The Good, Bad and Ugly: Alabama Survives Texas A&M

The Good: Alabama Survived the Grind

Alabama completed a grueling eight-game stretch with a 6–2 record heading into the open week. The Crimson Tide had to play ugly Saturday, but they found a way to grind out a much-needed 31–20 victory over Texas A&M.

Was it pretty? Absolutely not. It was quite the opposite.

The biggest moment came on the final play of the third quarter when Keelon Russell found Rico Scott for what felt like a season-saving catch. Alabama could not afford to lose at home to a Texas A&M team that entered the game with only one SEC victory.

Russell delivered another productive performance, throwing for 311 yards, three touchdowns and one interception. The interception placed Alabama in a difficult position, but the young quarterback responded and helped the Crimson Tide take control in the fourth quarter.

Scott was outstanding, finishing with six receptions for 156 yards. Alabama’s receivers played well as a group, and Daniel Hill also contributed by catching a touchdown pass.

The defense had several moments that belong in the bad category, but when Alabama needed a stop the most, the unit delivered. Despite playing with a depleted secondary and losing Red Morgan to a targeting ejection, the defense forced Texas A&M to punt and gave the offense an opportunity to finish the job.

Here is something else to consider: Could all these injuries eventually pay big dividends for Alabama?

The Crimson Tide has been forced to play several young, inexperienced players who probably were not ready for significant roles. They had to play because Alabama was simply running out of healthy bodies at certain positions. That experience could become extremely valuable when the Tide gets some of its key players back and suddenly has quality, battle-tested depth behind them.

Alabama was bruised, exhausted, and far from perfect. Still, the Crimson Tide survived the grind and reached the open week with its season still alive and perhaps with more experienced depth for the stretch run.

The Bad: No Consistent Rushing Attack

Alabama’s inability to establish the run remains a major concern. The Crimson Tide finished with only 68 rushing yards and averaged just 2.4 yards per attempt. Daniel Hill led Alabama with 36 yards, but the offense never developed a consistent threat on the ground.

Texas A&M found more success running the football, finishing with 115 yards. The Aggies averaged only 2.9 yards per attempt, so they did not dominate Alabama up front, but they produced enough on the ground to extend drives and control portions of the game.

Neither offense consistently delivered on third down. Alabama converted 5 of 12 opportunities for 41.7%, while Texas A&M finished 4 of 11 for 36.4%.

The Aggies’ biggest statistical advantage came in time of possession. Texas A&M controlled the football for 33:10, compared with 26:50 for Alabama—a difference of 6 minutes and 20 seconds. The Aggies also ran 61 plays to Alabama’s 58.

Alabama found enough explosive plays through the air to overcome its problems, but this offense cannot continue to rely almost entirely on Russell and the passing game. The Crimson Tide must use the open week to find some answers up front and develop a rushing attack it can trust during the stretch run.

The Ugly: Player Safety Must Matter

College football teams need two open weeks every season. The people in charge of the sport must make that happen regardless of how the calendar falls. Protecting the health and safety of the players who compete in the game we love should be the priority.

Alabama reached the final weekend of October battered, exhausted, and forced to play its eighth consecutive game. The Crimson Tide entered Saturday with an already depleted roster and suffered even more losses against Texas A&M. That should concern everyone who claims to care about player safety.

Greg Sankey and the SEC chose to move to a nine-game conference schedule beginning this season. As we approach November, that decision looks like a major mistake from a player-safety perspective. This league was already difficult enough, and the strength-of-schedule metrics provide plenty of proof of what SEC teams must endure throughout the regular season.

By the end of the year, we will probably be debating which 9–3 team has the strongest résumé and how many deserving SEC teams will be left out of the College Football Playoff because of this drastic scheduling change.

Adding another conference game without guaranteeing teams a second open week is asking too much of these players. If college football’s leaders are serious about player safety, they need to prove it by building a calendar that gives athletes enough time to recover.

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