Alabama’s climb in the AP Poll got a boost from a second-half surge in Lexington.
After a 45-17 road win over Kentucky in Week 2, the Crimson Tide moved up to No. 10 in the new AP Poll heading into Week 3. The final score made it look like Alabama had control throughout, but that wasn’t the case early on. The Tide went into halftime down 17-14 before flipping the game completely after the break.
The defense did its part from there, blanking Kentucky in the second half while Alabama pulled away for a convincing SEC road win.
The performance still left plenty for Alabama to clean up, especially at quarterback. Keelon Russell, in his second career start, finished with 188 passing yards, one touchdown and two interceptions. It was a rough afternoon for him overall, even if the team managed to cover for the mistakes and come home with the victory.
Still, Alabama is sticking with Russell as its starter and treating those early growing pains as part of the process. The staff will keep working with him to cut down the errors and put him in better spots as he gets more comfortable at the college level.
That growth will matter even more as the schedule stiffens. For now, though, Alabama can take the win and the ranking bump, then turn its attention to another big test.
The Crimson Tide are back home this weekend against Florida State, with a chance to move to 3-0 on the season. It’s also a matchup that carries a little extra edge after Florida State embarrassed Alabama in the opener last season.
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Ryan Grubb and Kalen DeBoer both praised Hills work ethic and the way he seized the moment, but the bigger picture is still taking shape behind him. EJ Crowell and Traeshawn Brown continue to develop, and AK Dear is expected back from injury, leaving Alabama with a backfield that suddenly looks deeper and more interesting than it did a week ago. [Read more 🡒]
Alabama Just Answered One Doubt Critics Kept Pushing
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For Alabama, the bigger takeaway was not just the result but the way it arrived. A team that had been questioned for its resilience answered by staying composed after its early mistakes, and that matters as much as any pregame forecast. Herbstreit leaned on past performances, but this group is starting to look more like a DeBoer team than a snapshot from what came before. [Read more 🡒]
Rico Scott Is Becoming Something Bigger For Alabama Than A Breakout
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Scotts path makes the progression even more notable. He briefly entered the transfer portal earlier this year before deciding to stay, and his development has since become something the coaching staff points to in recruiting conversations. For Alabama, Scott is becoming proof that patience can pay off, and that staying put can still lead to a bigger opportunity when a player keeps growing into the demands of the offense. [Read more 🡒]