Ryan Williams on Vanderbilt's victory over Alabama: "We are Bringing the Sledgehammer This Year"

During a recent sit-down with Jon Gruden, Williams said, "Look, we do not call them vengeance games." "But we are going to use a sledgehammer to kill an ant this year."

The takeaway is unmistakable: the mistakes made during the previous season, especially the shocking 40-35 loss to the Commodores, had an impact. Additionally, Alabama enters the 2025 season with a sense of purpose and blood in their eyes.

The Still-Stinging Loss

It was more than just a defeat. A historic unraveling took place.

Under the leadership of quarterback Diego Pavia, Vanderbilt shocked the top-ranked Crimson Tide in the country and snapped Alabama's incredible 40-year winning streak against the Commodores. That evening, Random Fontenette turned the tide of the game with a pick-six that rocked the SEC, Sedrick Alexander added two rushing scores, and Pavia outdueled Alabama's Jalen Milroe.

With a tone that was both focused and frustrated, Williams remarked, "They just played better football than we did." "We were completely unsuccessful. They had a strategy, and they followed it. They controlled the time, they had the ball, and we did not react appropriately.

A Sharper Edge, A New Season

It appears that the game served as a wake-up call rather than a coincidence. 

"We definitely had red eyes heading into every game we lost last year," Williams continued. The edge, the subtle fire, the hunger—you can sense it. Alabama is not only there to compete; they are there to rule.

The Alabama vs. Vanderbilt rematch might be more emotionally charged than anyone anticipated this fall as the SEC prepares for another collision course of elite matches and fierce rivalries.

Additionally, the Crimson Tide will not be taking anything lightly this time around, based on what Williams said.