The Alabama Crimson Tide defeated the Ole Miss Rebels, 63-48, on Saturday in Oxford, Mississppi in a very high scoring game.
This was the Tide’s fifth straight time beating the Ole Miss Rebels.
And it was the first time that Nick Saban and Lane Kiffin faced each other as head coached since 2009 when Kiffin was the head coach at Tennessee.
Led by senior quarterback Mac Jones, the Tide had a combined 723 offensive yards. Jones went 28 of 32 passes for 417 yards and 2 touchdowns.
As for the running game, Alabama moved the ball well, and more often than we’ve seen in previous seasons. Najee Harris carried the team on his back and finished the game with a career high 23 carries for 206 yards and 5 touchdowns. Brian Robinson Jr. also had 10 carries for 76 yards and 1 touchdown as well.
Also on offense, Jaylen Waddle and DeVonta Smith both put up impressive numbers against the Rebels. emerged as one of the best players of the night once again. Smith finished with 13 receptions for 164 yards and 1 touchdown. Waddle also had 6 carries for 120 yards.
Defensively, Alabama struggled more than they have in a long time. It was a poor defensive performance for the Crimson Tide. Not only did Alabama give up 658 total yards, but they often gave up big plays, and created costly mistakes.
Rebels’ quarterback Matt Corral finished the game going 22 of 29 for 380 yards and 2 touchdowns.
Defense is going to be a major area of growth for the Crimson Tide as they prepare to face the Georgia Bulldogs next weekend in Tuscaloosa, Alabama.
All in all, Alabama won the game, but it certainly won’t feel like a win to Nik Saban. Najee Harris and Mac Jones showed consistency and leadership, and led the Tide to a 3-0 start to the season.
Simply put, this was a tough road game for Alabama.
The Crimson Tide has a lot to work on before they face the Georgia Bulldogs in Tuscaloosa next Saturday.
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