout crowd at FirstBank Stadium was not only the first win in program history over a top-ranked team; it also marked the first win in 61 attempts against teams ranked in the top five nationally.
The win marked the first win for Vanderbilt over Alabama since 1984 – a 30-21 Commodores win in Tuscaloosa.
An all-around disciplined effort by the Commodores led Vanderbilt to being penalized for a season-low 20 yards, while the 35 points allowed was the fewest points scored by the Crimson Tide this season. Diego Pavia threw for two touchdowns, with 252 yards in the air and 56 more on the ground. The Commodores remain the only FBS program that has not thrown an interception this season.
Sedrick Alexander rushed for a team-high 64 yards and two scores, leading Vanderbilt to a 166-yard rushing effort. The Commodores outrushed Alabama 166-84, helping Vanderbilt to a 42:08 to 17:52 time of possession advantage.
After scoring on the opening drive, Vanderbilt never trailed in Saturday’s upset win, opening up a 13-0 lead in the first quarter and leading by as many as 16 points (23-7) early in the second quarter. While the Crimson Tide twice cut the deficit to two points – 23-21 and 30-28 – Vanderbilt answered the bell both times, including scoring ten straight fourth-quarter points to take a 12-point advantage into the closing minutes of the game.
Lea is the fourth winner of the 2024 season, following Kentucky’s Mark Stoops, Tennessee’s Josh Heupel, and Washington State’s Jake Dickert. Continuing through the remainder of the regular season, the Paul “Bear” Bryant Awards will recognize a coach weekly for leading their team to an exceptional victory.
The American Heart Association, a global force for healthier lives for all, presents the Bear Bryant Coach of the Year Awards annually to celebrate excellence in coaching, to honor Coach Bryant’s legacy and to raise awareness and critical funds for their mission. The coaching legend died from a heart attack in 1983, just 28 days after his final victory and retirement.
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