Keelon Russell’s return changed everything for Alabama.
After spending much of the third quarter in the injury tent while LSU grabbed its first lead, the Crimson Tide quarterback came back with his left ankle heavily taped and immediately steered No. 5 Alabama back in front.
His 75-yard touchdown march restored control, and Alabama rolled from there to a 31-13 win over No. 14 LSU inside Tiger Stadium on Saturday night.
The finish was ruthless. Kane Wommack’s defense kept stacking stops, and with just under 10 minutes left Alabama finally produced its first three-and-out of the night.
Ryan Coleman-Williams then delivered a big punt return to set the Tide up at the LSU 25, and Russell hit freshman Cederian Morgan on the very next snap to make it 24-13. Death Valley started emptying fast.
Alabama wasn’t done. The defense forced a turnover on downs on the next LSU possession, handing the offense another short field. Three plays later, Kaleb Edwards was in the end zone after Russell threw his third touchdown pass of the game, stretching the margin to 34-13.
Coleman-Williams had already helped set the tone earlier, making his first game back from injury count with Alabama’s opening touchdown. The Tide used misdirection behind the line, and Coleman-Williams walked into the end zone untouched.
The defense gave up plenty of yards, but it kept Alabama alive until the offense settled in and took over.
The win pushed Alabama to 7-2 overall and 5-2 in the SEC, strengthening its College Football Playoff case with three games left in the regular season. Heading into Saturday’s prime-time slate, though, the Crimson Tide still did not control its fate for the SEC Championship Game in Atlanta on Dec.
- Georgia and Kentucky were both 5-1, with No.
2 Georgia at No. 10 Ole Miss and No.
6 Kentucky at No. 13 Tennessee.
Alabama’s remaining schedule sends the Tide to Vanderbilt next week before a home game against Chattanooga on Nov. 21.
The regular season closes with the Iron Bowl against Auburn at Bryant-Denny Stadium on Nov. 28.
In Other News...
Stephen A. Just Turned Up The Pressure On Kalen DeBoer
Alabamas season has reached the point where every stumble gets magnified, and Stephen A. Smith made sure the latest one landed with extra force. With the Crimson Tide sitting at 6-2, the spotlight has only intensified on Kalen DeBoer, whose first year in Tuscaloosa has already been measured against the programs usual standard of near-perfection and playoff contention.
The timing matters because LSU is next, and it is the kind of game that can either steady the season or deepen the questions around where Alabama is headed. Smiths criticism only adds to the pressure surrounding a team that is still ranked, still in the mix, and still expected to look more like Alabama, even as the margin for error keeps shrinking. [Read more 🡒]
Alabama Showed One New Strength Nate Oats Has Been Demanding
Nate Oats spent the offseason stressing a point Alabama could not ignore after its 2025-26 NCAA Tournament loss: the Crimson Tide had to get better on the glass. In the 2026-27 season opener against Arkansas State, that message showed up in a big way, as Alabama piled up 25 offensive rebounds, the most in the Oats era, and turned those extra possessions into a 101-86 win.
Even with the shot not falling the way Alabama would have liked, the rebounding edge gave the Tide a cushion and a clear early sign of progress in an area Oats has been pushing for months. It was also notable because Alabama did it without its best offensive rebounder, Jaxon Richardson, which only adds another layer to what the team may be capable of once that part of the rotation is fully in place. [Read more 🡒]
Keelon Russell Faces A Huge Alabama Weekend With More Than Heisman Stakes
A packed college football weekend is putting several of the sports biggest names under the microscope, and Alabama fans have a particular reason to keep one eye on the Heisman race and another on the schedule. Keelon Russell is among the quarterbacks whose performance could ripple beyond the standings, with his game carrying weight not just for Alabamas playoff hopes but also for the way the sports hottest players are being tracked in the card market.
The broader slate features other Heisman hopefuls such as Jeremiah Smith, Kenny Minchey, Sam Leavitt, Trinidad Chambliss, Gunner Stockton, Devon Dampier and Bear Bachmeier, turning the weekend into a referendum on momentum as much as talent. For collectors, the stakes are tied to more than wins and losses, since player performances can move card values quickly, and the mix of licensed and unlicensed cards adds another layer to how these names are being chased. [Read more 🡒]