Crimson Tide Washes Away Rebel Stain
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Alabama Defeats Ole Miss 48-43 In Oxford
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| Alabama Strut Alabama Athletics photo |
The most fans ever to watch a college football game in the state of Mississippi, a total of 66,176, saw the University of Alabama Crimson Tide end a two-year losing streak to the Ole Miss Rebels 48-43 earlier today. It was a hard-fought affair, and one which is sure to have Alabama head coach Nick Saban having some loud chats with the team at some point in the next couple of day.
The Rebels marched straight down the field on the opening possession of the game to go ahead by a score of 7-0. Ole Miss marched 75 yards to score, culminated by a 23-yard touchdown run by Reb running back Akeem Judd.
Then the problems for the Tide accelerated, and before you know it Bama had only picked up three points while Mississippi hung 24 on Bama.
You might say things just didn't look good at all in the first half for the Tide. Until the second last few minutes of the half, that is. In less than a minute the Crimson Tide scored twice to bring the score from 24-3 to just a 7-point deficit at 24-17. Calvin Ridley took a direct snap from center to go in from six yards out on a drive that took only 37 seconds. Alabama was then able to hold Ole Miss to a few scant yard forcing a punt, which Eddie Jackson returned for 85 yards and a touchdown with 1:32 remaining in the game.
Allie LaForce talked with Saban on the sideline just after the half ended. She asked Saban about how Bama managed to turn the game around so fast after a start "defined by mental mistakes" and big plays by Ole Miss to bring it to within seven.
Saban said, "Well, we can't make the mental errors. We've given up three big plays on mental errors on defense, and we've got to execute better. I mean, that's what we said in the beginning of the game...and really they're not doing anything that we should be making mental mistakes over. We just don't play with any poise here.
"So, we've got to do a better job on offense of not getting any penalties and negative plays which is really putting us behind the eight ball. So...hopefully in the second half we've just got to do a better job of executing."
It didn't take long once the second half got underway for the Crimson Tide to tie the game, but not in the traditional fashion. The Alabama drive stalled and a punt put the ball deep in the Rebels territory.
Ole Miss quarterback Chad Kelly fumbled the ball near the goal line on a hit by Ryan Anderson. Da'Ron Payne then scooped up the ball and as he was being tackled reached over the goal line for a three-yard fumble return for touchdown with 11:47 remaining in the third period. Two consecutive touchdowns scored by the defense. Score now ALABAMA 24, Ole Miss 24
Adam Griffith then gave Alabama their first lead of the day on a 30-yard field goal following a 10-play, 51 yard drive lasting 4:24. This was the Tide's first lead over the Rebels in the last 104:26 of game play that dates all the way back to the fourth quarter of the 2014 contest.
Ole Miss came back after failing to get into the enzone to hit another field goal with 1:37 remaining in the third quarter to again tie the game at 27 apiece.
Alabama then quickly got downfield for its next score, with Harrison picking up 67 yards, his second-longest run of his career. Then Bo Scarbrough leaps over the line from one yard out to score, putting the Tide in the lead again, 34-27, in a drive that took only 1:31 with :16 remaining in the third quarter.
Ole Miss put another ball through the uprights on a 38-yard field goal to bring the score within four, Alabama 34, Ole Miss 30.
After a 41-yard run by Hurts, Damien Harris scores from one yard out with 7:33 remaining giving Alabama a 41-30 lead.
The Tide's next score was...fun. Yeah, fun. Some call it a "fat boy" score. I call it his moment to shine. Jonathan Allen picked off Chad Kelly and returned the ball for a 75-yard interception return with just 5:28 remaining in the fourth quarter. It was beautiful. It also was the Tide's third non-offensive touchdown. Alabama was now on a 45-6 tear since trailing 24-3.
Then lightning struck for Ole Miss and there was a collective gasp all across Bama Nation. Chad Kelly hit Damore'ea Stringfellow for a touchdown with just 2:59 remaining in the game, capping a 12-play, 78-yard drive followed by recovering an onside kick that was misjudged by Calvin Ridley.
Ole Miss was 11 points down at this point to the Tide, 48-37, when they again scored one play later on a 37-yard pass. The two-point conversion failed, but the Rebs were in the game down by only 5, 48-43. That's two scores in about 8 seconds.
However, Alabama was able to move the ball enough to run out the clock and snap the two-game win streak 48-43.
The Bama offense had 334 total yards of rushing offense, with 290 of those coming from true freshman quarterback Jalen Hurts (146) and Damien Harris (144).
[Story will be updated tomorrow morning.]
| 1 |
2 |
3 |
4 |
Score |
|
1
Alabama Crimson Tide
(2-0)
|
3 |
14 |
17 |
14 |
48 |
17
Mississippi Rebels
(1-1)
|
7 |
17 |
3 |
16 |
43 |
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Tide Men's Golf In Three-Way Tie For 10th Place
After First Day Of Olympia Fields/Fighting Illini Invitational
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| Photo Credit: RollTide.com |
The 16th-ranked Alabama Crimson Tide men's golf team is in a three-way tie for 10th place after the opening round of the Olympia Fields Country Club/Fighting Illini Invitational on Friday. Bama shot a 16-over par 296 on the day. The Tide is led by sophomore Davis Riley after day one with a 2-under par 68 and tied for fourth place.
Leading the 15-team field is tournament host and third-ranked Illinois with a 6-under par 274, followed six strokes back by second place Texas A&M (280). Fourth-ranked Oklahoma State sits in third at 7-over par 297, followed by Purdue (291) and No. 24 Baylor (293) completing the tournament top five. In a three-way tie for 10th is The Crimson Tide, Indiana and Southern California, at 296, just three strokes out of fifth place.
Riley recorded four birdies and two bogeys at the famed par-70, 7,205-yard Olympia Field Country Club North Course on the day. The young man posted his 11th career round in the 60s, the second one this season.
Bama juniors Lee Hodges, Tyler Hitchner and Steven Setterstrom are currently tied for 49th overall at 2-over par 76, while redshirt freshman Josh Sedeno comes in at 60th place at 7-over par 77.
The Crimson Tide tees off for the second round at 8:45 a.m. CT on Hole No. 10, and will be grouped with Arizona State and Texas A&M.
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Alabama Women's Golf Tied For First Place
After Opening Round At Mason Rudolph Championship
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| Sophomore golfer Cheyenne Knight Photo Credit: RollTide.com |
Firing the low round for Bama yesterday was sophomore Cheyenne Knight, shooting a four-under par 68 putting her in a tie for the individual lead. Making her collegiate debut is freshman Kristen Gillman, and along with junior Lakareber Abe, have both finished with 1-under par 71 and are tied for eighth. Sophomore Lauren Stephenson shot a two-over par 74 and is tied for 30th. Senior Mia Landegren hit a three-over par 75 and is tied for 38th place.
The Tide is grouped with Northwestern and SMU for today's second round. Lauren Stephenson tees off first at 10:10 a.m. (CT), followed by Mia Landegren at 10:20, Lakareber Abe at 10:30, Kristen Gillman at 10:40 and Cheyenne Knight at 10:50.
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Alabama Volleyball Posts Second Half Win Over ETSU
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| Photo Credit: RollTide.com |
Alabama senior Krystal Rivers led the offensive effort posing 27 kills, 3 aces, a .379 hitting percentage as well as 4 blocks in the contest. It was Leah Lawrence leading the way defensively at the net with five blocks, one solo and four assisted. Brittany Thomas posted double-digit digs with a season-high 15.
Hayley McSparin posted 9 kills and 3 blocks for the Tide and Mahalia Swink added another 5 kills in the contest.
The Crimson Tide will conclude the weekend today at the Crimson-White Tournament with a pair of matches, taking on Presbyterian (2-10) at 11 a.m. CT and Georgia Southern (7-6) at 7 p.m. CT.
| Game Stats | ETSU | UA |
|---|---|---|
| Kills | 49 | 51 |
| Errors | 27 | 18 |
| Hitting % | .147 | .254 |
| Points | 59.0 | 68.0 |
| Aces | 7 | 6 |
| Blocks | 3.0 | 11.0 |
| TA | 150 | 130 |
| Assists | 45 | 45 |
