Paul Finebaum considers if Alabama's loss to Vanderbilt is one of the worst losses

Paul Finebaum pondered if this was the worst loss in Alabama history. Don’t forget, the Crimson Tide have been a football program since 1892.

As the No. 1 team in 2024, Alabama dropped a shocker at Vanderbilt this past weekend that still has the college football world buzzing. There’s been no shortage of discussion regarding the stunner.

Finebaum had to hit the history books to remember a loss like this one in Alabama history.

“I said it was one of the worst losses,” Finebaum said on McElroy and Cubelic. “And what I meant by that, there have been more shocking teams that you’ve lost to in Alabama, but I’m talking about as a No. 1 team, that happens so infrequently.

“I can’t really wrap my arms around too many like this. I’ve been to a couple of them over my career, and they were against teams like Mississippi State as an unranked (team) beating a Bear Bryant team in 1980 or even a couple years ago, when A&M did, but nothing to this degree. And like it or not, it all has to do with Vanderbilt.” 

The notion around the country is Vanderbilt is still a joke within the SEC. However, Finebaum pointed out Alabama lost to a rising and competitive program.

“We all know what Vanderbilt has done under Clark Lea, but that’s not how the nation views it,” Finebaum said. “The nation still views Vanderbilt as a punching bag, as a pinata, as something that is tantamount to a middle school and that’s unfair, but it’s also the reality, and that’s why this this particular game, has sent shockwaves across not only college football, but I mean … I’ve seen on literally every major news network, and new shows. 

“This has been a big topic of conversation because it’s the biggest brand in college football. And it’s also the one that’s been the biggest laughing stock among major college teams.”

Head coach Kalen DeBoer just wants more consistency going into the new week. People won’t forget the Alabama loss to Vanderbilt, but a win over South Carolina will be nice pivot.

“I mean, when you come out on the short end, everything gets amplified, right,” DeBoer said previewing the Gamecocks. “You look into everything on another level. In regard to that, since that was the question, you can point to every little thing that happened and it being a lack of focus or discipline and having to do it better. And I think what it really comes down to is doing it better over and over.”