Alabama Football Pounces All Over Kentucky Wildcats, 63-3
TUSCALOOSA, Ala. — If there was ever a question that Alabama football still deserved to be ranked first in the nation after three weeks without facing an opponent, it was quickly answered Saturday afternoon in Bryant-Denny Stadium.
Yes. Yes it does.
After the lengthy hiatus away from the gridiron, the Crimson Tide rolled over the Kentucky Wildcats, 63-3.
“I think everybody was excited to get back to be able to play, after all the time off," Alabama coach Nick Saban said after the game. "I think we got off to a little slow start. The energy, the intensity, the attention to detail early on in the game was not what we wanted it to be, but I think we played better and better and better as the game went on."
Alabama redshirt-junior quarterback Mac Jones continued to stake his claim as a Heisman Trophy candidate, throwing 16-for-24 for 230, two touchdowns and an interception.
However, the main storyline from the Crimson Tide's offense was senior wide receiver DeVonta Smith. In total, Smith accounted for 144 yards on nine receptions and two touchdowns.
The first touchdown came in the second quarter, a 10-yard reception thrown by Jones. The touchdown was Smith's 32nd of his career, which broke former Crimson Tide wide receiver Amari Cooper's record for most receiving touchdowns.
The second put Smith at 33, increasing his lead as the highest-scoring wide receiver in Alabama program history.
"It's certainly a blessing just to have my name along with the greatest that ever came through the SEC and this school," Smith said at his post-game interview.
On the ground, senior running back Najee Harris led Alabama with 83 yards on 13 attempts and two touchdowns. Late in the second quarter, Harris ran a 42-yard rush to the house for the longest touchdown of his Crimson Tide career.
"That run really shows off all the hard work," Harris said. "I knew that this was a team that were gonna play the run by shooting the safety really fast, play the run, fit the gaps, the line was going to move a lot — so when I saw the seam I know that like I might not get to see this seam again so I took advantage of it and I guess it worked out."
Harris' second touchdown brought his season total to 16, the most-ever by an Alabama running back through the first seven games of a season.
Overall, the Crimson Tide offense tallied 509 total yards, with 283 of those coming through the air and 226 on the ground.
Defensively, Alabama got off to a sluggish start but soon regained its composure.
After the first quarter, despite scoring only three points, Kentucky had registered a total of 121 yards on offense. However, the Wildcats weren't able to capitalize in the red zone, and Alabama's defense improved as the game continued. It held Kentucky to just 27 yards in the second half, all of them rushing.
The score also spoke for itself. The Crimson Tide defense didn't allow a touchdown, making it two-straight weeks the opponent failed to reach the end zone.
Regarding turnovers, there was only one for Alabama, but it was a good one. With just over 10 minutes remaining in the third quarter, sophomore defensive back Jordan Battle intercepted Kentucky quarterback Terry Wilson, and returned the pick 45 yards for a touchdown.
While the pick-six might not have been much on paper, the momentum of the second half changed at that point. Prior to the interception, the Crimson Tide offense had stalled, with an interception and two punts. After that the Alabama offense scored ever time it had possession for the rest of the game.
"On that play I know earlier I had missed it because I read the wrong call," Battle said of his pick six. "And then they came back at it and I came down on my hook and I saw it again and I saw the RPO and I broke on it and I just cribbed it after that."
The interception by Battle was Alabama's 79th non-offensive touchdown of the Saban era.
With the win, Alabama improved to 7-0 and made a solid statement before the initial College Football Playoff rankings are released on Tuesday.
Kentucky dropped to 3-5.
Alabama gears up for its annual rivalry game against Auburn, which will take place next Saturday at 2:30 p.m. CT in Bryant-Stadium (CBS).
