NEW ORLEANS, La. – The No. 4-ranked University of Alabama football team defeated No. 1-ranked Clemson, 24-6, Monday night in the 84th Allstate Sugar Bowl at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome in New Orleans, La.

The Crimson Tide (12-1) scored 14 points off two turnovers by the Tigers (12-2) in [...]]]>

Photo Courtesy Univ. of Alabama

NEW ORLEANS, La. – The No. 4-ranked University of Alabama football team defeated No. 1-ranked Clemson, 24-6, Monday night in the 84th Allstate Sugar Bowl at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome in New Orleans, La.

The Crimson Tide (12-1) scored 14 points off two turnovers by the Tigers (12-2) in the third quarter to put the game out of reach.

On the defensive side of the ball, Alabama dominated with five sacks, allowing Clemson just 188 total yards of offense, while holding the Tigers to their lowest point total since the 2014 season.

Sophomore linebacker Mack Wilson grabbed his first career pick-six to go along with six tackles and a pass breakup, while junior defensive lineman Da’Ron Payne got his first-career interception and caught a one-yard touchdown pass, also a first in his time at UA. Senior linebacker Rashaan Evans led the team with nine tackles including one sack and a pass breakup.

On offense, sophomore quarterback Jalen Hurts finished 16-of-24 with 120 yards and a pair of touchdowns through the air while picking up 40 rushing yards on 11 carries in the win. Junior running back Damien Harris led the Tide on the ground with 77 yards on 19 attempts.

The Alabama defense forced the potent Clemson offense into a three-and-out on the opening drive of the game. The Tigers responded in kind, as the Tide was forced to punt after its first three plays from scrimmage. Clemson took over at its own 16-yard line before being forced to punt again after another three-and-out.

The UA offense started its second drive from its own 47-yard line. Alabama used a heavy dose of the run game, with three different players carrying the ball for 40 yards on seven carries, before senior placekicker Andy Pappanastos converted a 24-yard field goal attempt to get the Tide on the board. The field goal capped a 10-play 47-yard drive, giving Alabama a 3-0 lead with 5:23 left in the opening quarter.

On the following Clemson drive, the Alabama defense came up with yet another three-and-out. After sophomore defensive back Trevon Diggs returned the punt 14 yards, the UA offense took over at the Tiger 46-yard line.

Alabama took full advantage of the favorable field position, scoring the game’s first touchdown when Hurts found junior wide receiver Calvin Ridley for a 12-yard pitch-and-catch to cap an eight-play, 46-yard scoring drive. Following the Pappanastos point after, the Tide led 10-0 with 12 seconds remaining in the first quarter.

The touchdown grab moved Ridley into a tie with Dennis Homan (1965-67) for second place on Alabama’s career touchdown receptions list with 18 career scores.

At the end of the first quarter, Clemson had a total of -7 yards of offense, while UA had amassed 102 yards.

The Tigers answered to begin the second quarter, going 54 yards on 13 plays and ending with a 44-yard field goal to cut the Tide lead to 10-3 with 10 minutes remaining in the first half.

The two sides traded punts before Alabama took over at its own 41-yard line, where UA put together a drive down to the Clemson 20-yard line where Pappanastos’ field-goal attempt hit off the left upright and bounced out to keep the score at 10-3 heading into the half.

After an Alabama fumble 12 seconds into the second half, Clemson capitalized with a 42-yard field goal to cut the UA lead to 10-6 with 12:45 left in the third quarter.

With Clemson gaining momentum to start the second half, the Tigers controlled the ball at the UA 35-yard line when sophomore linebacker Anfernee Jennings came with the pressure that forced Tiger’s quarterback Kelly Bryant to throw the ball directly to Payne who returned his first career interception 21 yards to the CU 42. A personal foul on Clemson during the return then advanced the ball to the Clemson 27-yard line.

Four plays into the drive, Harris converted a crucial fourth-and-one with a four-yard rush to the CU 14-yard line. Three plays later, Hurts found the aforementioned Payne who came into the game in the jumbo package, for a one-yard score to cap the seven-play, 27-yard drive. After the Pappanastos kick, the Tide led 17-6 with 5:40 left in the third quarter.

On the next play from scrimmage, Bryant dropped back to pass when the ball was tipped by senior defensive back Levi Wallace into Wilson’s hands who returned it 18 yards for the touchdown. The Tide scored 14 points in 13 seconds after Pappanastos converted the PAT to put UA up 24-6 with 5:27 remaining in the third quarter.

The two sides each punted multiple times in the fourth quarter with no change in the score. Alabama made a final stand with 1:43 left in the game, keeping the Tigers out of the end zone on fourth-and-goal from the UA five-yard line to seal the win.

With the win in the College Football Playoff Semifinal the Tide advances to the 2018 College Football Playoff National Championship on Monday, Jan. 8 at 7 p.m. CT, inside Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, Ga., against Southeastern Conference foe, No. 3 Georgia.

TUSCALOOSA – The University of Alabama football team began the new week of practice with an hour and 15 minutes of work in helmets and shorts on Monday afternoon at the Thomas-Drew Practice Fields.

The Crimson Tide returned to the field for the first time following Saturday’s 24-10 win over then-No.19 LSU. Alabama will [...]]]>

TUSCALOOSA – The University of Alabama football team began the new week of practice with an hour and 15 minutes of work in helmets and shorts on Monday afternoon at the Thomas-Drew Practice Fields.

The Crimson Tide returned to the field for the first time following Saturday’s 24-10 win over then-No.19 LSU. Alabama will hit the road this weekend when the Tide heads to Starkville to take on the No. 16/18/18 Mississippi State Bulldogs this Saturday, Nov. 11, at Davis Wade Stadium. The divisional showdown is scheduled for a 6 p.m. CT kickoff on ESPN. Dave Pasch and Greg McElroy will call the game from the booth with Tom Luginbill on the sidelines.

The Bulldogs enter Saturday’s game with a 7-2 overall record, including a 3-2 mark in SEC play. Mississippi State is led by head coach Dan Mullen, who is now in his ninth year in Starkville. Mullen has a career record of 67-44 in Starkville but owns an 0-8 mark against the Crimson Tide.

Alabama and Mississippi State will meet for the 102nd time in a series that dates back to 1896. The Tide holds the all-time advantage, 81-17-3 (79-18-3 after vacations/forfeits) in the series, and has won nine consecutive meetings in the matchup. The Crimson Tide defeated the Bulldogs, 31-6, in Alabama’s last visit to Davis Wade Stadium in 2015 and won the most recent meeting, 51-3, in Tuscaloosa in 2016. UA holds an all-time advantage of 17-4 (16-4 after vacations) in games played in Starkville.

Nick Saban met with the media prior to practice on Monday afternoon. Following is his opening statement:

“To wrap up the last game after watching the film, I would say it was a classic rivalry game, like a lot of games that we’ve had with LSU. I think that at times we didn’t execute as well as we would’ve liked, and we certainly have a lot of things that we can clean up and work on fundamentally – technique-wise – and playing on the line of scrimmage. The players showed a lot of persistence, determination and discipline to be able to stay in the game in a tough, hard-fought game, to come out on top and win the game. It was probably a good lesson for everybody to have to deal with; I talked about it after the game, responding the right way because things don’t (always) go well. We’re playing lots of good teams right now, and we’re going to play another good team this week. There’s going to be a lot of tough circumstances and sometimes those guys are going to win, and you’ve got to be able to respond and play the next play, so that’s something we learned some lessons about in this game.

“You got the players of the week, but it’s especially nice to have a guy recognized with Ronnie Harrison as the SEC Defensive Player of the Week. JK Scott, in terms of special teams, received national Ray Guy (Player of the Week) recognition for what he did in the game. We talked about that after the game; to average 51 yards per punt and have six or seven of them land inside the 20 is pretty significant in controlling vertical field position, and that was really important in the game.

“It’s going to be really important for us to create some opportunities for some other people, as we’ve got some guys nicked up a little bit. I don’t think that this is something that anybody should sit around and say ‘Wow, I’m going to have to pick up my game now’. I think everybody should’ve been picking up their game to start with. Everybody has just got to be who they are, do what they do and be a good teammate by supporting the players that are out there and by playing together as a unit while doing their job. That’s the way we need to go about it.

“Mississippi State is a really good team as they’ve won seven games this year. (Head coach) Dan (Mullen) has done a really good job in the years that he’s been there. He’s a great offensive coach, and he always presents a lot of issues and problems for the defense to adjust to. Nick Fitzgerald has done a really good job at quarterback. He’s a very good passer, a great runner and a big, physical, strong guy that they use both ways. They’ve been very consistent in their run-pass and the mix of what they do and how they do it. Their defense has shown tremendous improvement. Todd Grantham is the new defensive coordinator there, and they’ve really done well this year as they’re one of the top-ranked defensive teams in the country. They’re really solid on special teams, as they’re highly ranked in almost every category in the SEC in special teams, and their specialists (kicker and punter) have done a really good job for them. This is all-around a really good team and a really challenging place to play, and our players need be able to respond to it the right way.

“I’m sure you all know, as I said after the game, Shaun Dion (Hamilton) had a successful surgery. This is something he’ll be able to respond to in a few months and hopefully be able to come back and have an opportunity to do some things to extend his career. Mack (Wilson) had foot injury that will probably put him out four to six weeks; we’ll just have to play it by ear and see how fast it heals. We’ve got some other guys that are nicked up that may not practice today, but we think they’ll be ready to go tomorrow and be able to do enough to be ready to play in the game.”

Source: University Athletic Dept.

TUSCALOOSA. – The University of Alabama football team practiced in full pads for two hours on Tuesday afternoon at the Hank Crisp Indoor Facility. The two-hour session focused on game planning for a balanced Arkansas [...]]]>

The Crimson Tide and Razorbacks are set for a 6:20 p.m. CT kickoff on ESPN on Saturday evening
Football

TUSCALOOSA. – The University of Alabama football team practiced in full pads for two hours on Tuesday afternoon at the Hank Crisp Indoor Facility.
The two-hour session focused on game planning for a balanced Arkansas offensive attack.

The Razorbacks feature the fifth-best scoring offense in the Southeastern Conference with an average of 32.6 points per game.

The two SEC Western Division foes will meet this Saturday, Oct. 14, in a 6:20 p.m. CT matchup at Bryant-Denny
Stadium.

The Crimson Tide’s homecoming game will air live on ESPN with Chris Fowler and Kirk Herbstreit in the booth and Maria Taylor on the sidelines for the Alabama and Arkansas will meet for the 28th time in series history when the two square off this weekend.

The Crimson Tide holds the all-time advantage, 17-8 (after vacations), and was victorious in last year’s meeting, 49-30, in Fayetteville.

The Tide has won all 10 pairings under the direction of head coach Nick Saban, including a 27-14 win in the Razorbacks’ last visit to Tuscaloosa in 2015.

Earlier this week, redshirt senior offensive lineman Bradley Bozeman and junior defensive back Minkah Fitzpatrick were named to ESPN.com’s Midseason All-America Team.

Bozeman, a solid force for the Tide, anchors the offensive front from his center position.

The senior lineman has helped provide protection for a balanced offensive attack that ranks atop the SEC in both scoring offense and total offense.

Fitzpatrick has had a productive season thus far, making an impact from multiple positions in the
defensive secondary.

Fitzpatrick also earned his fourth player of the week honor on Tuesday afternoon, being named the Lott IMPACT Player of the Week.

The junior defensive back earned the accolade thanks to his standout effort in the Crimson Tide’s 27-19 win at Texas A&M last Saturday where he finished with five tackles, including three for a loss while adding a forced fumble, one pass breakup and his first interception of the 2017 season. He also recovered an onside kick late in the game to secure the victory for the top-ranked Crimson Tide.

Source: University Communications Dept.

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. – The University of Alabama football team practiced for two hours in full pads on Tuesday afternoon at the Thomas-Drew Practice Fields.

The Crimson Tide continued to work on its gameplan to counter the Vanderbilt offense, one [...]]]>

Saturday’s game marks the beginning of Southeastern Conference play for the Tide in 2017

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. – The University of Alabama football team practiced for two hours in full pads on Tuesday afternoon at the Thomas-Drew Practice Fields.

The Crimson Tide continued to work on its gameplan to counter the Vanderbilt offense, one of the Southeastern Conference’s top-ranked units. Alabama will travel to Nashville this Saturday to take on the Commodores at Vanderbilt Stadium at 2:30 p.m. CT on CBS. Brad Nessler and Gary Danielson will have the call in the booth with Allie LaForce on the sidelines.

Alabama will travel to Nashville this Saturday to take on the Commodores at Vanderbilt Stadium at 2:30 p.m. CT on CBS. Brad Nessler and Gary Danielson will have the call in the booth with Allie LaForce on the sidelines.

Practice will resume on Wednesday and wrap up on Thursday before the Crimson Tide travels Friday for its first true road test of the 2017 season. Alabama owns the all-time advantage over Vanderbilt, 59-19-4 (after vacations), and has won the last 21 contests dating back to 1985. Head coach Nick Saban is 9-1 in road conference openers during his time with the Crimson Tide.
Source: Alabama Athletic Department

By Cliff Peterson-Senior Staff Writer

Despite how good Deshaun Watson is as a quarterback and how equally good Dabo Swinney is as a head coach, it is probably a fair assessment to say that most people outside of Death Valley thought that Alabama would repeat as National Champions and complete the first 15-0 [...]]]>  

By Cliff Peterson-Senior Staff Writer

Despite how good Deshaun Watson is as a quarterback and how equally good Dabo Swinney is as a head coach, it is probably a fair assessment to say that most people outside of Death Valley thought that Alabama would repeat as National Champions and complete the first 15-0 season in college football history. This feat would have cemented Nick Saban’s place atop the list of coaching legends the game has seen, finally allowing him to pass the legendary Bear Bryant. But then a funny thing happened, former walk-on receiver Hunter Renfrow caught a Watson touchdown pass as the clock expired, Alabama lost and the debate was left to rage on regarding Saban’s place in history.

On the one hand, it’s almost absurd that there is even a question about Saban’s legacy after the loss. After all, this is a man who in ten years leading the Crimson Tide has compiled a 119-19 record with four championships (Bear Bryant went 88-14-7 with three titles in his first decade at Alabama.)Throw in his championship while coach at LSU, his 210 career victories and his .774 win percentage (only Bryant and Bo Schembechler have better percentages, unless you throw in coaches who ran up their records at colleges you’ve never heard off ) and it is clear why there are those who feel his legacy is intact and he should be considered the greatest coach of all-time. Add in that his Tiger and Tide teams have won 14 of 16 title games they have played (to include SEC Championships) and there seems to be no debate about Saban’s place atop the coaching mountain.

With the loss to Clemson, however, there are those who feel his legacy took a hit, especially because Alabama came into the came with one of the best defenses in history, that appeared to wilt down the stretch, basically leaving a receiver running free on the goal line on the game’s final play. It’s hard to overlook this viewpoint, despite what the overall numbers tell you because even Saban himself said before the game that, regardless of the outcome, he has not reached Bryant’s level of success and that a big reason why he has been as successful as he has is because of the foundation Bryant laid during his time with Alabama.

Regardless of which side of the argument you fall on, what keeps Saban’s legacy strong overall is that he is more than just the numbers. Saban has shown an ability to adapt to today’s game, despite his roots that would instinctively keep him from doing so. Saban has also accomplished all of this in an era where teams play 15 games a year, have to defend spread offenses and dual threat quarterbacks, something even Saban finally broke down this past season and put under center. Additionally, Saban now has a coaching tree, that will most likely continue to grow and allow his influence to be felt on the game long after he retires.

Yes, Saban failed to win a sixth championship this year, but that doesn’t diminish everything else he has accomplished and the lasting mark he is leaving on the game. Don’t forget, Saban isn’t even done yet. He is about to sign the nation’s top recruiting class, again, and will likely have the Tide in line for a few more championships before he hangs it up for good. Meaning any hit his legacy took this year is likely to be recovered from and strengthened before all is said and done.

TUSCALOOSA-Bill Battle, Director of Athletics at The University of Alabama, announced Sunday evening that he is going to retire from his post to assume a new role as Special Assistant to the President.

Battle, currently in his fourth year as Director of Athletics, had led the Crimson Tide athletics [...]]]>

Bill Battle announces retirement

TUSCALOOSA-Bill Battle, Director of Athletics at The University of Alabama, announced Sunday evening that he is going to retire from his post to assume a new role as Special Assistant to the President.

Battle, currently in his fourth year as Director of Athletics, had led the Crimson Tide athletics department since March of 2013, when he succeeded the late Mal Moore. University of Alabama President Stuart R. Bell said that Battle will continue to lead the department until a successor transitions into the Director of Athletics role.

“Bill has done a tremendous job as Director of Athletics, and has accomplished so much during his career,” said Bell. “His business expertise, coupled with his coaching experience and his strong understanding of the role an athletic department has in the daily fabric of a university, has allowed us to achieve the great successes we have enjoyed during his tenure. We are blessed to have the continued benefit of his counsel.”

“It’s been a distinct privilege and honor serving as Director of Athletics these last four years,” said Battle. “When I took over this role my wife, Mary, and I made a commitment to serving four years and I am pleased to have been able to do just that. There are so many people in the department who do a great job every day to make the Crimson Tide successful. I am deeply grateful to each and every one of them for their extraordinary efforts and loyalty to the University. Being able to lead this department has been an honor and a privilege for which I am most grateful.”

“It is my hope that during my tenure here, we have been able to make a difference in young people’s lives and at the same time move forward on many different fronts. I look forward to continuing to serve the university by working closely with the new AD to assist in a smooth transition. At the end of that period I look forward to working with President Bell in the role of special advisor assistant to advance his strategic initiatives for The University of Alabama. I look forward to remaining active with the Crimson Tide Foundation and supporting Crimson Tide athletics.”

“I want everyone to know that my health was not a factor in this decision as, at this time, I am in full remission and I feel great. When I came here in 2013, I committed to Dr. Witt that I would be here for four years, or the equivalent of another college degree. Last summer, before my medical procedure, I told Dr. Bell that I was expecting, as were my doctors, to come through that procedure very well, and that I intended to serve out the last year of my contract.”

“I told him that he should be looking for a replacement. That process has been going on over the last few months. As you know, in this business, high-level changes are hard to map out and announce very far in advance. Meanwhile, I would like to continue to help the University, but I’d also like to be able to spend more time at our farm in Georgia and in Jackson Hole, the sort of things a full-time AD job doesn’t really permit.”

Battle’s Mission

As Director of Athletics, Battle has placed increased focus on his primary mission for Alabama Athletics: to recruit and develop student-athletes to compete at the highest levels in intercollegiate athletics, to educate and prepare student-athletes to compete at the highest levels in life after graduation, and to accomplish both with honor and integrity. In four years at the helm, Battle has not only maintained the unprecedented level of competitive and academic success that was occurring when he took the post, but has overseen a department that expanded upon that success.

Competitive Success

During Battle’s tenure, Alabama has produced three NCAA team national championships (men’s golf in 2013 and 2014; football in 2015); 10 SEC team championships in five different sports (three in football, two in gymnastics, two in men’s golf, and one in women’s golf, softball and women’s tennis); 15 NCAA individual champions (seven in 2013-14, six in 2014-15,and two in 2015-16); 43 Academic All-Americans (eight in 2013, 17 in 2014, eight in 2015, 9 in 2016, and one so far in the 2016-17 academic year – leading the nation in that category in both 2014 and 2015), including six Academic All-Americans of the Year (one in 2013, 2014 and 2015 and a national-leading three in 2016); and 16 NCAA Postgraduate Scholarship awardees (5 in 2013, a national-leading 7 in 2014, two in 2015, and 3 in 2016).

Vision Led to Fundraising Success & Facility Improvements

Battle’s vision has impacted the Alabama Athletics Department in numerous ways, particularly in revitalized fundraising efforts that directly enhance the daily experience of every Crimson Tide student-athlete. He revitalized the Bryant Society, Alabama’s highest level of donors that exceed a million dollars, and has overseen that group to grow from nine members in 2013 to twenty six in 2016, with more expected in 2017. He has also overseen growth in endowed scholarships and his goal continues to get entire teams’ scholarships endowed, Battle spearheaded the redevelopment of Alabama’s historic baseball facility, Sewell-Thomas Stadium, transforming an aging facility into one of the nation’s most dynamic venues when the stadium opened in February, 2016. He also has led the drive for numerous other facility and departmental improvements, including a new rowing facility, a new dining hall for all student athletes, plans for a renovated aquatics facility, and several other projects in various stages of development. He has increased outreach efforts to keep students, fans, faculty, staff and stakeholders abreast of all the good things he sees happening in Alabama Athletics.

Enhancing a Culture of Excellence

Thus far during the 2016-17 academic year, Alabama has won one SEC team title (football), produced four All-Americans and one Academic All-America honoree. During the 2015-16 academic year, Alabama won two SEC titles (football and women’s golf) while seven of 17 teams finished their respective seasons ranked among the top 25 nationally, including four national top-10 finishes and one national title (football). Individually in 2015-16, six student-athletes earned three individual NCAA championships: Quanesha Burks (women’s indoor track – long jump), Katie Bailey (gymnastics – vault) and the men’s swimming 200-yard medley relay team (Connor Oslin, Pavel Romanov, Luke Kaliszak and Kristian Gkolomeev).

A Premium on Academic Achievement

Alabama’s success in graduating student-athletes reflects a culture that has placed a premium on academic excellence. That emphasis has resulted in an SEC-best 25 NCAA Postgraduate Scholarship awardees from 2011-16; a national-best (tied with Stanford 66 Academic All-Americans since 2010; an SEC-leading 114 Academic All-Americans since 2000 (third nationally).

In 2015-16, Alabama became the first school to have three Academic All-Americans of the Year in the same academic year. In an unprecedented feat, Alabama swept the 2015-16 Academic All-American of the Year titles for the at-large team selected by the College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA). Over the last six years, Alabama has had nine student-athletes earn Academic All-American of the Year honors, the most by any school in the nation over that span, and Crimson Tide student-athletes have been named Academic All-American of the Year for all sports in three of the last four years.

Crimson Tide student-athletes graduate at a rate of 72 percent with a Graduation Success Rate (GSR) of 92 in 2016, which ranked second in the SEC and was up one point from the previous year. The GSR spans the period covering students who attended the University during 2005-08. In addition to standing in the top two in the SEC with its overall GSR, the Crimson Tide was first or tied for first in nine different sports (football, men’s basketball, gymnastics, men’s golf, women’s golf, men’s tennis, women’s tennis, softball and men’s swimming & diving. Men’s track & field and women’s soccer were second in the SEC with scores of 96 and 94, respectively.

In 2015-16, Alabama led the SEC in total teams achieving perfect GSR scores of 100 with eight (men’s basketball, gymnastics, men’s golf, women’s golf, men’s tennis, women’s tennis, softball and men’s swimming & diving). Fourteen Alabama programs recorded a GSR score of 90 or better and all 17 posted marks of 83 or above (the average GSR for student-athletes is 82 for all of NCAA Division I).

In 2016, the Alabama football team led the SEC and ranked second nationally in graduates on its roster for postseason play with 22. Only Temple (29) had more. Alabama’s total tied with Nebraska in second. From 2013-15, Alabama football led the nation three consecutive years in graduates on its roster for postseason play. With 29 in 2015, the Tide set a national record for the most graduates ever playing on a single team in postseason action.

The Crimson Tide had the highest Graduation Success Rate (86) among the four teams selected for the 2016 College Football Playoff. Alabama had the second-highest GSR (80) of the four teams selected for the 2017 College Football Playoff. The 2016 season marked the eighth consecutive year that the Crimson Tide football team suited up more than 20 graduates for a bowl game as 22 Crimson Tide players already had earned diplomas prior to the postseason. Three Tide football players graduated with master’s degrees in the 2016 fall semester.

Source: Alabama Athletic Department

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. – Alabama senior linebackers Ryan Anderson and Reuben Foster, along with junior punter JK Scott, were nominated for awards at their respective positions on Monday. Anderson and Foster were chosen as semifinalists for the [...]]]>

Anderson and Foster are semifinalists for the Butkus, while Scott was chosen to the Ray Guy list

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. – Alabama senior linebackers Ryan Anderson and Reuben Foster, along with junior punter JK Scott, were nominated for awards at their respective positions on Monday. Anderson and Foster were chosen as semifinalists for the Butkus Award, which honors the nation’s top collegiate linebacker, while Scott was selected as a candidate for the Ray Guy Award, which is presented annually to college football’s top punter.

Anderson and Foster are two of 12 total linebackers listed as semifinalists for the 32nd annual Butkus Award, presented by the Dick Butkus Foundation. Anderson ranks second in the SEC with 11.5 tackles for loss (-61 yards) and is 10th in sacks with 4.5 (-38 yards) as part of his 29 total tackles. He has added three forced fumbles and five quarterback hurries to his season totals and has played a key role on an Alabama defense that is tops in the nation with 4.0 sacks per game. Foster, the team leader in tackles with 53, is the Tide’s main signal caller on the defense. He has collected 4.5 tackles for loss (-22 yards) and has 1.5 sacks (-15 yards). The senior from Auburn, Ala., has added four quarterback hurries and two pass breakups from his middle linebacker spot.

Scott is one of 66 candidates for the Ray Guy Award and was selected for the award for a third consecutive year thanks to his SEC-leading 47.5 yards per punt average on his 28 punts, which ranks second in the SEC. He is tied for fourth nationally in punting average and is in a tie for 13th nationally with 14 punts of 50-plus yards. Half of his punts have gone beyond 50 yards to rank him second in the nation for percentage of punts that travel over 50 yards, while he is also second nationally in 60-plus yard punts with four. In total, Scott has maintained a 41.3 net average on his boots while limiting the opposition to only 93 return yards through eight games.

Finalists for the Butkus Award will be announced Nov. 21, and winners will be announced on or before Dec. 6. The Ray Guy list will be narrowed to 10 semifinalists on Nov. 11, with three finalists being identified on Nov. 22. The Ray Guy Award winner will be announced live on ESPN during The Home Depot College Football Awards on Dec. 8.

****Brought to you by Lewey’s Sports & Custom Apparel in Muscle Shoals****

The Crimson Tide and Aggies will meet for the ninth time in the history of the two schools, with UA owning a [...]]]>
TUSCALOOSA, Ala. – Kickoff for the Oct. 22 home game between Alabama and Texas A&M is set for a 2:30 p.m. CT kickoff on CBS, the SEC office announced on Monday afternoon.

The Crimson Tide and Aggies will meet for the ninth time in the history of the two schools, with UA owning a 6-2 advantage in the series. Under head coach Nick Saban, Alabama is 3-1 against A&M and the Tide is riding a three-game winning streak against the Aggies after falling in the first matchup in Tuscaloosa back in 2012.

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. – Sophomore wide receiver Calvin Ridley had a career-best performance with 11 catches for 174 yards and two scores, and the Crimson Tide defense produced another dominant performance to lead top-ranked Alabama (5-0 overall; 2-0 in the Southeastern Conference) to a 34-6 Homecoming victory over the [...]]]>

Bryant-Denny Stadium
Photo by Robert Sutton

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. – Sophomore wide receiver Calvin Ridley had a career-best performance with 11 catches for 174 yards and two scores, and the Crimson Tide defense produced another dominant performance to lead top-ranked Alabama (5-0 overall; 2-0 in the Southeastern Conference) to a 34-6 Homecoming victory over the Kentucky Wildcats (2-3 overall; 1-1 SEC) Saturday night in front of a capacity crowd of 101,821 at Bryant-Denny Stadium on the Alabama campus.

Ridley caught scoring passes of 10 and 19 yards from Tide quarterback Jalen Hurts and also had a 46-yard catch to highlight a solid performance by the Alabama offense. Hurts threw for 262 yards and two scores on the night, completing 20 of 33 attempts, while freshman running back Joshua Jacobs rushed for 100 yards on 16 carries and caught three passes for 54 yards on the night. Jacobs’ rushing outing marked his first 100-yard rushing performance for the Tide.

Alabama was methodical after falling behind 3-0 early, building a 17-3 halftime lead on Jacobs’ one-yard touchdown run and a 55-yard fumble return for a score by Tide linebacker Ronnie Harrison in the second quarter. Ridley’s two touchdown catches came in the third quarter, putting the game away at 31-3 entering the final period.

Overall, the Tide gained 488 yards (315 passing and 173 rushing), picked up 25 first downs, and averaged 6.5 yards per play. Kentucky gained 161 yards (89 passing and 72 rushing), along with converting 12 first downs and averaging 2.8 yards per play. Tide linebacker Shaun Dion Hamilton recorded a team-best eight total tackles, including four solos. As a unit, the Tide defense had four quarterback sacks, nine tackles for loss, forced three fumbles and was credited with six quarterback hurries. Tide punter JK Scott punted only once, a boot that traveled 58 yards. Placekicker Adam Griffith connected on two of three field goal attempts, hitting from 44 and 24 yards, missing from 35.

Kentucky quarterback Stephen Johnson completed 13 of 22 passes for 89 yards without an interception or a touchdown. UK running back JoJo Kemp led the team with 39 yards on 10 rushes while wide receiver Garrett Johnson had four catches for 27 yards to lead the Wildcats. UK punter Grant McKinnis averaged 44.7 yards on six punts, including a long of 61 yards, while placekicker Austin MacGinnis made both of his field goal attempts, from 45 and 30 yards, to provide all of the Wildcats’ points.

After Alabama took the opening kickoff and drove 35 yards in six plays into Kentucky territory, the drive was stopped on a failed fourth-down play when a pass from Hurts to Cam Sims was dropped. From the Kentucky 36, the Wildcats marched 36 yards in eight plays to take the early lead. Williams opened the drive with a 10-yard run at left guard and a 12-yard pass from Johnson to Tavin Richardson converted a third-and-one into a first down at the Tide 33. Three plays later, MacGinnis entered the game and kicked a 45-yard field goal that ricocheted off the left goal post and was good. The Wildcats led, 3-0, with 8:52 left in the first quarter.

The next Tide drive ended abruptly with a turnover when, on a first-down play from the Tide 49, Scarborough inadvertently ran into Hurts’ passing arm as he was raising the ball to pass. Kentucky linebacker De’Niro Laster recovered for the Wildcats at the Tide 43 with 6:44 left in the opening period. The Cats quickly moved into scoring range. Two runs by Williams gained seven yards before Stephen Johnson passed to receiver Garrett Johnson across the middle for 16 yards and a first down at the Tide 22. One play later, on second-and-10 at the 22, Johnson dropped back to pass and was sacked by Tide linebacker Christian Miller and Ryan Anderson. Miller tackled Johnson around the legs while Anderson came in to hit him high. Anderson’s hit on Johnson jarred the ball loose and Anderson recovered at the Tide 31. The play resulted in a loss of nine and gave Alabama the ball with 4:29 left in the first period.

Alabama took that turnover and turned it into points, driving 35 yards in 11 plays to a field goal that tied the game. Starting at its own 39, the Tide’s march was jump-started by an 11-yard run on a quarterback draw by Hurts to the 50. Scarbrough gained nine on a pass to the UK 41. Six plays later, from the UK 26, Griffith entered the game and kicked a 44-yard field goal. That tied it, 3-3, with 1:15 left in the first quarter.

The Tide broke on top early in the second quarter. The 61-yard drive in seven plays could be called “The Joshua Jacobs Show” as the freshman running back carried the ball on the final six plays of the drive while accounting for 57 of the 61 yards on the march. Jacobs sparked the drive with a 28-yard burst at left tackle to the UK 29 and had a 12-yarder to the UK nine before eventually scoring on a one-yard plunge at left guard with 9:50 left in the second quarter. Griffith’s point-after kick was good, giving the Tide a 10-3 lead.

Alabama’s defense racked up yet another touchdown on the next Kentucky possession. The Cats began at their own 31, and moved to the UK 47 when disaster stuck in the form of a sack of Stephen Johnson by Tide linebacker Rashaan Evans for a loss of three yards. Johnson fumbled on the play and Tide free safety Ronnie Harrison picked up the fumble at the Alabama 45 and returned it 55 yards for a touchdown. Griffith kick was good and Alabama had a 17-3 lead with 6:56 left in the half. The touchdown marked the seventh-consecutive game in which Alabama has scored a non-offensive touchdown, a streak that leads the nation.

After another UK punt, Alabama moved 62 yards in 14 plays but the drive ended fruitlessly as Griffith missed a 35-yard field goal try wide left with 44 seconds left in the half.

After a Kentucky punt at the end of the first possession of the second half, Alabama built on its lead by driving 78 yards in eight plays to a touchdown. Hurts and the passing game keyed the march as the Tide passed on six of the eight plays, including a key 46-yard pass to Ridley to the UK 16. Ridley, who also had a 10-yard catch on the second play of the march, capped the drive with a 10-yard catch of Hurts’ pass. Griffith’s kick was good and Alabama led, 24-3, with 10:58 left in the third quarter.

The Tide offense was starting to click. After a Kentucky punt, Alabama took the ball at its own 24 with 8:49 left in the third quarter. The Tide used some crisp passing by Hurts for most of the 76-yard touchdown drive as the freshman quarterback hit Ridley for four yards on the first play on a screen pass, then Jacobs took a screen pass and turned it into a 23-yard gain with nifty footwork as he avoided three tackles on the play that reached the Kentucky 49. One play later, Hurts hit Gehrig Dieter for 11 yards on a crossing pattern to the UK 33. Hurts then gained eight on a keeper to the UK 24 behind a crushing block by Scarbrough to the Wildcat 25 before Scarbrough rushed around right end and ran on a tightrope for 14 to the UK 11 (he had an apparent touchdown, but barely stepped out of bounds). Hurts evaded a blitzer on the next play and turned it into a seven-yard keeper to the UK 4 where Alabama called its first time out of the second half with 4:53 left in the third quarter. During the timeout, a replay review showed that Hurts was actually downed at the UK 19 on the previous play which resulted in an eight-yard loss to set up second-and-18 at the Kentucky 19. Hurts came right back and hit Ridley in the right front corner of the end zone for a 19-yard touchdown pass with 4:31 left. Griffith kick was good and Alabama led, 31-3.

Ridley’s second touchdown catch of the game was his tenth overall of the game, a new career single-game high for the sophomore, giving him 131 receiving yards and two touchdowns in the game.

Ridley built on those totals on Alabama’s next possession. Kentucky punted again and Xavian Marks took the punt off a high bounce at the Tide 34 and returned it 15 yards to set up Alabama at its 49. On the first play, Hurts hit Ridley for 43 yards to the UK six, giving Ridley 11 catches for 174 yards on the night. After Jacobs gained three on a run at right tackle, a false start penalty stifled the drive, moving Alabama back to the eight. Hurts kept for two at left end, then a pass for a tightly-covered Ridley in the end zone fell incomplete on third down on the first play of the fourth quarter. That set up a 24-yard field goal by Griffith, who was accurate to give the Tide a 34-3 lead with 14:51 left in the fourth period.

The Wildcats put together their best drive of the game on the next possession, moving 63 yards in 16 plays to a field goal. Jojo Kemp rushed seven times for 33 yards on the march and Johnson completed three of four passes for 27 yards to key the drive, which stalled at the Tide 12. MacGinnis nailed a 30-yard field goal from there to cut three points off the Tide lead. Alabama led, 34-6, with 5:09 left in the fourth quarter.

That was how it ended as the Tide offense ran out the remainder of the game time in eight plays, traveling 69 yards behind the leadership of backup quarterback Cooper Bateman. Bateman completed all five of his pass attempts on the drive, accounting for 53 yards.

Alabama’s season continues next Saturday, October 8, when the Crimson Tide is slated to visit the Arkansas Razorbacks (4-1 overall; 0-1 in the SEC) at Donald W. Reynolds Razorback Stadium on the Arkansas campus. The game will be televised by ESPN with kickoff scheduled for 6 p.m. Central Time (CT).

Source: UA Athletic Dept.

The Crimson Tide and Wildcats will meet [...]]]>
TUSCALOOSA, Ala. – The University of Alabama football team went through a final full practice on Thursday afternoon, working a 90-minute session in shells at the Hank Crisp Indoor Facility. The practice focused on special teams and put the final touches on a game plan for Kentucky.

The Crimson Tide and Wildcats will meet this Saturday, Oct. 1, at Bryant-Denny Stadium with kickoff scheduled for 6:05 p.m. CT. Alabama’s homecoming game will air live on ESPN with Dave Pasch and Greg McElroy in the booth and Tom Luginbill on the sidelines for the broadcast.

Alabama and Kentucky will meet for the 40th time in the history of the two programs. Alabama enters Saturday’s contest with a 36-2-1 record all-time against UK, including a 9-0 mark in Tuscaloosa. The Tide defeated Kentucky, 48-7, in Lexington in the last meeting between the two teams in 2013. Head coach Nick Saban is 8-1 in Southeastern Conference home openers at UA and his teams have outscored opponents by a 282-129 mark.

Following Saturday’s home game with the Wildcats, Alabama will travel to Fayetteville for a top-25 matchup with the No. 20/22 Arkansas Razorbacks. The meeting will be the 25th all-time, with the Crimson Tide owning a 16-8 advantage in the series. Head coach Nick Saban is 12-2 against Arkansas in his career, including a 9-0 mark at Alabama. Last season, the Tide defeated the Razorbacks, 27-14, at Bryant-Denny Stadium.

Source: UA Athletic Department