Alabama left Saturday night with a 49-18 win over South Carolina, a jump to No. 7 in both the AP and Coaches’ polls, and a fresh reminder that this team can look overwhelming when the offense and defense line up at the same time. The Crimson Tide also climbed to third in Creg Stephenson’s SEC Power Rankings.
The most striking part of the win came early. After rough opening stretches against Kentucky and Florida State, Alabama came out sharp against the Gamecocks and built a 35-10 halftime lead.
The third quarter went quiet for a bit, but the finish turned back into a runaway. Keelon Russell had his best eye-opening performance yet, Ryan Coleman-Williams turned in his strongest game since his freshman season, and the run game showed a pulse.
Even so, the defense gave up enough to keep the warning lights on.
South Carolina found room with a string of intermediate passes and moved into Alabama territory before the Tide stopped the drive on fourth-and-2 with Red Morgan and Caleb Woodson making the play. That sequence kept the Gamecocks from turning the game into something much tighter.
“We just got to keep battling,” Alabama linebacker Luke Metz said. “We got to get our feet set.
We know the offense is going to come out with something new every week. That’s the SEC.
Offensive coordinators get paid millions of dollars to do their job, so we just got to come out and whatever they come out with we just have to be prepared and just execute.”
Alabama held when it had to, but the yards still piled up. The Tide allowed more than 400, which is not exactly the kind of number that makes anyone feel settled. Still, early season has a way of exposing flaws before they become bigger problems, and Saturday looked like one of those tests.
Russell also helped give Josh Ford a new label.
“It’s sick,” Russell said. “The guys were showing me pictures of the grab. It’s like he was Spider Man with the webs.”
Ford’s grab was the kind of play that sticks with everybody in the building. It was his 14th career catch and his third touchdown, and it had him talking all night, on the sideline and even on the way to interviews with Coleman-Williams, who said Ford’s gloves looked “sticky.” The tight end room did plenty more damage too, with Ford, Kaleb Edwards and Marshall Pritchett combining for seven catches and 107 yards.
That kind of production is exactly what Kalen DeBoer wants out of the group.
Ford also got under Dylan Stewart’s skin, mostly by whipping his ass all night. Stewart punched at Ford late in the game, which contributed to his indefinite suspension from the Gamecocks program. Ford was asked about it after the game and stayed coy.
That dude has a chance to carve out a nice NFL career.
David Cobb at CBS was impressed enough to give Alabama an A- after the win, noting the Tide’s 35-3 burst, the Russell-to-Coleman-Williams connection, and the defense’s occasional leaks. His title odds line sat at +2200.
Now the focus shifts to what the weekend is really setting up: Keelon and Kamario.
“That’s my guy,” Alabama QB Keelon Russell said Saturday. “We hit each other up almost every day, through anything.
Love him to death, he’a great player. I mean, everybody in here knows of him.
I can’t wait to just get after it next week with him. It’s going to be a great game.”
The sophomore Mississippi native has put together a strong start, throwing for 1,192 yards and 14 touchdowns against just two interceptions while completing 69.2% of his passes through four games. Alabama’s defense will have to deal with the best quarterback it has seen so far this season.
You can make a real case that two of the best quarterbacks in the country are about to meet in that 11 a.m. window.
It was also another strong NFL week for Alabama alums. Brian Robinson opened things up Thursday with a touchdown run against Green Bay.
On Sunday, Jahmyr Gibbs and Derrick Henry combined for five scores, while Will Reichard stayed perfect on both extra points and field goals, including a long of 56. Dallas Turner added three tackles and half a sack for Minnesota, and A’Shawn Robinson finished with three tackles for Tampa Bay in the loss.
That about covers it. Roll Tide.
In Other News...
Alabama Game Day Is Becoming A Celebrity Stage For Tide Culture
Alabamas game-day scene has become more than just a football backdrop, with recent home dates drawing a mix of former Crimson Tide stars and outside names who have ties to the programs culture. Mark Ingram and Brandon Miller were among the familiar faces in attendance, adding to the feeling that Alabama Saturdays have turned into a reunion as much as a sporting event.
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 🡒]
Alabama Heads Into Mississippi State With New Depth Concerns
Alabamas injury picture is starting to crowd the conversation heading into its trip to Mississippi State, with two more players added to a list the Crimson Tide has had to manage carefully. Will Sanders and Jayvin James both came out of the South Carolina game hurt, and while Sanders is expected to be available, James is now sitting in the questionable bucket as the Tide tries to sort out who will be ready to go.
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 🡒]