Fe Fi, Ho-Hum: Bama routs another one
Tide do what they’re supposed to in a beatdown of the Bulldogs.
By: Dave in Tuscaloosa
Photo: via @AlabamaFTBL
DeVonta Smith was the Bulldogs grim reaper on Saturday night, with 11 catches for 203 yards and 4 TDs.
If there’s a type of win that can be categorized as “Ho-Hum,” Alabama’s pounding of Mississippi State on Halloween night was just that. In a game that was never in doubt, Alabama enacted a Halloween night massacre, taking care of the Bulldogs from Starkville, 41-0. It was the 13th straight victory for the Tide over the Bulldogs, and it was the first time a Mike Leach team has been shut out. Happy 69th birthday, Coach Saban.
Just because we can, let’s start off with some nit-picking of the Crimson Tide. On Saturday night:
Bama was only 6 for 14 on third downs
They amassed 10 penalties for 71 yards
Freshman backup quarterback Bryce Young fumbled the ball on 4th and goal from the Bulldog 3 yard line
The Tide front four did not generate a lot of pressure on the Mississippi State quarterbacks
Najee Harris’ streak of 12 straight games scoring a touchdown was broken
Now with that behind us, it really was a good night for the Bama nation. Nick Saban’s Tide pitched its first shutout of the year and quarterback Mac “Daddy” Jones was sharp throughout, going 24 for 31 and 291 yards and 4 touchdowns, all to DeVonta Smith, who tied the Alabama record for most career touchdown receptions with the great Amari Cooper (31) while hauling in 11 passes for 203 yards. Najee Harris continued his impressive season grinding out 119 yards on 21 carries. Tide fans have been waiting to see redshirt freshman back Trey Sanders break out, as the highly touted recruit missed all of last season with an injury. For the first time in 2020, Sanders looked comfortable and in his element, gaining 80 yards on 12 carries giving Bama fans a taste of what is to come. Alabama’s offensive line continues to shine, as the starting five have stayed fully intact and continue to pave the way for the Tide offensive juggernaut. The Bama O also racked up 26 first downs as well.
Teammates call him Joker, we call him Mac Daddy
As the offense continued to dominate, the story of the evening was the ever improving Tide defense. The struggling Bulldog offense (what in the world has happened since the opener against LSU?!?!) was limited to 200 total yards. Starting quarterback K.J. Costello was knocked out of the game in the second quarter when his helmet smacked against the knee of Tide linebacker Christian Harris. His backup, freshman Will “Wild Bill” Rogers, went 24-37 for 147 yards and two interceptions. The Bulldogs turned the ball over three times, including a pick-six courtesy of Patrick Surtain III, and could muster just 12 first downs (they had a grand total of 1 in the first half). Bama’s secondary played well and they are starting to make plays and play with an attitude. Freshman end Will Anderson continues to play well, as he registered 5 tackles on Saturday, including 2 for a loss.
Keeping with the theme of nit-picking, perhaps the biggest error made on the defensive side of the ball occurred in the third quarter when senior linebacker Dylan Moses intercepted a Rogers pass in the end zone and attempted to go coast to coast. His quest ended at Bama’s one yard line, leaving Jones and company 99 yards away from paydirt. What followed was a 9 play, 99 yard drive that culminated in Jones to Smith touchdown #3. So much for nit-picking.
In the first three games of the season, Bama gave up 91 total points against Missouri, Texas A&M, and Ole Miss. In the last three games against Georgia, Tennessee, and Mississippi State, the Tide D has given up only 41. The group is starting to gel, has stayed healthy, and as they head down the stretch, continued progress is needed as the Tide sets its sights on the SEC championship and a college football playoff berth, as Clemson or Ohio State may be opponents in the Tide’s future.
Photo: Gary Cosby Jr, The Tuscaloosa News/USA TODAY Sports
The Tide now have a week off as they prepare for their annual tussle with LSU on November 14th. The Tigers, struggling at 2-3 after a 48-11 blowout loss to Auburn, are still a dangerous team that so far in 2020 has underachieved. After LSU, Kentucky, Auburn, and Arkansas await the Tide and they should be heavily favored for the rest of the regular season. For Mississippi State, it’s going to be a long 2020, although Vanderbilt awaits the Bulldogs next week, which should be good news for Cowbell Nation. Leach is cleaning house, and at his former stops at Texas Tech and Washington State, it took him 3-4 years before his teams began to really excel. The best for Leach and the Bulldogs is yet to come.
For the Tide, Halloween night served as just another Ho-Hum victory that allows them to keep pace with the two other programs that appear dominant in college football this year, Clemson and Ohio State. Bama fans hope that the very best is still in store for the Tide as well. After all, the national championship trophy hasn’t resided in Tuscaloosa since January, 2018, which is way too long for all those who live and breathe Crimson and White. Oh, the tragedy of it all.
On to LSU!