Ad Disclosure
Alabama earned its first home SEC win and second conference win of the season with a 34-6 rout of Kentucky. Combining a slow start from Alabama and a strong one by Kentucky, the two teams played to a 3-3 first-quarter draw. However, Alabama followed that with three strong quarters of play, outscoring Kentucky 31-3 the rest of the way.
What it means: An Alabama win was expected, but it’s a conference win nonetheless. Also, the Tide continues to improve on all sides of the ball. The defense in particular looks strong, which is important as the team prepares to face Austin Allen, Josh Dobbs and Trevor Knight in the next three games.
What I liked: The Alabama defense stuttered during Kentucky’s first offensive drive but looked dominant thereafter. The defense only got better throughout the game. Ronnie Harrison’s 55-yard fumble recovery for a touchdown in the first half marked the seventh straight game Alabama has scored a non-offensive touchdown. Alabama’s seven non-offensive touchdowns this season is actually equivalent to the number of total touchdowns South Carolina has scored.
On offense, the line continues to get better. The unit cut down on penalties, and Cam Robinson and Jonah Williams both played a big role in the success of the running game, as well as providing QB Jalen Hurts plenty of protection in the passing game.
What I didn’t like: The offense struggled at times during the first half. Both sides of the ball improved as the game wore on, but 10 offensive points against Kentucky during the first half is somewhat concerning, mainly because the level of competition gets much tougher. Hurts had a solid game, although he missed a number of throws. Running back Bo Scarbrough bumping into Hurts for a turnover didn’t help matters.
Who’s the man: Harrison gets the game ball on the defense for his touchdown, although plenty of other candidates would be suitable. On offense, Calvin Ridley gets the game ball. Hurts certainly had a great game, but Ridley had 11 receptions for 174 yards and 2 touchdowns. Ridley’s performance is of greater note because he hasn’t stuffed the stat sheet as much this season, while Hurts has stronger games on his résumé (see: Kent State last week).
Key plays: In the first half, Harrison’s non-offensive touchdown was crucial. The play gave Alabama plenty of breathing room by increasing the team’s lead to 17-3, and it gave the team momentum. Joshua Jacobs had the biggest play for the offense during the first half with a 28-yard run on the drive that led to Jacobs’ 1-yard touchdown run. During the second half, Tim Williams’ sack and forced fumble was a drive killer and nice to see after the senior sat out the first half of the game. On offense, Hurts’ 10-yard touchdown to Ridley to give the team a 24-3 lead essentially sealed the game for Alabama.
What’s next: An absolutely brutal stretch. The Crimson Tide has five straight SEC contests following this game. First, Alabama faces two straight road games, first Arkansas and then a trip to Neyland Stadium against East rival Tennessee. If Alabama survives those two road games, the team faces an explosive offense at home against Texas A&M. During the last five years, Alabama has not lost to a team ranked lower than No. 15. At this time, Tennessee (No. 11) and Texas A&M (No. 9) appear to be the toughest remaining games on the schedule.
