My first thoughts? There's no excuses, no bad bounces, no tough luck, no lack of motivation or any other scenario that can explain away that Alabama was outplayed by Ohio State. Stymied on offense, not able to get off the field on defense.
Alabama's biggest issues on defense all season - giving up big passes and mobile quarterbacks - cost them big-time tonight. Make no mistake, there are no viable excuses for Alabama in this one, not motivation or unlucky bounces. It got flat outplayed by Ohio State. If Alabama doesn't get those turnovers in the first half, this game may not have been close. OSU was the better team and executed that way.
Alabama gave up 348 yards of offense in the first half but still led 21-20. For perspective, Alabama held opponents to fewer than 348 total yards in nine of 13 games coming into tonight.
It continued in the second half. Alabama couldn't get stops, couldn't get off the field on third down Ohio State picked up eight of its first 11 third downs.
-The defensive line got good pressure early, struggled to do so in the middle of the game then made an adjustment that put it back on track late. Pressure allowed Alabama to get back in the game and have a (long)shot to tie at the end.
-Both INT's are on Blake Sims. Didn't see the defensive end who dropped back in coverage and threw it right to him on the first one. The second was in an even bigger spot after a short punt set up Alabama inside the OSU 25. OJ Howard was wide open but Sims saw it too late then threw it too late.
- J.K. Scott was phenomenal again and clearly enters the 2015 season as the best punter in the nation.
Derrick Henry had 36 first-quarter carries combined in 13 previous games. Had seven including a touchdown tonight but didn't see another until the fourth quarter. You could certainly question Kiffin's playcalling and his abandonment of the run in the second half.
- It may go unnoticed because it wasn't among the top issues, but even the execution on the final game-tying drive wasn't executed well, either.
https://alabama.rivals.com/showmsg.asp?fid=427&tid=208531222&mid=208531222&sid=885&style=2
Alabama's biggest issues on defense all season - giving up big passes and mobile quarterbacks - cost them big-time tonight. Make no mistake, there are no viable excuses for Alabama in this one, not motivation or unlucky bounces. It got flat outplayed by Ohio State. If Alabama doesn't get those turnovers in the first half, this game may not have been close. OSU was the better team and executed that way.
Alabama gave up 348 yards of offense in the first half but still led 21-20. For perspective, Alabama held opponents to fewer than 348 total yards in nine of 13 games coming into tonight.
It continued in the second half. Alabama couldn't get stops, couldn't get off the field on third down Ohio State picked up eight of its first 11 third downs.
-The defensive line got good pressure early, struggled to do so in the middle of the game then made an adjustment that put it back on track late. Pressure allowed Alabama to get back in the game and have a (long)shot to tie at the end.
-Both INT's are on Blake Sims. Didn't see the defensive end who dropped back in coverage and threw it right to him on the first one. The second was in an even bigger spot after a short punt set up Alabama inside the OSU 25. OJ Howard was wide open but Sims saw it too late then threw it too late.
- J.K. Scott was phenomenal again and clearly enters the 2015 season as the best punter in the nation.
Derrick Henry had 36 first-quarter carries combined in 13 previous games. Had seven including a touchdown tonight but didn't see another until the fourth quarter. You could certainly question Kiffin's playcalling and his abandonment of the run in the second half.
- It may go unnoticed because it wasn't among the top issues, but even the execution on the final game-tying drive wasn't executed well, either.
https://alabama.rivals.com/showmsg.asp?fid=427&tid=208531222&mid=208531222&sid=885&style=2
