Alabama just pulled off a statement win in Week 5, absolutely blowing out previously unbeaten Mississippi State, 56-23! The Crimson Tide are now sitting pretty at 5-0 overall, 3-0 in the SEC. They didn’t just win, either: Alabama straight up out-gained the Bulldogs 483-302, and led by double-digits for the final 32 minutes of the game. Honestly, they were up by double-digits for roughly 43 minutes total. This wasn’t a close one, folks.
Pure Domination, Start to Finish
What we saw on Saturday was a return to form that Alabama fans haven’t seen in a couple of years, and man, was it a welcome sight. Mississippi State tried to help early, but this was a full four quarters of pure, unadulterated domination from Alabama against a seriously good opponent. The defense, especially that front seven, took over the game. They ran the ball with authority, and overall, Alabama just out-physicalized Mississippi State in every single facet, particularly in the trenches. Think about this: Alabama scored exactly 14 points in every single quarter. They owned the second half, crushing MSU 28-6. This was easily Alabama’s most complete performance of the season, and it came against arguably the best team they’ve faced so far.
Keelon Russell Is The Real Deal, Period.
Alright, let’s talk about Keelon Russell. Is it just me, or is it getting seriously hard to believe that this dude is doing what he’s doing in only his fifth collegiate start? Seriously! Against Mississippi State, Russell was slinging it, completing 16-of-22 passes for a ridiculous 285 passing yards. And the touchdowns? Four total, with three coming through the air and one on the ground. He wasn’t just a pocket passer either; Russell tacked on 29 non-sack rushing yards, making some massive scrambles early on and delivering great throws while on the run. Yeah, it’s still early in the season, but Russell has absolutely inserted himself right into the thick of the Heisman conversation. You can’t ignore it now.
Freshmen Are Stepping Up Big Time
And it wasn’t just the seasoned vets making plays. Alabama had true freshmen all over the field on Saturday, and these weren’t just garbage time reps at the end of the game! The true freshmen running back duo of Trae’shawn Brown and EJ Crowell are quickly emerging as Alabama’s top two backs. Brown went off for 66 yards and two touchdowns on 14 carries, while Crowell exploded with 49 yards on just three carries. Then there’s true freshmen linebacker Xavier Griffin, who had an absolute monster day. He got significant playing time early and often, finishing with a team-leading nine tackles and even snagging a sack. These young guys are legit!
So, what’s next for the Tide? They’re turning their eyes to what’s going to be one of the biggest games of the college football season: a showdown against Georgia next week. If they can bring that same level of complete domination, it’s going to be a must-watch game.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
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