Vanderbilt fans have the chance to own a piece of history after Saturday’s stunning upset victory over No. 1 Alabama, including a section of the goalpost that was dumped in the Cumberland River during the celebrations.
The Commodores were a 23.5-point underdog against the Crimson Tide, but mustered the upset of the season to win 40-35 at FirstBank Stadium. Quarterback Diego Pavia was the hero in Nashville, going 16 for 20 through the air for 252 yards and two touchdowns.
Fans stormed the field as the clock hit zeroes, celebrating the program’s first-ever win over an AP top-five team. The party lasted long into the night, with one of the goalposts uprooted from the field, carried almost three miles down Broadway and tossed in the river. Nashville Fire Department salvaged the uprights from the river and returned them to the school.
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Vandy was hit with a $100,000 fine by the SEC to be paid to Bama for storming the field, and in an apparent bid to recoup the cost, a wide array of memorabilia has been made available on auction site LiveSource.
A limited quantity of four-inch pieces of the upright were listed for $1,005, while eight-inch sections of the crossbar were available for $4,035. Just a few hours after the start of the action, both items are showing as sold out.
Other items remain for sale, though, with four endzone pylons from the game up for auction, with the top bid for each pylon at around $1,200. Four game balls are up for auction, too, with the top bids at around $3,500 ahead of the deadline on Thursday.
A game-worn helmet is also up for sale, with the option of having it signed by head coach Clark Lea. It has a top offer of almost $14,000 after just a few hours of bidding.
Vanderbilt’s victory was the biggest shock of a weekend of upsets across college football, with five of the top-11 teams suffering defeats. Mizzou’s pummelling at the hands of Texas A&M and Tennessee’s defeat to Arkansas were dwarfed by the Crimson Tide’s shock loss, which came seven days after a win over Georgia and saw them plunge to seventh in the rankings.
“Obviously, this was a great night for a program, and, you know one that we’ve worked really hard to make happen,” Lea said in the aftermath of the win.
“So I haven’t been emotional to this very point of course right when I get in front of you guys I’m going to get emotional, but I think that the emotions are a testament to the level of care, and the level of investment from so many people that are cheering for us, to start with our chancellor, who, you know again, I said this from the jump, but you know none of this would be possible without his belief in what we’re doing and, God, his willingness to reimagine what this program can be, and open up resources and push.”
Vanderbilt (3-2) returns to action on Saturday with a road trip to Kentucky. Bama (4-1) hosts South Carolina at Bryant–Denny Stadium.
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