Alabama Recap: Bama breaks out of midseason slump
The Tide dominated Mizzou in Tuscaloosa, but there’s still much to clean up.
By: Dave in Tuscaloosa
What you just heard was a collective sigh of relief from Alabama Nation. Maybe now Tide fans will give Kalen DeBoer a break and allow him to wear whatever he wants to on the sidelines.
After three weeks of struggle, the 15th-ranked Crimson Tide had their most complete game since the Wisconsin contest in September with a dominating 34-0 over 19th-ranked Missouri. True, the Tigers entered the game hobbled as quarterback Brady Cook had not fully recovered from an ankle injury suffered during Missouri’s come-from-behind victory over Auburn two weeks ago. Cook did all he could to play in this one and ended up lasting a little over a quarter and finished 7/12 for a mere 30 yards. It is true that the leading rusher…did not even play on Saturday, yet the way that Alabama had been playing, a victory over a 6-1 ranked Missouri squad is huge for the Tide.
It was far from perfect, particularly in the first half, and Bama’s penalty woes continued to the tune of being flagged seven times for 85 yards. Yet, the much-maligned defense had their best afternoon this season, limiting Missouri to a total of 239 yards while forcing three turnovers from Mizzou backup QB Drew Pyne. Jalen Milroe and the Bama offense had a good day and finally got the running game going to the tune of 271 on the ground. Backs Justice Haynes and Jam Miller both carried the ball 11 times, with Haynes gaining 79 yards and one touchdown scored while Miller had 48 yards and two touchdowns. Milroe added 50 yards on 11 carries and also scored a touchdown on the ground.
Milroe was more accurate through the air compared to the last three weeks, completing 16 passes to seven different receivers for 215 yards. Even though he failed to throw a touchdown pass, for the first time in four games, Milroe did not throw an interception. Germie Bernard continues to impress as he led the receiving corps with five catches for 82 yards. On the other side, Drew Pyne took over for Cook in the second quarter and struggled throughout, completing 6/12 passes for 42 yards and three interceptions. Mizzou’s running game was held in check until the Tiger’s final drive of the game. Marcus Carroll gained 80 yards on 17 carries while Jamal Roberts picked up 71 yards on 17 carries as well. All-American receiver Luther Burden III was held in check by the Tide secondary, catching just three passes for a total of three yards. Overall, Bama outgained Missouri 486 yards to 239, and the Tide picked up 22 first downs to the Tiger’s 15. Both teams struggled on third down, as Bama went 2/9 while Missouri finished 3/13.
For Alabama, the heroes of the game resided on the defensive side as Jihaad Campbell, Donte Lawson, and Malachi Moore led a unit that resembled the dominating Tide defenses of old. With Alabama leading 6-0 in the second quarter, Moore picked off a Pyne pass and returned it 31 yards to the Missouri 35. It was the second straight game with an interception for Moore, and this one turned out to be the pay that ignited the Tide offense. Three plays later, Jam Miller would hit paydirt from three yards out to give the Tide a 13-0 lead, and the offense never looked back from there. Perhaps the best performance by the defense occurred late in the fourth quarter as Missouri drove 88 yards to the Bama two-yard line only to be turned away to preserve Alabama’s first SEC shutout since the national championship season of 2020 when Bama blanked Mississippi State, 41-0. The Tide D played inspired ball throughout, and there is hope that Kane Wommack’s unit has finally turned the corner. Time will tell, as an angry LSU Tigers team awaits the Tide in two weeks.
The scoring started early for Alabama, as after the Bama D forced Missouri into a three-and-out on their opening possession, Bama took their first drive of the day 50 yards on 8 plays. The drive stalled on the Missouri 29 and Graham Nicholson nailed his first of two field goals from 47 yards out to open the scoring. Both offenses would struggle to move the ball throughout the rest of the first quarter into the second, as Missouri punted the ball on four straight possessions while James Burnip and the Tide punted on their next three. Milroe and the Bama offense finally gained their footing, marching 50 yards on 11 plays. The drive would stall again, this time on the Mizzou 21-yard line and Nicholson nailed a 39-yard field goal to extend the Tide lead to 6-0 with 4:38 left in the first half.
Once Malachi Moore intercepted a Pyne pass and returned it to the Missouri 35, the Tide offense took over. Jam Miller’s 3-yard touchdown at the 1:54 mark of the second quarter extended the Bama lead to 13-0 at the half. The Bama offense caught its stride in the second half, taking the opening kickoff of the half 80 yards in just six plays when Jalen Milroe, scrambled for 9 yards to increase the lead to 20-0. New starter Bray Hubbard and linebacker Qua Russaw both recorded interceptions off of Pyne, with the second leading to Jam Miller’s second touchdown of the day, this time from 11 yards out that extended the lead to 27-0. Justice Haynes would end the scoring in the fourth with a hard-nosed 35-yard gallop for six. Missouri’s last drive would be their best of the day, marching 88 yards in 14 plays. Backs Carroll and Roberts were able to gain large chunks on the ground, yet the Bama D stood tall and stopped Carroll on fourth and goal from the one to preserve the win.
The Tide now have an off week to make more progress before entering the final stretch of the season, starting with a date with an angry LSU squad on November 9th before facing Mercer at home, a struggling Oklahoma on the road, and finishing up with an improving Auburn at home. One loss will officially eliminate Alabama from playoff contention, and there is no guarantee that victories in all the remaining games will lead to a bid.
Yet, at least for the next two weeks, hope remains for Bama Nation.
