It is time to recognize the great equalizing power of relaxed transfer rules and how quickly this can impact the scramble to relax programmes.

While Nick Saban always warned that this would lead to the rich getting richer, it has also expanded the spectrum of opportunity for the rich.

For example, a zero-star recruit from Albuquerque might spend two years at New Mexico Military Institute and another two at New Mexico State before transferring to Vanderbilt and killing Goliath.

That’s the story of Diego Pavia, the biggest nobody in the class of 2020 who built himself into the architect of Vanderbilt’s greatest football victory.

From… der… buttocks.

The 6-foot-4 master of chaos had Alabama’s best defense fogged all of Saturday afternoon. He completed 16 of 20 passes for 252 yards and two scores.

His main target? Eli Stowers, a 2021 quarterback signee from Texas A&M who became a star at New Mexico State and rode the same wave to Nashville this offseason.

In a way, Auburn played a role in all of this, as Pavia and Stowers were instrumental in NMSU’s then stunning 31-10 win at Jordan-Hare Stadium, which caught the attention of Vanderbilt coach Clark Lea. He not only took the Aggies’ offensive battery, but also the coordinator (Tim Beck) and head coach (Jerry Kill).

It sounds like a simplistic explanation for the turnaround for Vanderbilt.

But the Commodores were 2-31 against SEC competition since the start of the 2020 season.

They’re…Vanderbilt.

But the infusion of talent and coaching staff is the undeniable difference between the SEC pincushion that is the powerhouse. This is a Vandy team that went 2-10 last year (0-8 in the SEC) with Hawaii and Alabama A&M as the only casualties.

In Fayetteville, inconsistent Arkansas handed another top-5 team a stunning loss. Stepping up to make the big play in the final seconds? Doneiko Slaughter, a transfer from…Tennessee of all places. His pass breakup on the penultimate play set up the ill-advised fourth-down scramble that clinched the victory.

The Hogs were in position for the upset when quarterback Taylen Green set the table. The Boise State transfer was hurt after completing 19 of 27 passes for 266 yards.

The top target was Andrew Armstrong (nine catches, 132 yards), who started his career at Texas A&M Commerce. Running back Ja’Quinden Jackson, a transfer from Utah who started his career at Texas, had the first of two Razorback touchdowns.

They made a huge difference on a night when it opened as a 14.5-point underdog.

The same day, No. 9 Missouri was embarrassed by Texas A&M, 41-10.

The same day, No. 10 Michigan lost to a Washington team with recent losses to Washington State and Rutgers.

The same day, No. 11 USC lost at Minnesota.

The same day/next day, No. 8 Miami nearly lost to ACC rival California (on the same day it hosted one of the loudest ESPN College GameDay crowds ever). The Hurricanes sprinted back from a 35-10 deficit with 23 minutes to play to win 39-38.

And that same day, Vanderbilt (the Sewanee that never left the SEC) broke the meter.

Moon II, you are a savage.

But seriously, Vandy’s win wasn’t even a coincidence.

Vanderbilt controlled the ball for 42 of 60 minutes, outscoring the Tide 418-396 and converting on 12 of 18 third-down attempts. Pavia was 8-for-10 for 100 yards on those third down plays.

Vanderbilt scored on six of its first eight drives and stopped the clock on the ninth. Not once did Alabama’s defensive force achieve a three-and-out.

To be clear: the portal is not intended in all cases as a get-rich-quick scheme. Lane Kiffin is the portal king and bet everything on his transfers, but last week against visiting Kentucky.

Is Vanderbilt now a legitimate contender for the SEC title? Is Arkansas?

No.

Are they capable of creating chaos on any given Saturday?

No doubt.

Vanderbilt still has a loss to Georgia State to demonstrate the spectrum of possibilities. Arkansas struggled against UAB, a 1-4 punchline after a 71-20 loss Saturday to Tulane.

So in this new world of equality, Kevin Garnett’s prophecy is forever correct.

Everything is possible.

No one is safe.

Sleeping is at your own risk.

Even the team playing Vanderbilt.

Michael Casagrande is a reporter for the Alabama Media Group. Follow him on Twitter @ByCasagrande or on Facebook.