Alabama Crimson Tide Football
Handles LSU Tigers In Important SEC West Contest
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| Photos Courtesy UA Athletics |
TUSCALOOSA, Alabama – Some of the numbers didn't reflect it, but the one that truly counts reflected the seventh-consecutive victory for the second-ranked University of Alabama football team over the 19th-ranked LSU Tigers 24-10. The Alabama Crimson Tide (No. 1 in the other two major college football polls) remains undefeated with a 9-0 overall, 6-0 SEC record. It was an important win for the race to capture the SEC Western Division crown in order to face the winner of the SEC East, Georgia, for the Southeastern Conference championship in Atlanta, Georgia in December.
Bama has kept it perfect in the first half this season with the defense still not allowing a touchdown by an SEC team. The UA defense leads the SEC and the nation in most categories. Senior linebacker Rashaan Evans picked up 10 tackles in the contest, including one sack. Also finishing with one sack was sophomore Raekwon Davis getting a career-high nine tackles.
Offensively, Crimson Tide quarterback Jalen Hurts racked up 227 yards of total offense. He was 11-of-24 for 183 yards and one passing touchdown on the night. Hurts also picked up a team-high 44 yards on 14 carries as well as one rushing touchdown. Leading the Bama receivers was junior wide receiver Calvin Ridley with three catches for 61 yards.
Alabama Crimson Tide football head coach Nick Saban said, "I told the players before the game that we haven't been tested with heart. Heart kind of defines you. We didn't play a great game out there. We had a lot of self-inflicted wounds but you can't argue with the fight the players fought with."
It was a hard-fought, hard-hitting game, and took its toll on the Tide defense. A pair of potential long term injuries to linebackers Shaun Dion Hamilton (knee) and Mack Wilson (foot) could affect the remainder of the season. Saban said the pair are "probably out." Safety Minkah Fitzpatrick went down a couple of times in the first half and played a situational role in the second.
LSU outgained Alabama in total yards 306-299. The Tigers gained 151 rushing yards to 116 for the Tide. Bama outgained the Cats through the air 183-155.
Honorary captains for Saturday's contest were Brodie Croyle and Rashad Johnson.
Up next for Alabama is a trip to No. 16 Mississippi State.
| Game Stats | LSU | UA |
|---|---|---|
| Total Yards | 306 | 299 |
| Pass Yards | 155 | 183 |
| Rushing Yards | 151 | 116 |
| Penalty Yards | 5-30 | 1-11 |
| 1st Downs | 16 | 14 |
| 3rd Downs | 9-19 | 5-14 |
| 4th Downs | 0-1 | 0-0 |
| TOP | 34:07 | 25:53 |
Photos Courtesy UA Athletics
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Southeastern Conference Football Results
It was quite a weekend in the Southeastern Conference. Some blowouts, upsets or near upsets and a lot of national attention made up this weekend's games in the SEC. Four teams from the Southeastern Conference played out-of-conference games, with the other 10 teams facing off against one another.
The newly-crown CFP No. 1 team, the Georgia Bulldogs, pretty much handled the South Carolina Gamecocks 24-10. The Associated Press and Amway Coaches Poll No. 1 ALABAMA CRIMSON TIDE (No. 2 CFP) put the LSU Tigers away for the seventh-consecutive year 24-10 to remain undefeated and in control of the SEC Western Division.
Outside SEC matchups had Mississippi State over UMASS 34-23, Arkansas struggling big time against C. Carolina eking out a one-point win 39-38, Tennessee defeating Southern Miss 24-10 and Vanderbilt walloped Western Kentucky 31-17.
SEC Western Division teams were 5-2 on the weekend (the two losses came against other SEC West teams) while the Eastern Division went 4-3 (one of the losses against another SEC West team).
1/2 ALABAMA CRIMSON TIDE 24 LSU 10
2/1 Georgia 24 South Carolina 10
14 Auburn 42 Texas A&M 27
16 Mississippi State 24 UMASS 23
Kentucky 34 Ole Miss 37
Arkansas 39 C. Carolina 38
Tennessee 24 Southern Miss 10
Florida 16 Missouri 45
Vanderbilt 31 W. Kentucky 17
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Associated Press Top 25 College Football Poll
1 ALABAMA CRIMSON TIDE
2 Georgia
3 Notre Dame
4 Clemson
5 Oklahoma
6 Wisconsin
7 Miami
8 TCU
9 Washington
10 Auburn
11 Ohio State
12 Oklahoma State
13 Michigan State
14 UCF
15 USC
16 Penn State
17 Virginia Tech
18 Mississippi State
19 Washington State
20 Memphis
21 Michigan
22 South Florida
23 West Virginia
24 Iowa State
25 Iowa
