TUSCALOOSA, Ala. — Alabama rolled to another lopsided victory Saturday, making easy work of Louisiana-Lafayette in a 56-14 blowout. Here are 10 things we learned from the game.
1. Hurts is here to stay
Jalen Hurts didn’t start. He didn’t pout or leave either. Saturday, Hurts played, and by doing so he announced he isn’t going anywhere this season.
Hurts took the field to a loud ovation with 53 seconds left in the first quarter. It was his fifth appearance of the season, making him ineligible to redshirt under a new NCAA rule which allows players to play in four games and still maintain their redshirt status. However, none of that mattered to the junior who is set to graduate in December. Hurts’ future next year is still in question, but as for this season, he’s here to stay.
"Jalen obviously handled this extremely well relative to being a team player and a team leader, respecting his teammates and sticking with the program here and playing very well today," Alabama head coach Nick Saban said after the game.
Hurts completed 4 of 6 passes against ULL, including a 54-yard touchdown to Henry Ruggs III on his first drive of the game. Although, the impact he made by committing to the team far exceeded anything he did on the field.
"He's obviously going to do the best thing for him," receiver Derek Kief said. "As a man, he displays everything like a man should want to be."
2. Tagovailoa pitches a perfect game
While Hurts drew most of the attention following the game, starting quarterback Tua Tagovailoa quietly added to his blazing-hot start to the season. The sophomore quarterback completed all eight of his passes for 128 yards and two touchdowns.
Through five games, Tagovailoa has led Alabama to 24 touchdowns on the 35 drives he has been a part of. During those drives, the Crimson Tide’s offense is 17-for-21 on third-down attempts. Alabama has scored 172 points on drives led by Tagovailoa and is averaging 9.1 yards per play with him behind center.
Tagovailoa entered Saturday’s game leading the nation with a 230.47 quarterback rating. That will only go up as he finished with a sterling 316.9 rating against ULL. This season he has completed 75 percent of his passes for 1,161 yards and 14 touchdowns. Most importantly for Alabama, he’s yet to turn the ball over.
3. Waddle has a breakout day
Teams have shied away from kicking to Jaylen Waddle this season. The freshman receiver showed why Saturday, dashing down the right sideline for a 63-yard punt return for a touchdown, the first of his college career.
Waddle netted another first as he recorded his first touchdown reception, pulling in a 20-yard pass from Tagovailoa before the half. The former five-star capped off his day by catching a short slant from Mac Jones, taking it 94 yards for a touchdown in the third quarter. The score marked the second-longest touchdown pass in school history, trailing only the 99-yard AJ McCarron to Amari Cooper touchdown pass at Auburn in 2013.
“He’s a really explosive guy as a receiver and has really added depth to that core,” Saban said. “We’re really pleased with his development, and I think he’s a great addition to the depth of our team in terms of guys who can make explosive plays on offense.”
4. So does Ruggs
Waddle wasn’t the only receiver to record a career day. Ruggs tallied a career-high in catches, receiving yards and touchdowns, reeling in five receptions for 116 yards and two scores.
The sophomore receiver’s first touchdown came on a 13-yard pass from Tagovailoa. However, the highlight of his afternoon occurred on his 54-yard score from Hurts. On that play, Ruggs caught a wide-open pass at the 34-yard line before breaking three tackles near the 15-yard line.
“I just got in a rhythm,” Ruggs said. “Once my number was called, I was making the plays I needed to make.”
5. Trevon Diggs joins the ‘pick club’
It seemed like an insignificant play, but to Trevon Diggs, his interception at the end of the first half held an extra meaning. Not only was it the first interception of the junior’s career, it also allowed him to join the rest of Alabama’s starting secondary who had all already registered at least one pick on the season.
“We finally got on him for that,” safety Xavier McKinney said with a grin. “We’ve been on him for a long time because he didn’t have one. Now he’s part of the pick club, so I guess we like him now.”
McKinney also tallied an interception on the day, his second of the season. Alabama has recorded nine interceptions, returning two of them for touchdowns.
Alabama’s two interceptions Saturday gives the Crimson Tide at least one forced turnover in 47 of its last 49 games dating back to the start of the 2015 season. During the current run, Alabama has forced 82 turnovers (58 interceptions, 24 fumbles) and returned 19 of those miscues for touchdowns.
6. Defense isn’t satisfied
Alabama held ULL to seven punts and two interceptions on the Ragin’ Cajuns’ first nine possessions. However, that wasn’t enough to satisfy Crimson Tide defenders following the game.
"Honestly we don't think we're really playing to the standard we think we should be playing at," McKinney said. "There's still a lot of things we feel like we're not really dominating the way we feel like we should be dominating."
Alabama held ULL to 88 yards through the air but allowed a whopping 200 yards on the ground. A bulk of that came with McKinney and the starters on the sidelines. Following the game, Saban called for an improvement from his second unit.
"We have too many guys on that group that really have to learn how to compete," Saban said. "They have to learn how to prepare and they have to figure out what it takes to play major college football."
7. Running game improves
It’s still not quite the punishing rushing attack Alabama fans have come to expect in recent years. Even so, the Crimson Tide showed a significant improvement on the ground, piling up 268 yards and three touchdowns while averaging 5.8 yards per carry.
Texas A&M held Alabama to a season-low 109 yards as the offensive line struggled to provide much of a push. That wasn’t the case Saturday as the Crimson Tide was able chew up the clock late.
Najee Harris led the way on the ground with 73 yards and a touchdown, while Brian Robinson recorded a career-best 65 yards. Josh Jacobs added 49 yards and two touchdowns on just six carries. Jacobs’ two scores give him a team-high five rushing touchdowns on the season.
8. Kicking game takes a step back
Just when things began looking up in the kicking game, Joseph Bulovas sent the goal post rattling on a 31-yard field goal attempt. It was Bulovas’ second miss of the day as the redshirt freshman also failed to connect on a 24-yard try.
“Joseph’s very capable, and I think he hit both balls well, he just didn’t finish exactly right and maybe his focus wasn’t what it needed to be,” Saban said. “But he has been making progress. He’s done a good job of kicking off for us. We have confidence in him, and he made some good kicks on a pretty consistent basis, made a big kick last week for us in the game right before the half. So, we have confidence in him and we’ll continue to coach him with confidence.”
Bulovas’ poor performance comes a game after he hit a career-long 47-yard field goal against Texas A&M. Bulovas is now 4 of 7 on the season.
9. Alabama offense continues to roll
Alabama’s 608 yards of total offense against ULL was the most the Crimson Tide has recorded since a 608-yard performance against Tennessee in 2017. It also extended Alabama’s streak to five straight games with 500 or more yards, the first five-game run of 500-yard total offense performances in program history.
Alabama has scored 45 or more points in five consecutive games for the first time in school history. The 1945 Crimson Tide hit the 45-point mark four times (Kentucky, 60-19; Vanderbilt, 71-0; Pensacola N.A.S, 55-6; Mississippi State, 55-13). Alabama is currently averaging 54.2 points per game.
10. No one was injured
Offensive tackles Jonah Williams and Jedrick Wills picked up knocks, while Ruggs also took a big hit. However, Alabama left the game without any significant injuries, according to Saban.
Williams left the game in the first quarter with an ankle injury and was replaced by Chris Owens. Saban said the starting left tackle could have returned to action, but with Alabama in control of the game early he was able to rest. Wills also left the game and was replaced by Matt Womack at right tackle.
Ruggs’ was drilled after hauling in a 31-yard catch from Hurts in the second quarter. The sophomore receiver was able to return later in the game.
“I kind of got caught on the way down in the air because I went up for it, and it just kind of knocked the wind out of me,” Ruggs said. “I’m good.”
1. Hurts is here to stay
Jalen Hurts didn’t start. He didn’t pout or leave either. Saturday, Hurts played, and by doing so he announced he isn’t going anywhere this season.
Hurts took the field to a loud ovation with 53 seconds left in the first quarter. It was his fifth appearance of the season, making him ineligible to redshirt under a new NCAA rule which allows players to play in four games and still maintain their redshirt status. However, none of that mattered to the junior who is set to graduate in December. Hurts’ future next year is still in question, but as for this season, he’s here to stay.
"Jalen obviously handled this extremely well relative to being a team player and a team leader, respecting his teammates and sticking with the program here and playing very well today," Alabama head coach Nick Saban said after the game.
Hurts completed 4 of 6 passes against ULL, including a 54-yard touchdown to Henry Ruggs III on his first drive of the game. Although, the impact he made by committing to the team far exceeded anything he did on the field.
"He's obviously going to do the best thing for him," receiver Derek Kief said. "As a man, he displays everything like a man should want to be."
2. Tagovailoa pitches a perfect game
While Hurts drew most of the attention following the game, starting quarterback Tua Tagovailoa quietly added to his blazing-hot start to the season. The sophomore quarterback completed all eight of his passes for 128 yards and two touchdowns.
Through five games, Tagovailoa has led Alabama to 24 touchdowns on the 35 drives he has been a part of. During those drives, the Crimson Tide’s offense is 17-for-21 on third-down attempts. Alabama has scored 172 points on drives led by Tagovailoa and is averaging 9.1 yards per play with him behind center.
Tagovailoa entered Saturday’s game leading the nation with a 230.47 quarterback rating. That will only go up as he finished with a sterling 316.9 rating against ULL. This season he has completed 75 percent of his passes for 1,161 yards and 14 touchdowns. Most importantly for Alabama, he’s yet to turn the ball over.
3. Waddle has a breakout day
Teams have shied away from kicking to Jaylen Waddle this season. The freshman receiver showed why Saturday, dashing down the right sideline for a 63-yard punt return for a touchdown, the first of his college career.
Waddle netted another first as he recorded his first touchdown reception, pulling in a 20-yard pass from Tagovailoa before the half. The former five-star capped off his day by catching a short slant from Mac Jones, taking it 94 yards for a touchdown in the third quarter. The score marked the second-longest touchdown pass in school history, trailing only the 99-yard AJ McCarron to Amari Cooper touchdown pass at Auburn in 2013.
“He’s a really explosive guy as a receiver and has really added depth to that core,” Saban said. “We’re really pleased with his development, and I think he’s a great addition to the depth of our team in terms of guys who can make explosive plays on offense.”
4. So does Ruggs
Waddle wasn’t the only receiver to record a career day. Ruggs tallied a career-high in catches, receiving yards and touchdowns, reeling in five receptions for 116 yards and two scores.
The sophomore receiver’s first touchdown came on a 13-yard pass from Tagovailoa. However, the highlight of his afternoon occurred on his 54-yard score from Hurts. On that play, Ruggs caught a wide-open pass at the 34-yard line before breaking three tackles near the 15-yard line.
“I just got in a rhythm,” Ruggs said. “Once my number was called, I was making the plays I needed to make.”
5. Trevon Diggs joins the ‘pick club’
It seemed like an insignificant play, but to Trevon Diggs, his interception at the end of the first half held an extra meaning. Not only was it the first interception of the junior’s career, it also allowed him to join the rest of Alabama’s starting secondary who had all already registered at least one pick on the season.
“We finally got on him for that,” safety Xavier McKinney said with a grin. “We’ve been on him for a long time because he didn’t have one. Now he’s part of the pick club, so I guess we like him now.”
McKinney also tallied an interception on the day, his second of the season. Alabama has recorded nine interceptions, returning two of them for touchdowns.
Alabama’s two interceptions Saturday gives the Crimson Tide at least one forced turnover in 47 of its last 49 games dating back to the start of the 2015 season. During the current run, Alabama has forced 82 turnovers (58 interceptions, 24 fumbles) and returned 19 of those miscues for touchdowns.
6. Defense isn’t satisfied
Alabama held ULL to seven punts and two interceptions on the Ragin’ Cajuns’ first nine possessions. However, that wasn’t enough to satisfy Crimson Tide defenders following the game.
"Honestly we don't think we're really playing to the standard we think we should be playing at," McKinney said. "There's still a lot of things we feel like we're not really dominating the way we feel like we should be dominating."
Alabama held ULL to 88 yards through the air but allowed a whopping 200 yards on the ground. A bulk of that came with McKinney and the starters on the sidelines. Following the game, Saban called for an improvement from his second unit.
"We have too many guys on that group that really have to learn how to compete," Saban said. "They have to learn how to prepare and they have to figure out what it takes to play major college football."
7. Running game improves
It’s still not quite the punishing rushing attack Alabama fans have come to expect in recent years. Even so, the Crimson Tide showed a significant improvement on the ground, piling up 268 yards and three touchdowns while averaging 5.8 yards per carry.
Texas A&M held Alabama to a season-low 109 yards as the offensive line struggled to provide much of a push. That wasn’t the case Saturday as the Crimson Tide was able chew up the clock late.
Najee Harris led the way on the ground with 73 yards and a touchdown, while Brian Robinson recorded a career-best 65 yards. Josh Jacobs added 49 yards and two touchdowns on just six carries. Jacobs’ two scores give him a team-high five rushing touchdowns on the season.
8. Kicking game takes a step back
Just when things began looking up in the kicking game, Joseph Bulovas sent the goal post rattling on a 31-yard field goal attempt. It was Bulovas’ second miss of the day as the redshirt freshman also failed to connect on a 24-yard try.
“Joseph’s very capable, and I think he hit both balls well, he just didn’t finish exactly right and maybe his focus wasn’t what it needed to be,” Saban said. “But he has been making progress. He’s done a good job of kicking off for us. We have confidence in him, and he made some good kicks on a pretty consistent basis, made a big kick last week for us in the game right before the half. So, we have confidence in him and we’ll continue to coach him with confidence.”
Bulovas’ poor performance comes a game after he hit a career-long 47-yard field goal against Texas A&M. Bulovas is now 4 of 7 on the season.
9. Alabama offense continues to roll
Alabama’s 608 yards of total offense against ULL was the most the Crimson Tide has recorded since a 608-yard performance against Tennessee in 2017. It also extended Alabama’s streak to five straight games with 500 or more yards, the first five-game run of 500-yard total offense performances in program history.
Alabama has scored 45 or more points in five consecutive games for the first time in school history. The 1945 Crimson Tide hit the 45-point mark four times (Kentucky, 60-19; Vanderbilt, 71-0; Pensacola N.A.S, 55-6; Mississippi State, 55-13). Alabama is currently averaging 54.2 points per game.
10. No one was injured
Offensive tackles Jonah Williams and Jedrick Wills picked up knocks, while Ruggs also took a big hit. However, Alabama left the game without any significant injuries, according to Saban.
Williams left the game in the first quarter with an ankle injury and was replaced by Chris Owens. Saban said the starting left tackle could have returned to action, but with Alabama in control of the game early he was able to rest. Wills also left the game and was replaced by Matt Womack at right tackle.
Ruggs’ was drilled after hauling in a 31-yard catch from Hurts in the second quarter. The sophomore receiver was able to return later in the game.
“I kind of got caught on the way down in the air because I went up for it, and it just kind of knocked the wind out of me,” Ruggs said. “I’m good.”
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