First off, we owe Florida State an apology. This team is not ready to quit on the season as I suggested, and they gave Alabama all they wanted before coming up short 50-36.
Kalen DeBoer talked all week about challenging his team to start fast. Unfortunately, whatever tactics he used in practice to make that happen need to find their way to the dust bin. Ashton Daniels came out doing his best Stephen Garcia impersonation, Alabama couldn’t get much going on the ground and Keelon Russell looked confused. Barely 20 minutes into the game, Alabama found itself behind 21-6 and staring down the barrel of yet another embarrassing upset loss.
To their credit, Alabama did get off the mat and find some offense just in time. Russell hit fellow freshman Cederian Morgan on a slant to pull within 21-13, just ahead of the second lightning delay of the afternoon. From that point forward, absent one score following a big run play thanks to a missed tackle from reserve LB Abduall Sanders, the Tide pretty well took control of the action. Near the end of the fourth quarter, Russell busted a 57-yard touchdown run to put Alabama up 40-28 headed into the final frame.
The defense got a quick stop to open the fourth, but Ivan Taylor roughed the punter on 4th-and-16 to give the Seminoles new life in Alabama territory. Daniels went for a heat check YOLO ball into the end zone, but this time the prayer went unanswered. The Tide held on 4th down, and looked to be in full control.
If only things could be so easy.
Alabama was able to drive the field but petered out in the red zone for a Conor Talty field goal, and for whatever reason then forgot how to play defense again. Daniels capped off a relatively easy touchdown drive by calling his own number down the left sideline, and after a successful two-point try the ‘Noles were back within seven at 43-36. Fortunately, Alabama was able to kill some clock en route to a Trae’shawn Brown touchdown to seal the deal.
The offense was able to win a shootout when the defense was showing vulnerability, and that’s encouraging. Even more encouraging is that they were able to run the ball almost at will, but that comes with the caveat that Florida State’s defense has been dreadful all season. What isn’t encouraging is that the defense was absolutely shredded by what had been a mediocre offense. Florida State certainly had some good fortune in the first half, but they also found something on film that allowed them to run on the edges and hit deep passes up the seams. It goes without saying that Kane Wommack and company have some work to do.
Ole Miss vs LSU is already approaching halftime, with the Rebels on top. Can they hang on in the second half? The rest of the schedule is provided for you below, per usual, from CFBGrid.com.
Roll Tide.
