Tag: Jalen Milroe

The Alabama Crimson Tide demolished the LSU Tigers, 42-13, Saturday night in Tiger Stadium in what for all intents and purposes was a College Football Playoff elimination game.

It was also an Alabama blowout for the ages. By the time the fourth quarter rolled around, Alabama fans could be heard at various points singing “Na Na Na (Goodbye)” to departing LSU fans on their way out of a stadium “Where Opponents Dreams Come to Die.”

Tell that to Jalen Milroe, who rushed for 185 yards and four touchdowns on 12 carries and completed 12 of his 18 passes for another 109 yards. The Crimson Tide rushed for 311 yards total.

With the win, Alabama (7-2 overall, 4-2 SEC) kept its Playoff hopes alive. The Crimson Tide were ranked No. 11 in the first CFP rankings of 2024, released last Tuesday.

Here are some day-after thoughts and takeaways on the latest in a long history of victorious Saturday nights for Alabama in Baton Rouge.

Alabama was in control from the very start

Alabama picked up three first downs on their opening drive thanks to Milroe converting a 2nd and long with a 19-yard pass to Ryan Williams. The Tide also picked up a 3rd and 9 with a 10-yard completion to Kendrick Law. Then came the first of many electric runs.

Milroe torched the LSU defense by taking off for a 39-yard touchdown run for a quick 7-0 lead barely four minutes into the contest. The Crimson Tide marched 80 yards on eight plays in 4:11.

‘The Jalen Milroe Game’

Milroe went right back to work on Alabama’s next series after the opening-drive touchdown. He found Williams for another 10-yard catch and a first down to the LSU 39, then hit Jam Miller on a screen pass that went for 20 yards to the 12.

Milroe picked his way through traffic for six yards down to the 7-yard line. Miller caught another check-down pass at the 1 on third down to set up first and goal. On second down, Justice Haynes capped off a 75-yard drive with a one-yard rush to put Alabama up 14-3 after Graham Nicholson’s extra point with 1:56 left in the quarter.

It was a 15-play drive that took 7:04 off the clock. Alabama converted four third-down conversions on the drive. The Tide closed the first quarter with nine first downs to LSU’s two and totaled 150 yards to LSU’s 62. They held the ball for 11:05 to LSU’s 3:55.

Milroe was 9-of-11 fir 86 yards through the air with four runs for 56 yards. Alabama held LSU to only nine offensive plays in the first 15 minutes. Talk about a statement first quarter.

Jihaad Campbell, Alabama’s defense made its own statement

LSU’s first drive of the game started promisingly enough. After freshman running back Caden Durham got around the right end for a 45-yard gain to set up a first and goal at the 5-yard line on just the Tigers’ second offensive snap, Brian Kelly’s team seemed destined to find the end-zone. Then, Alabama tightened its belt.

Justin Jefferson led the way on a key second-down stop before Jihaad Campbell broke up a pass in the end-zone to force a 23-yard field goal from Damian Ramos to make it 7-3. It was a huge stop for Alabama’s defense early, and it would be the start of an even bigger night for Campbell in particular.

With around 3:30 to play in the first half, after Alabama had failed to pick up a first down on a 4th and 1 try from the LSU 40-yard line, Campbell came in untouched on a blitz to drill Tigers quarterback Garrett Nussmeier and force a fumble back at the LSU 32-yard line that was recovered by Tim Smith.

With the ball deep in LSU territory, Milroe took it 10 yards to the house for touchdown run No. 2 of the night and a 21-6 Alabama lead with 2:35 to play until halftime.

As for Campbell, the outside linebacker led the Crimson Tide’s defense with 12 tackles that included three tackles for loss, 1.5 sacks, and the pass break-up at the goal line. Campbell could be playing his way into a first-round NFL Draft selection in his junior season.

Alabama took advantage of LSU’s blunders

Alabama did a good job of capitalizing on LSU’s mistakes. While the Tide was finishing off drives in the red zone, the Tigers were being forced to settle for field goals throughout the first half.

And in the second half, LSU opened with another promising start — just as it had on its first series to start the game. Nussmeier drove the Tigers all the way to the Alabama 4-yard line.

Deontae Lawson then recorded his first career interception, picking off Nussmeier in the end-zone for a touchback. It was a 14-play, 71-yard LSU drive that led to zero points.

On Alabama’s next drive, the Tigers had Alabama stopped on a third-down sack of Milroe but committed a facemask penalty with the Tide quarterback going to the ground. The call prompted the latest in a growing line of college football fans throughout the country throwing trash onto the field and delaying the game.

The latest incident caused Kirk Herbstreit to unload on fans during the game’s broadcast on ABC. After the debris was cleared, Ryan Williams took a reverse 22 yards to the LSU 25 for a first down.

On third down, Milroe took the balls 19 yards for a touchdown to put Alabama up 28-6 after Nicholson’s extra point. It was another successful drive for the Tide, spanning 80 yards in 3:39 in eight plays.

Milroe kept running… and running

How explosive was Milroe against LSU? To put it into  perspective, he became just the second player in the history of Alabama football to have multiple four-touchdown games, joining legendary Crimson Tide running back Shaun Alexander on that list.

Milroe’s back-breaking moment came on the first play of the fourth quarter. He got behind the defense and raced 72 yards for his fourth touchdown to empty the Tiger Stadium crowd.

RELATED: What Jalen Milroe thought about empty Tiger Stadium crowd during Alabama blowout of LSU

Alabama still controls College Football Playoff destiny

As was mentioned all throughout the lead-up to Saturday’s showdown, this was a College Football Playoff elimination game. Alabama still controls their destiny after burying LSU on Saturday night. The Tide’s No. 11 ranking in the initial CFP rankings could improve after some higher-ranked teams lost in Week 11.

Alabama football schedule 2024: Who’s up next?

Alabama will host the Mercer Bears next Saturday at Bryant-Denny Stadium. Kickoff is set for 1 p.m. CT. The game can be seen on SEC Network+. Mercer improved to 9-1 with a 34-0 shutout victory of VMI over the weekend and lead the Southern Conference.

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