Keelon Russell’s Heisman case is getting real fast.
The Alabama quarterback turned in another polished performance Saturday as the Crimson Tide rolled past Mississippi State 56-23, and it was the kind of night that keeps pushing his name deeper into the award conversation. Russell threw for 285 yards and three touchdowns, then added 16 rushing yards and another score to underline just how dangerous he’s been as a dual-threat presence.
That production has become the story of Alabama’s season. The Crimson Tide have leaned on Russell to drive an offense that has been piling up points, and so far he has answered the questions that followed him into the year. The biggest concern was experience, but through his limited run as the starter, he has looked anything but overwhelmed.
Instead, Russell has helped raise Alabama’s ceiling and given the program a legitimate title-level feel. If he keeps putting up numbers like this, the Heisman discussion is only going to get louder.
The path is there, too. The Heisman Trophy usually tilts toward quarterbacks, and that works in Russell’s favor. If Alabama keeps winning and stays undefeated while he continues to shine, it would be hard to make a stronger argument for anyone else.
He’s not alone at the top of the race, though. Ohio State wide receiver Jeremiah Smith is still the biggest name standing alongside him after a special season of his own, and the two look like the leading contenders right now.
Florida running back Jadan Baugh has also gotten off to a strong start, but he had a dud on Saturday. Miami wide receiver Malachi Toney has been productive as well, though both players may still be trailing Russell and Smith in the current pecking order.
Smith might have the edge at the moment after setting all sorts of records this season, but Alabama’s quarterback spot carries plenty of weight. Russell has put himself firmly in the mix, and if he keeps stacking games like this, New York City starts to look like a very real destination. For now, though, his focus stays on Alabama winning games and letting the rest sort itself out.
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Alabama Commit Is Building A Senior Season Fans Can't Ignore
Ty Keys and Kole Moody are turning heads in a senior season that has already become part of the weekly conversation around high school football in the Southeast. Keys put together a monster outing with nearly 350 rushing yards in one game, while Moody found the end zone nine times, a total that stands third-most in Alabama history. For Alabama fans following the recruiting trail, performances like these are the kind that get noticed well beyond Friday nights.
Elsewhere across Alabama, Mississippi and Georgia, quarterbacks, running backs, receivers and defensive playmakers kept stacking up standout nights, adding to a loaded stretch of late-season football in the region. For a program like Alabama, which always has an eye on what future contributors are doing, the rise of big individual performances only adds to the intrigue, even if the full story of how these seasons finish is still playing out. [Read more 🡒]
Alabama Fans Can Stop Stressing Over This Before Georgia
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Even so, there are a few things Alabama fans can probably stop losing sleep over before kickoff. The debate is less about whether the Tide can handle the moment and more about how theyll navigate the usual playoff-caliber demands that come with playing Georgia. If Alabama does what it has spent the week preparing to do, the conversation afterward may have more to do with how the Tide managed the game than whether they were ready for it at all. [Read more 🡒]
Tennessee Just Created A New Alabama Worry Before October 17
Tennessees quarterback picture is suddenly worth watching well beyond this weekend, and Alabama is part of the reason why. With Faizon Brandon still dealing with a lingering shoulder injury, George MacIntyre is lined up to make his first career start against Arkansas after already helping Tennessee to a win when he stepped in for Brandon in a recent game.
What happens next could shape the Volunteers approach when they line up against Alabama on October 17. If Brandon is healthy again, Tennessee will still have a decision to make, but MacIntyres showing as the starter now could make the choice a much tougher one than it looked a week ago. [Read more 🡒]