Anyone still want to complain about the University of Alabama’s initial ranking by the College Football Playoff committee?
Days after there was a loud uproar about it having Alabama fourth the Crimson Tide more than proved to be worthy by dominating No. 2 LSU 30-16 at Bryant-Denny Stadium.
The game wasn’t as close as the score indicated, either, and considering that it was Nick Saban’s fifth straight win over Les Miles, including the 2012 BCS Championship Game that resulted in a 21-0 final score, it may take some time for the long-term impacts to be felt.
For now, though, it’s obvious that No. 4 Alabama has all the pieces in place to make another title run.
“I’ve always liked the grit of this team,” Saban said. “I’ve always liked the way this team competes. We may not always execute right, and people can criticize the penalties and the negative plays that we have sometimes, but ability to overcome adversity has not been an issue with this group so far.”
Saturday night, against the team that was supposed to be able to physically match up against the Crimson Tide, and was supposed to have the best player in college football, Alabama simply dominated. It was better on offense, defense and special teams, and especially on the lines.
After pulling away in the third quarter it ended up with an advantage in total yards of 434-182, and LSU quarterback Brandon Harris completed just six passes.
Yet the game’s most telling statistics all centered around the running backs, with Alabama junior Derrick Henry pounding out 210 rushing yards on 38 carries, and scored three touchdowns.
LSU’s Leonard Fournette, who had such a huge lead in the Heisman Trophy race that before Saturday it didn’t matter who was in second, was limited to 31 rushing yards on 19 carries.
Coming in, Fournette was averaging 193.1 yards per game and his season low was 154, set two weeks ago against Western Kentucky. Before he popped an 18-yard run to set up his own touchdown in the fourth quarter (after a fumble gave LSU first down at the Alabama 22) his biggest gain was just four yards.
“The week leading up to it the guys in the locker room were, ‘Man, I’m sick of hearing about this guy,’ ” senior linebacker Reggie Ragland said. “He’s really good.”
A strong indication that it was going to be the Crimson Tide’s night occurred before kickoff. The moment Ole Miss lost to Arkansas, which meant that Alabama again controlled its destiny in the Southeastern Conference’s western division, the energy at Bryant-Denny Stadium went to its highest levels yet this season.
To use a This is Spinal Tap reference it went to 11.
For Saban, though, he knew it the first time LSU ran its bread-and-butter rushing play with Fournette. Not only did the defense not buckle, but it stuffed him.
Led by the defensive line Alabama had nine different players contribute to seven tackles for a loss, and LSU’s longest possession of the game was just six plays. Overall, only two Crimson Tide defenders finished with more than four tackles, safety Geno Matias-Smith with six and senior lineman Jarran Reed with five.
That’s the statistical definition of swarming.
“I thought I was about to make one play and I saw Geno come out of nowhere and just thump him, and I was “Ooohhh-we,” Ragland said. “I thought we did a great job. Everyone wrapped him up and if you wrap him up you have a good chance.”
Even Henry called his defense “Phenomenal,” although his teammates were saying the same about him.
“I’ve been saying the whole time that he’s an impressive, dude, and he deserves all the respect and the accolades that come with that,” said senior quarterback Jake Coker, while sophomore left tackle Cam Robinson had no problem proclaiming who he thought should be the new frontrunner for the Heisman after Henry had the third-most carries by a player in Alabama history.
Robinson also doesn’t have to worry about his next trip home to Monroe, La., either. After leading a strong group of recruits out of the bayou two years ago, which caused Fournette to half joke during the preseason what he wanted to do something different by staying home, the offensive lineman has more than bragging rights.
“It’s always fun for me,” a smiling Robinson siad. “I don’t have to worry about anybody riding me.”
Actually, none of the players on Alabama roster except for those who redshirted in 2011 know what it’s like to lose to LSU. The Game of the Century during the 2011 regular season resulted in a 9-6 final score, and since then the Tigers have been outscored in the series 130-63.
Perhaps like that year a rematch could be in order, but this time LSU will have the difficult road and need some serious help from the field. A strong defense and a pounding running game can take a lot of teams far, although it already knows that Alabama’s better at both.
This is also familiar territory for the Crimson Tide (8-1, 5-1 SEC).
“We’ve never counted ourselves out and now we’re back in control of our own destiny in the West,” said senior linebacker Dillon Lee, the first player to pick off a Harris pass this season. “I think we’re just getting better and better every week, but tonight especially. Compared to the rest of the season it was our most complete game.”
Yet Alabama knows it can play better, and still has to dispatch Mississippi State, rival Auburn and Florida in the SEC Championship Game. That's enough to keep everyone's focus on what lays ahead and none of those opponents should be underestimated.
It did enjoy this one, though.
“It was crazy,” kicker Adam Griffith said about the Alabama locker room. “It was probably the craziest since the national championship my freshman year.”
“I’ve never seen our team so excited over a win like that, because they’re a really good team,” senior center Ryan Kelly said. “This was the last SEC home game for me at Bryant-Denny Stadium. You just couldn’t ask for a better way to go out.”
Nick Saban Proves He Owns Les Miles, Has Alabama Playoff Ready | Bleacher Report
Days after there was a loud uproar about it having Alabama fourth the Crimson Tide more than proved to be worthy by dominating No. 2 LSU 30-16 at Bryant-Denny Stadium.
The game wasn’t as close as the score indicated, either, and considering that it was Nick Saban’s fifth straight win over Les Miles, including the 2012 BCS Championship Game that resulted in a 21-0 final score, it may take some time for the long-term impacts to be felt.
For now, though, it’s obvious that No. 4 Alabama has all the pieces in place to make another title run.
“I’ve always liked the grit of this team,” Saban said. “I’ve always liked the way this team competes. We may not always execute right, and people can criticize the penalties and the negative plays that we have sometimes, but ability to overcome adversity has not been an issue with this group so far.”
Saturday night, against the team that was supposed to be able to physically match up against the Crimson Tide, and was supposed to have the best player in college football, Alabama simply dominated. It was better on offense, defense and special teams, and especially on the lines.
After pulling away in the third quarter it ended up with an advantage in total yards of 434-182, and LSU quarterback Brandon Harris completed just six passes.
Yet the game’s most telling statistics all centered around the running backs, with Alabama junior Derrick Henry pounding out 210 rushing yards on 38 carries, and scored three touchdowns.
LSU’s Leonard Fournette, who had such a huge lead in the Heisman Trophy race that before Saturday it didn’t matter who was in second, was limited to 31 rushing yards on 19 carries.
Coming in, Fournette was averaging 193.1 yards per game and his season low was 154, set two weeks ago against Western Kentucky. Before he popped an 18-yard run to set up his own touchdown in the fourth quarter (after a fumble gave LSU first down at the Alabama 22) his biggest gain was just four yards.
“The week leading up to it the guys in the locker room were, ‘Man, I’m sick of hearing about this guy,’ ” senior linebacker Reggie Ragland said. “He’s really good.”
A strong indication that it was going to be the Crimson Tide’s night occurred before kickoff. The moment Ole Miss lost to Arkansas, which meant that Alabama again controlled its destiny in the Southeastern Conference’s western division, the energy at Bryant-Denny Stadium went to its highest levels yet this season.
To use a This is Spinal Tap reference it went to 11.
For Saban, though, he knew it the first time LSU ran its bread-and-butter rushing play with Fournette. Not only did the defense not buckle, but it stuffed him.
Led by the defensive line Alabama had nine different players contribute to seven tackles for a loss, and LSU’s longest possession of the game was just six plays. Overall, only two Crimson Tide defenders finished with more than four tackles, safety Geno Matias-Smith with six and senior lineman Jarran Reed with five.
That’s the statistical definition of swarming.
“I thought I was about to make one play and I saw Geno come out of nowhere and just thump him, and I was “Ooohhh-we,” Ragland said. “I thought we did a great job. Everyone wrapped him up and if you wrap him up you have a good chance.”
Even Henry called his defense “Phenomenal,” although his teammates were saying the same about him.
“I’ve been saying the whole time that he’s an impressive, dude, and he deserves all the respect and the accolades that come with that,” said senior quarterback Jake Coker, while sophomore left tackle Cam Robinson had no problem proclaiming who he thought should be the new frontrunner for the Heisman after Henry had the third-most carries by a player in Alabama history.
Robinson also doesn’t have to worry about his next trip home to Monroe, La., either. After leading a strong group of recruits out of the bayou two years ago, which caused Fournette to half joke during the preseason what he wanted to do something different by staying home, the offensive lineman has more than bragging rights.
“It’s always fun for me,” a smiling Robinson siad. “I don’t have to worry about anybody riding me.”
Actually, none of the players on Alabama roster except for those who redshirted in 2011 know what it’s like to lose to LSU. The Game of the Century during the 2011 regular season resulted in a 9-6 final score, and since then the Tigers have been outscored in the series 130-63.
Perhaps like that year a rematch could be in order, but this time LSU will have the difficult road and need some serious help from the field. A strong defense and a pounding running game can take a lot of teams far, although it already knows that Alabama’s better at both.
This is also familiar territory for the Crimson Tide (8-1, 5-1 SEC).
“We’ve never counted ourselves out and now we’re back in control of our own destiny in the West,” said senior linebacker Dillon Lee, the first player to pick off a Harris pass this season. “I think we’re just getting better and better every week, but tonight especially. Compared to the rest of the season it was our most complete game.”
Yet Alabama knows it can play better, and still has to dispatch Mississippi State, rival Auburn and Florida in the SEC Championship Game. That's enough to keep everyone's focus on what lays ahead and none of those opponents should be underestimated.
It did enjoy this one, though.
“It was crazy,” kicker Adam Griffith said about the Alabama locker room. “It was probably the craziest since the national championship my freshman year.”
“I’ve never seen our team so excited over a win like that, because they’re a really good team,” senior center Ryan Kelly said. “This was the last SEC home game for me at Bryant-Denny Stadium. You just couldn’t ask for a better way to go out.”
Nick Saban Proves He Owns Les Miles, Has Alabama Playoff Ready | Bleacher Report
