Joel Klatt makes final score prediction for Alabama football vs Vanderbilt in Week 6 clash

The Alabama Crimson Tide are back in Bryant-Denny Stadium this week to host the Vanderbilt Commodores in another top 25 matchup.

Alabama (3-1 overall, 1-0 SEC) is ranked No. 10 in this week’s AP Top 25 poll, where Vanderbilt (5-0, 1-0) is No. 16. The Crimson Tide are No. 11 in the US LBM Coaches Poll, with the Commodores No. 17.

Will Alabama actually beat Vanderbilt this time around after last year’s stunning 40-35 loss to the Commodores in Nashville? Fox Sports lead college football analyst Joel Klatt shared his thoughts on Saturday’s matchup on the Thursday edition of his podcast.

Even after Alabama’s 24-21 statement win over Georgia, Klatt sees some issues the Crimson Tide need to clean up.

‘Not the Bama of yesteryear,’ Joel Klatt says of 2025 Alabama football team

“Bama specifically can’t stop the run, and they can’t run the football very well,” Klatt said Thursday, so they’re “winning with a great passing game.”

Florida State and Wisconsin both held Alabama to under 100 rushing yards. The Crimson Tide ran for 117 yards against Georgia but averaged only 3.1 per carry, with no one rushing for over 50 yards.

On the other side of the ball, Klatt pointed out that Alabama’s defense has struggled when defending the run. The Tide gave up 227 yards on the ground last week against Georgia and allowed 230 rushing yards in their season-opening loss in Tallahassee.

Quarterback Ty Simpson was 24-of-38 for 276 yards and two touchdowns in Athens, throwing a strike to Germie Bernard on third and goal from the Georgia 6-yard line on Alabama’s first series, and connecting with Isaiah Horton on another 6-yard touchdown pass on Alabama’s second possession for an early 14-0 lead.

Needing a first down to ice the game with under 1:30 to play, Simpson found Jam Miller for a seven-yard completion on third down to lock up the win.

Klatt called Simpson one of the top three quarterbacks in the nation entering Week 6, but he said the 2025 Crimson Tide weren’t the “Bama of yesteryear.”

“I just don’t think that they have the roster that they used to, which would (previously) suggest that if you get their full attention, they’re going to beat you by two or three scores. I don’t think that they have that in their bag. They’re a great passing team, and OK everywhere else.”

Joel Klatt on Diego Pavia, Vanderbilt offense facing Alabama

Vanderbilt enters Saturday’s game with the No. 4 scoring offense in the nation, averaging 49.0 points per game. Behind all the success is quarterback Diego Pavia, who has thrown for 1,211 yards and 13 touchdowns to three interceptions. He had a season-high 321 yards in Vandy’s 55-35 win over Utah State in Week 5.

Against Alabama last year, Pavia threw for 252 yards and rushed 20 times for 56 yards. Vanderbilt dominated Alabama in time of possession, 42:08 to 17:52. They converted 12 of 18 third-down attempts to extend drives.

In case last year’s Alabama-Vanderbilt result wasn’t proof enough, this isn’t your older brother’s Vanderbilt.

“Diego Pavia has kind of a Haynes King feel to him. Just kind of a warrior, and I just don’t feel that he’s going to allow this game to get away from him. He’ll run it 20 times if he needs to. He did it last year against Alabama, and because of that, you would think that he’s going to fight and scrap for, like, 4-6 extra first downs. Well, when you’re getting those extra first downs, you’re limiting possessions on the other side. It doesn’t allow the other opposition to build a huge lead.” –Joel Klatt, Fox Sports.

Alabama football vs Vanderbilt final score prediction

While sharing his belief that the point spread (Alabama by 10 1/2) for Saturday’s game was a bit high, Klatt raved about Alabama’s home record and noted that the Tide have won 35 of their last 36 home games dating back to the 2015 season. Because of that, he thinks Alabama will beat Vanderbilt.

“I like Bama to win, but I like Diego Pavia and this Vanderbilt team to stay close in this game… I’m going to take the hook and take that half-point and say 31-21, Bama wins. They beat Vandy, but not by more than 10 1/2.”

Kickoff for Alabama-Vanderbilt is set for 2:30 p.m. Saturday. The game will be televised on ABC.

Alabama football schedule 2025

All start times Central.

• Aug. 30: at Florida State (L, 31-17)
• Sept. 6: vs. UL Monroe (W, 73-0)
• Sept. 13: vs. Wisconsin (W, 38-14)
• Sept. 27: at Georgia (W, 24-21)
• Oct. 4: vs. Vanderbilt, 2:30 p.m. ABC
• Oct. 11: at Missouri, 11 a.m., ABC or ESPN
• Oct. 18: vs. Tennessee, TBA
• Oct. 25: at South Carolina, TBA
• Nov. 8: vs. LSU, prime time
• Nov. 15: vs. Oklahoma, TBA
• Nov. 22 vs. Eastern Illinois, 1 p.m., ESPN+
• Nov. 29: at Auburn, TBA

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