Vanderbilt's Diego Pavia did not back up pregame talk, showmanship

For most of the past four decades, a Vanderbilt player talking that sort of game going into Alabama would have been completely unheard of, but times are very different now. Alabama is not as dominant as it once was, and Vanderbilt has become a legitimate SEC team thanks in large part to Pavia.

Still, if you are going to talk that talk, you better back it up on the field.

Pavia did not.

He completed 21 of 35 passes for 198 yards (only 5.7 yards per attempt) and rushed for another 58 yards on 12 attempts, but he was guilty of two absolutely massive, game-changing mistakes. 

In the first quarter, with Vanderbilt already leading 7-0 and driving for a potential two-score lead, Pavia fumbled deep in Alabama territory and gave the Crimson Tide some momentum. They would eventually turn that into a game-tying touchdown drive.

It would not be his only big mistake.

With Vanderbilt trailing by six points early in the fourth quarter and again driving deep into Alabama territory, Pavia was intercepted inside the 10-yard line. Alabama turned that possession into a field-goal drive and made it a nine-point game.

Combined with the lack of any big-play offense in the passing game, those mistakes were absolute game-changers and crushers for Vanderbilt's chances. The Commodores are still in a position to have one of their best seasons in recent memory, and they put up a good fight in one of the toughest road environments in college football, but they needed more from their best player. Especially given the way he treated the pregame talk and pregame warmups.