Alabama left Starkville looking every bit like a team that belongs in the national title conversation.
The Crimson Tide rolled past Mississippi State by 33 points on Saturday afternoon, and the result wasn’t a fluke or a lucky bounce. Alabama controlled the game from the start, took away the Bulldogs’ ground attack, and got a clean, efficient performance from Keelon Russell in the quarterback showdown with Kamario Taylor.
Russell was sharp throughout, finishing 16-of-22 for 285 yards and three touchdowns while also adding a rushing score. More importantly, he protected the ball and let Alabama’s offense keep stacking plays.
Mississippi State never found traction on the ground. Alabama’s defense was disruptive from the opening series, and even after Fluff Bothwell went down early, the Tide kept the Bulldogs bottled up. Mississippi State finished with just 18 rushing yards.
The game turned quickly when Alabama forced turnovers on Mississippi State’s first two possessions. Taylor coughed up a fumble that set up a Russell touchdown pass to Ryan Coleman-Williams, and Dijon Lee followed with a pick-six on the next drive to make it 14-0. From there, Alabama was in control.
The Tide weren’t flawless in the first half, and they did let the game breathe longer than it needed to. But once the second half began, they came out with more force, punched in another touchdown drive, picked off Taylor again, and closed the door for good.
At 5-0, Alabama has also bought itself room to maneuver as the schedule gets tougher. In the preseason, this team looked like it needed that kind of start to stay in the College Football Playoff hunt. Kentucky and Mississippi State ended up being more competitive than expected, but the Tide still got through the first five unbeaten.
Now comes the stretch that will define the next month: Georgia, at Tennessee, vs. Texas A&M, and at LSU. A 5-2 run through the final seven games would put Alabama in the playoff picture.
Right now, though, that kind of finish almost feels like a letdown.
This team looks dangerous. It’s young, but the production is already here. Sophomores Russell, Lotzeir Brooks, Jackson Lloyd, Michael Carroll, Marshall Pritchett, and Kaleb Edwards are all making real contributions on offense, while freshmen Trae'shawn Brown and EJ Crowell are part of the mix as well.
On defense, Alabama is getting immediate help from younger players too. Xavier Griffin recorded the first sack of his career on Saturday.
There’s plenty to like about where this group is headed, but Alabama doesn’t need to wait for the future. The Tide look elite now.
And with Russell playing like one of the best quarterbacks in the country, Alabama has the look of a real national championship contender, maybe even sooner than anyone expected.
In Other News...
Alabama Found Two Reasons To Feel Better Before Georgia
Before Alabama turns its attention to Georgia, there were a couple of encouraging signs worth noting from the latest game. Keelon Russell gave the offense a lift by throwing for 285 yards and three touchdowns while adding a score on the ground, and the run game got meaningful help from a deeper group of backs, including Traeshawn Brown and EJ Crowell.
Xavier Griffin also stood out on the other side of the ball, leading the team in tackles and helping make several key defensive plays. Just as important for a defense looking to steady itself, Alabamas run front was much firmer against Mississippi State, holding the Bulldogs to 18 rushing yards and giving the Tide something concrete to carry into a bigger test. [Read more 🡒]
Bryce Underwoods Struggles Leave Michigan With An Uncomfortable Week 5 Reality
Keelon Russells rise has become one of the more notable developments around Alabamas early-season start, and the quarterbacks recent stretch has only sharpened the attention. After throwing four touchdowns in the spring game and then piling up 10 passing touchdowns and 970 yards over three games, he has helped steady a team that rolled to a 56-23 win and moved to 5-0.
For Alabama, that kind of production matters not just in the standings but in the broader SEC picture, where quarterback play can change the feel of a season quickly. Around the country, other programs were dealing with their own storylines in Week 5, but Russells emergence has given Alabama a promising answer at the position and left the rest of the league watching what comes next. [Read more 🡒]
Alabama Has A Real Shot To Climb After Saturdays Top 25 Chaos
Saturdays college football slate did Alabama a favor, even before the next AP Top 25 poll gets posted. USC barely survived an upset scare, Ohio State and Missouri both had results worth watching, and a few teams around the country did enough to create the kind of weekend that tends to shake up the middle and upper tiers of the rankings.
For Alabama, the bigger point is simple: the Crimson Tide have a real path to move up if the voters decide the chaos mattered as much as the resumes. The poll will be refreshed soon, and with conference play still unfolding, there is a decent chance the order gets jumbled in a way that opens the door for Alabama to climb if enough teams ahead of it wobble. [Read more 🡒]