Ryan Coleman-Williams didn’t just score Saturday night at Alabama. He put on a show.
The junior wideout finished with two touchdowns in the Crimson Tide’s 49-18 win over South Carolina, and the celebration after the second one said plenty about the mood. Coleman-Williams sprinted into the end zone with his arms out, head slightly bowed, then cut through the lettering in a move that looked a lot like an airplane as the stadium lights flashed red around him.
“We were feeding off of each other,” Coleman-Williams said. “The energy was high.”
That connection with quarterback Keelon Russell was the real story inside Alabama’s dominant night. Russell and Coleman-Williams looked like a pairing built on timing, trust and plenty of work behind the scenes. Just three weeks ago, Russell said the two could be the “best duo in the country,” and against South Carolina they backed up the talk.
Coleman-Williams led Alabama with 98 receiving yards on five catches, and both of his scores came on explosive plays. He hauled in five of six targets and delivered his first multi-touchdown game in over a year, since he had two scores against Wisconsin in September 2025.
The Crimson Tide controlled the game from the start, racing to a 35-3 lead and finishing with a 489-to-419 edge in total yardage. But the biggest spark came from the Russell-to-Coleman-Williams connection.
Russell had already made his belief in the receiver clear earlier this season, saying after Alabama’s opener against East Carolina, “Ryan is a phenomenal player,” and adding, “At the end of the season, you're gonna be looking at the best duo in the country. That guy has a mindset of steel. Nothing gets in his head.”
Coleman-Williams’ season hasn’t been clean or easy. He dealt with drops early, but Saturday looked like a reset.
The ball was finding him again, and he was finishing plays the way Alabama wanted. His two touchdowns covered 42 and 32 yards, and both showed different parts of his game.
The first came late in the opening quarter, when Russell hit him near the edge of the end zone for a 32-yard touchdown. The second arrived on the next drive and was even more striking. Coleman-Williams slipped into space down the middle, caught the pass around the 15-yard line and then dragged a defender into the end zone.
“Once I get the ball, I want to be ball dominant when the ball is in the air,” Coleman-Williams said. “And let my God-given ability take over once I grab it.”
Even through the rough patches, Coleman-Williams kept his sideline energy up. He said he kept giving teammates “Nashes” - high-fives, fistbumps and pats on the back - because the attitude never changed.
“Through the ups and the downs, no matter what, we've got to keep that energy going,” Coleman-Williams said. “We work too hard to not enjoy football.”
He and Russell also put in extra work during the week, identifying areas they wanted to clean up and staying after practice if a route wasn’t right. By Saturday, the results were obvious.
“Just thinking about the week that we had, we were firing on all cylinders,” Coleman-Williams said.
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Scott Stapps presence fit that atmosphere, too, given his longtime support of Alabama and his family connection to the program. Kid Rock also made an appearance, and the larger point is hard to miss: Alabama football has become a stage where athletics, alumni pride and celebrity interest overlap, with the music side of that spotlight set to keep building as Creeds performances approach. [Read more 🡒]
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The bigger concern may be the ripple effect on the middle of the defense. Linebackers Justin Hill and Desmond Umeozulu are already out, which leaves Alabama thinner than it would like at a spot that can be tested quickly in conference play. With depth being pushed and availability still in question for at least one more player, the Tide will have some decisions to make before it lines up against the Bulldogs. [Read more 🡒]
Alabama Heads Into Mississippi State With One Lingering Injury Concern
Alabama is getting closer to its trip to Mississippi State with a clearer picture of the injury situation along both lines, though not every answer is in yet. Kalen DeBoer said offensive lineman Jayvin James is questionable, while William Sanders is expected to be ready, which at least gives the Tide some needed depth as they head into another SEC road test.
The bigger concern may still be on the defensive side, where outside linebacker Justin Hill and defensive end Desmond Umeozulu are both out, and Umeozulu is expected to need more time. Safety Zavier Mincey also sat out the previous game after getting hurt in pregame warmups, leaving Alabama with a few moving pieces to monitor as the week unfolds. [Read more 🡒]