Maybe this is a sign of things looking up for the Alabama kicker. The score remained even until Alabama matched Ole Miss’ field goal at the beginning of the second quarter. After his first year or two of cleaning up the program, you never got the sense that Alabama football would take an inexplicable nosedive under his watch. Alabama had a potential game winning drive, but junior cornerback Tony Bridges got the third interception of the day for the Rebels, allowing them to burn some clock on offense. And yet it wasn’t the last such possession.
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Jake Coker came into the game in the second quarter, replacing Bateman. Their departure was understandable, if ill-advised, because things were bleak at the time.
The Rebels wrote a different page in their history here with 433 yards and no turnovers in a 43-37 win Saturday night.
It certainly won’t be the last.
Last year, Alabama rebounded from their loss to Ole Miss to eventually win the Southeastern Conference for the fourth time in the previous six seasons, finishing the regular season ranked number one nationally.
Adeboyejo finished the night with two receptions for 71 yards. The SEC is a gauntlet and I agree with Stanford coach David Shaw, who moments after knocking down Southern Cal said, “There are no upsets in big-time college football”.
Georgia Tech (2-1) entered the game averaging 67 points and 457 yards rushing, but struggled to get much going until the final minute.
Utah defensive tackle Stevie Tu’ikolovatu recovered a fumble by Fresno State quarterback Chason Virgil on a sack and returned it 37 yards for a touchdown to put the Utes (3-0) up 10-3 late in the first quarter.
Ole Miss continued to overcome the No 2 or more listed Crimson Tide on Saturday 43is that37. He totaled 127 yards on 23 carries.
On the following kickoff, Alabama fumbled again for its third turnover of the half.
(4) Michigan State 35, Air Force 21: Connor Cook threw three touchdown passes in the first half – including one hauled in by Aaron Burbridge with a spectacular catch in the end zone – and the Spartans (3-0) edged the Falcons (2-1) in East Lansing, Michigan. For the most part, it didn’t work. After Bateman started slow and threw a pick, Saban yanked the sophomore out of the game in the second quarter in lieu of the senior Coker.
No. 16 Oklahoma 52, Tulsa 38: Baker Mayfield threw for 487 yards and four touchdowns and ran for an additional 85 yards and two scores to power the Sooners.
How Alabama moves forward at quarterback will be anyone’s guess. But that’s not what mattered. A&M’s dazzling sophomore, Kyle Allen, is getting better and better. Boy, was he wrong.
No. 18 Auburn was beaten down 45-21 by No. 13 LSU and tailback Leonard Fournette. He could’ve been a pinewood derby auto with a broken axle and still gained 100 yards on Auburn’s defense.
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It’s hard to believe but Auburn (2-1, 0-1) hired a new defensive coordinator in the offseason to improve that unit. Saturday’s 36-33 win overtime was a bit of redemption for embattled Miami coach Al Golden. Jeremy Johnson can’t run the hurry-up spread. Auburn’s “Kick Six”, a 100-yard return of a missed field goal by Chris Davis with no time on the clock in the last regular-season game of the 2013 season served as the end of Alabama’s magnificent run under Saban. That’s not happening any more. He will cause every defense they face huge, huge problems.
