Alabama Survives Texas with Fourth Quarter Comeback

Led by quarterback Bryce Young in the final minutes, Alabama came back to snag the one-point victory over the Longhorns.

AUSTIN, Texas. — Earlier in the week, Nick Saban warned fans about what happened last time the Crimson Tide came into the state of Texas as a 20-point favorite (Alabama lost on a last-second field goal to Texas A&M.)

Things were starting to look eerily similar to the last time Alabama played a true road game in Texas when the top-ranked Crimson Tide squared off against the Longhorns Saturday in Austin. 

Then Bryce Young happened. 

The Alabama quarterback was responsible in some way for all 61 yards on the game-winning drive with 1:29 left in the game, culminating in Will Reichard's 32-yard field to beat Texas 20-19. 

"I knew that if we could shrink the game enough that we got the ball back, we'd do a good job in two-minute [drill]," Saban said. "He [Bryce] does it all the time. Players made plays when they had to make them."

Reichard's final field goal was Alabama's first game-winning kick in under five minutes in the Saban era. 

After scoring on the first two possessions of the game, the Alabama offense was held off the scoreboard until the fourth quarter. Jase McClellan's 81-yard touchdown run with 2:34 in the first quarter, and Jahmyr Gibbs' touchdown catch with 8:29 in the fourth quarter were sandwiching six straight punts. 

"One thing you have to say about our team is they showed tremendous resiliency today to do things they needed to do late in the third quarter, fourth quarter to come back and win the game after not really playing Alabama football for the first three quarters of the game," Saban said. 

Check out the live updates below for a recap. 

Live Updates

(Most recent update at the top)

Fourth Quarter

FINAL: No. 1 Alabama 20, Texas 19

• Card completes a pass, but it is well short of the end zone. Alabama holds on to win, 20-19.

• Texas takes the kickoff out to the 24-yard line, running five seconds off the clock, meaning the Longhorns can likely get one play off. 

Reichard nails the 32-yard field, and Alabama takes the one-point lead with 10 seconds left. Alabama 20, Texas 19- 0:10 4Q

• Bryce Young leads Alabama down the field for a nine-play, 61-yard drive that resulted in the go-ahead field goal. 

• Texas takes a timeout to ice Reichard. 

• A short pass to Brooks moves the ball to the 15 with 15 seconds left. Will Reichard goes out for the kick. 

• Incomplete passes for Alabama on first and second down. It's third-and-10 from the 17 with 19 seconds left. 

• Bryce Young miraculously escapes a sack and runs it down to to the Texas 17 with 27 seconds left. 

• Another short catch for Latu gives Alabama a first down to the 37. Texas calls its first timeout with 35 seconds left. 

• Latu catches a ball for a short gain and stays in bounds, clock still rolling. 

• Young finds Gibbs over the middle for a big gain into Texas territory. 

• Quick pass to Burton goes for eight yards on first down. He gets out of bound to stop the clock. 

• The ball sails through the end zone for a touchback. Alabama will get the ball at the 25 with 1:29 to go to try and win this game. 

Burt Auburn's 48-yard field goal is good, and Texas retakes the lead. Texas 19, Alabama 17, 1:29 4Q

Longhorns take advantage of the turnover on downs with the 8-play, 44-yard drive that bled 2:26 off the clock.

• Will Anderson finally gets his first sack of the season for a seven-yard loss back to the 31. Alabama takes its second timeout with 1:34 to go. 

• Timeout Alabama. It has two timeouts remaining. After the break, it will be third-and-3 for Texas at the UA 24.

• Hudson pass complete to Casey Cain for 29 yards. First down Texas, ball at the UA 31. There is 1:51 remaining.

• Hudson finds Johnson for an 11-yard gain. First down.

• After review, the call is confirmed. Turnover on down. First-and-10 Texas at its own 25.

• Roydell Williams rushed up the middle for 0 yards. The officials announce that it is a turnover on downs. However, the play is under further review.

• After review, Gibbs was ruled short of the line to gain. It'll be fourth-and-inches.

• Gibbs runs it up the middle for the first down. The play is now under review. 

• Alabama facing third-and-2 from the 26. 

• Emil Ekiyor's helmet comes off on first down, and freshman Tyler Booker will come in to replace him for one play. 

• Make that back-to-back-to-back catches for Holden, and a run by McClellan gives Alabama the first down across the Texas 35. 

• Young goes back to Holden, this time over the middle for 21 yards into Texas territory.

• Traeshon Holden snags a ball right near the Alabama sideline for a first down out to the Alabama 33. 

• Alabama will begin at the Alabam 23. 

• The defense forces a three-and-out with just under eight minutes to go. 

• Reichard's kick sails through the end zone for a touchback, and Texas will start at the 25. 

Young escapes pressure and finds a wide open Jahmyr Gibbs in the back of the end zone for the touchdown. Alabama jumps back in front with Reichard's PAT. Alabama 17, Texas 16- 8:29 4Q

• 11-play, 75-yard drive for Alabama that took 4:26 off the clock

• This drive snaps Alabama's streak of six straight punts. 

• Bryce goes back to Brooks down to the Texas seven. 

• Young zips one through the defense to Ja'Corey Brooks for the first down to the 23. 

• Alabama's going for it on 4th-and-3 from the Texas 37. 

• Alabama goes back to Prentice, but Robbie Ouzts misses his block, so it goes for a one-yard loss. 

• Young finds Prentice again, this time for eight yards down to the Texas 36. 

• Prentice picks up seven yards on first down to get into Texas territory, and Roydell Williams carries it for a first down. 

• Young scrambles for a first down on third-and-seven. 

• Alabama will start its drive at its own 25 after a touchback.

Bert Auburn's 24-yard field goal is good, and Texas increases its lead in the fourth. Texas 16, Alabama 10- 12:55-4Q

• It was a 12-play, 65-yard drive for the Longhorns. Texas now has 22 first downs compared to Alabama's six. 

• Alabama gets a stop inside the red zone, and Auburn is out there for the fourth time. 

Third Quarter

END OF THIRD: Texas 13, No. 1 Alabama 10

• Bryce Young was 3-7 for -1 yards in the third quarter. 

• And that will be the end of the third quarter. 

• Card competes a pass for a first down, and a face mask will tack on extra yards on the end of the play. 

• Alabama is called offsides on first down for its 14th penalty of the game. 

• Robinson has a tough run on third-and-short to pick up the first down to the Alabama 37. 

• And immediately after the sack, Card fakes out the Alabama defense with a 20-yard scramble for a first down into Crimson Tide territory. 

• Jaylen Moody sacks Card on first down for a nine-yard loss. 

• A successful swing pass to Whittington goes for 13 yards and a Texas first down. 

• Just announced in the press box, this is a new stadium attendance record with 105,213 people in attendance, topping the 2018 USC game. 

• Young has to scramble again on third down. This time he comes up short, and Alabama will have to punt for the sixth possession in a row. 

• Young scrambles for the first down, but the play will be called back for a blindside block on Traeshon Holden. Alabama will replay third down after the penalty.  

• Young connects with Gibbs for a 10-yard gain on second down. Alabama facing a third-and-4. 

• Alabama loses four yards on first down on a swing pass to Gibbs. 

• Javion Cohen has replaced Kendall Randolph at left guard. 

• The kickoff goes for a touchback, and Alabama will start from the 25, trying to score for the first time since the first quarter. 

Bert Auburn's 33-yard field goal is good, and for the first time today, Texas has the lead. Texas 13, Alabama 10- 6:27 3Q

• 6-play, 25-yard drive for Texas that burned 3:12 off the clock. 

• On 4th-and-2 from the 15, Texas sends out the field goal unit. 

• Anderson's fourth penalty of the day, this time a personal foul, gives Texas a first down. 

• Texas returns the punt to the Alabama 38. 

• After review, there is no targeting, but Young got the pass away, so no safety. Fourth down for Alabama, and James Burnip will punt. 

• Young is sacked on third down in the end zone for what appeared to be a safety. A flag is thrown, and the call is roughing the passer and targeting, which would be a first down for Alabama. The play is under review. 

• Bryce and the receivers appear so out of sync today. Young way overthrows Jermaine Burton on second down. 

• McClellan carries it past the three on first down to give Alabama slight breathing room. 

• Texas downs the punt inside the one-yard line. Alabama will be backed up against its own end zone after the TV timeout. 

• Brian Branch breaks up a pass on third down to force the three-and-out from Texas. 

• DeMarcco Hellams makes a nice play on the ball on a depp shot taken by Card on first down. 

• Texas starting QB Quinn Ewers will not return to the game according to ESPN's Pete Thamel. 

• Something to note, Alabama's defense still hasn't forced a turnover this year through six plus quarters of football. The edge rushers still don't have a sack either. Kool-Aid McKinstry recorded one in the first half. 

• Burnip's punt isn't quite as effective, and Texas will get the ball at its own 44 after the commercial break. 

• The third-down pass intended for Kobe Prentice is overthrown, and the two teams are back to trading punts. Alabama is not able to gain any field position. 

• Facing immense pressure, Young gets the ball off to Gibbs, but it's still a big loss of seven yards, setting up 3rd-and-17 for Alabama. 

• Texas punter Daniel Trejo is able to flip the fied with a 61-yard punt. Alabama will start from its own 21. 

• Malachi Moore misses a sack on third-and-14, but Card still can't pick up enough yards on the scramble for a first down. And the Alabama defense forces a three-and-out on the opening possession. 

• Will Anderson Jr. tackles Bijan Robinson for a four-yard loss on the first play of the second half. 

• Hudson Card is back out at quarterback for Texas to start the second half. No official update on Quinn Ewers yet. 

• Texas will get the ball to start the second half. 

Halftime Notes

• Alabama had 11 penalties for 58 yards in the first half.
• Texas outgained Alabama 231-172 and more than doubled the Crimson Tide in passing yards (193 to 76.)
• Alabama picked up 138 yards on the first two drives and only 38 for the rest of the half. 

Second Quarter

HALFTIME: No. 1 Alabama 10, Texas 10

• Bert Auburn misses the 20-yard field goal for Texas as time expires. Could be a big momentum swing for either team heading into the half. 

• Texas has an incomplete pass on first down, and Sarkisian will send out the field goal unit with three seconds left. 

• Back-to-back pass interference calls on McKinstry. It's the 11th penalty of the half for Alabama. Texas gets the ball at the two with eight seconds left. 

• Robinson with a 42-yard catch down to the Alabama 20 with less than 30 seconds left. 

• Bijan Robinson finding some success running the ball on this drive after a few series where the Alabama defense seemed to be having more luck stopping the run.

• Will Anderson's third offsides penalty of the half gives Texas a first down. 

• Texas gets the ball back at their own 12 with 1:40 to go in the half. 

• Young scrambles out of pressure on third down to find freshman WR Isaiah Bond, but the ball bounces off his hands, and Alabama will have to punt again. Young is now 9-14 for just 78 yards this half. Saban won't be happy with the missed opportunity for a two-minute drill. 

• The offensive line gives Young plenty of time on first down, but none of the receivers can get open. He dumps it off to McClellan for a two-yard gain. 

• Alabama gets the ball pack in nearly an identical start to the last drive, right around their own 45. 3:14 to go in the first half. 

• McKinstry gets pressure on Card on third down. He gets a throw away, but is called for intentional grounding. Longhorns back out to punt. 

• Texas will start from the 15. Hudson Card back in at quarterback, and he finds Worthy for 15 yards and a first down. Worthy now has three catches for 85 yards. 

• Prentice drops a pass on third down, and Saban opts to send the punt unit out there on 4th-and-3 from the 48. 

• Not a great start for Alabama's receivers so far. Halfway through the second quarter, they've combined for three catches for 14 yards. 

• McClellan is back in at running back for Alabama and takes the first carry of the drive for two yards. 

• McKinstry fields a bad punt at the Alabama 45. The Crimson Tide will have good field position to start the fourth drive. 

• Justin Eboigbe makes a stop on third down to force Texas to punt for the first time. Kool-Aid McKinstry is back deep to receive. 

• Back-to-back negative plays by the Alabama defense set up 3rd-and-14 for Texas. 

• Card escapes several Alabama push rushers to scramble for a first down to the 26. 

• An illegal formation penalty pushes Texas back to their own 10. 

• James Burnip has a 50-yard punt to pin the Longhorns at the 15. Hudson Card still in at quarterback for Texas. 

• Alabama gets called for a false start on the punt, the eighth penalty of the day for the Crimson Tide. It's the most penalties in the first half for Alabama since the 2019 Ole Miss game. 

• Jaylan Ford comes up the middle completely unblocked to sack Bryce Young on third down. Gibbs didn't pick up the block. Alabama will have to punt for the first time today. 

• A negative play to Traeshon Holden and short pass to Jermaine Burton on second down sets up another third-and-long. 

• Young finds Latu wide open for a big gain and the first down. Alabama improves to 4-5 on third down. 

• Nick Saban is forced to call a timeout as the play clock was winding down. Third-and-12 coming up after the timeout. 

• A false start on JC Latham makes it third-and-12 from Alabama from their own 35. 

• Young finds Gibbs for his fourth reception of the day on third down for the first down. Alabama is now 3-4 on third downs. 

• Gibbs and Roydell Williams both in at running back on second down. Young should've been intercepted on the play, but the Texas defender dropped the ball. 

• Jase McClellan picks up four yards on first down, but is shaken up on the play. He gets off the field with his own strength and appears to be fine. 

• The kickoff is a touchback, and Alabama will begin its third drive from the 25. 

Bijan Robinson runs around the outside of the defense on the first play from scrimmage in the quarter. Bert Auburn's PAT is good, and this game is once again tied up. Alabama 10, Texas 10, 14:55 2Q

• 6-play, 75-yard scoring drive for the Longhorns. Ewers was injured on the drive and is currently in the locker room. 

First Quarter

END FIRST QUARTER: No. 1 Alabama 10, Texas 3

• Quinn Ewers is being taken back to the locker room. 
• Alabama stops Robinson short of the goal line on first down for the final play of the first quarter. 

• Ewers gets up on his phone after being looked at by the training staff, but he's headed to the sidelines. Hudson Card is in at QB for Texas.

• On first down, Dallas Turner is called for roughing the passer, and Quinn Ewers is down on the field. 

• Hellams is already back in the game for Alabama. Texas takes a timeout before first-and-goal. 

• Khyree Jackson gets beat by Xavier Worthy down the sideline, and Texas has it at the Alabama two. Worthy made a great catch despite having his face mask pulled. 

• On a 17-yard gain into Alabama territory for Texas, safety DeMarcco Hellams is down on the field and being attended to by the training staff. 

• On the first play from scrimmage on the second drive was an 81-yard gash from Jase McClellan down the Alabama sideline, the longest run of his career. Reichard's PAT is good, and Alabama leads 10-3 with 2:34 in the first. 

• Gibbs trys to return the kickoff for the second time. He gets popped at the 19-yard line. 

Texas kicker Bert Auburn hits the 26-yard field goal to tie the game at 3-3. Alabama 3, Texas 3, 2:51 1Q

• It was a 15-play, 67-yard drive that took 5:56 off the clock to open the game for the Longhorns. Both teams open the game with long drives. 

• Kool-Aid McKinstry makes a nice play in the corner of the end zone on third down, battling with Ja'Tavion Sanders, to force the longhorns to settle for the field goal. 

• Nick Saban runs out on the field to take a timeout because the Crimson Tide defense only had 10 players on the field. 

• A short gain on first down and incompletion on second set up third-and-goal from the eight for Texas. 

• A couple nice completions from Ewers give Texas first-and-goal from the nine. 

• On third-and-short, Jaylen Moody blows up the backfield to stop Texas, but Anderson is called for his second offsides penalty, and Texas picks up the first down. 

• Will Anderson is called for offsides on first down, Alabama's third penalty of the first quarter. 

• Quinn Ewers perfectly drops in a ball to Xavier Worthy on the sideline after the penalty. 

• A penalty on Texas for an illegal blindside block wipes out a huge gain for the Longhorns and pushes them back to their own 30. 

• Texas picks up a first down on a 8-yard gain on first down, and running back Bijan Robinson breaking tackles on second down. 

• Reichard kicks it through the end zone for a touchback, and the Longhorns will start their first offensive possession from the 25. 

• And Will Reichard nails the 52-yard field goal to give Alabama the early lead. Alabama 3, Texas 0, 8:47 1Q
• The field goal caps a 11-play, 57-yard, 6:07 drive to open the game for the Crimson Tide. 
• Gibbs had three catches for 40 yards on the opening drive. 

• After a nice gain on first down, two negative plays, including a sack on third down, force Alabama to settle for a 52-yard field goal. 

• Young remains cool in the pocket on third down, and finds the freshman Kobe Prentice over the middle for a first down to the Texas 33. 

• On 2nd and 6, Bryce Young goes deep for Cameron Latu, but faces extensive pressure from the Texas front, and the pass falls incomplete. 

• Fourth straight play from scrimmage to open the game goes to Gibbs-- two rushes and two passes. An 18-yard gain from Gibbs gets Alabama to midfield. 

• Gibbs takes a swing pass out of the backfield for the first down out to the 27. Both Gibbs and Jase McClellan were in the backfield for that play. 

• And the run is immediately negated by a false start. 

• Gibbs with a nice run on first down to pick up six yards. A more successful start on the ground than last week against Utah State. 

• Jahmyr Gibbs takes the kickoff out past the 20, but a holding penalty moves Alabama back to its own nine-yard line to open the game. 

Pregame

• Today's officials from the Big 12 conference
• Referee- Scott Campbell
• Umpire- Rick Podraza
• Linesman- Andy Warner
• Line Judge- Keith Garmond
• Back Judge- Tyree Walton
• Field Judge- Matt Mills
• Side Judge- Mario Seneca
• Center Judge- Corey Long

• Alabama will receive to open the game. Jahymr Gibbs and Ja'Corey Brooks back deep for the Crimson Tide. 

• While being serenaded with boos, Alabama has taken the field, and we are less than two minutes from kickoff in Austin. 

• McKinstry takes the last punt return of warmups as Alabama heads into the tunnel for the last time before kickoff. 

• Khyree Jackson and Kool-Aid McKinstry are the first two cornerbacks to take drills, indicating that they are likely today's starters.

• Emil Ekiyor Jr. (who didn't start last week after missing five days of practice) is warming up with the first team offensive line. From L to R along the offensive line: Tyler Steen, Kendall Randolph, Darrian Dalcourt, Ekiyor and JC Latham

• Tight end Cameron Latu is fully dressed out and participating in warmups with a brace on his left knee. 

• Bryce Young, Will Anderson Jr. and Jordan Battle are serving as team captains for Alabama today. 

• Darrian Dalcourt taking snaps with Bryce Young, Seth McLaughlin snapping to Jalen Milroe and Tanner Bowles and James Brockermeyer area alternating snaps at third-string center with Ty Simpson. 

• Alabama's specialists are back on the field, now full dressed in the all-white road uniforms. 

• More Crimson Tide and Texas players have trickled out of the tunnel to warm up. 

• Alabama's specialists and receivers have taken the field for early warmups. 

• Nick Saban has arrived at the stadium for his pregame walkthrough.

• The Texas student section is completely full more than two hours before the game. 

How to Watch No. 1 Alabama at Texas

Who: Alabama at Texas

When: 11 a.m. CT, Saturday

Where: DKR Texas Memorial Stadium

TV: FOX

Live Stream: fuboTV (Start your free trial)

Radio: Crimson Tide Sports Network. Play-By-Play Chris Stewart, Analyst John Parker Wilson, Sideline Roger Hoover, Host Cory Reamer. Sirius/XM: 81 (Alabama)/199 (Texas)

Series: Texas leads 7-1-1

Last Meeting: Jan. 7, 2010 in the BCS National Championship Game at the Rose Bowl, where Alabama defeated Texas 37-21 and brought Nick Saban his first national title with the Crimson Tide.

Heisman Trophy-winning running back Mark Ingram rushed for 116 yards and two touchdowns on 22 carries. Second-string running back Trent Richardson was equally impressive, rushing for 109 yards and two touchdowns on 19 carries.

Ingram and Richardson also tied for the team-lead in receptions with two apiece.

Quarterback Greg McElroy completed 6-of-11 passes for 58 yards, no touchdowns and no interceptions. Wide receiver Julio Jones caught just one pass for 23 yards, while Marquise Maize had one reception for four yards.

While the passing game was rather lackluster, Alabama's defense was what truly won the night for the Crimson Tide. In total, Alabama recorded four interceptions — including two by defensive back Javier Arenas. While defensive back Tyrone King also had an interception, the defensive highlight of the night came when defensive lineman Marcell Dareus caught a batted shovel pass and ran the ball back 28 yards for a pick-six.

Dareus was issued a flag for excessive celebration on the play when he threw the football in the end zone. Nevertheless, it was the highlight of the night for the Crimson Tide.

Last Time Out: No. 1 Alabama trounced Utah State inside Bryant-Denny Stadium 55-0 to start the season 1-0.

Crimson Tide quarterback Bryce Young was the star of the show, completing 18-of-28 passes for 195 passing yards and five touchdowns. On the ground, Young was also Alabama's leading rusher with 100 yards on five carries as well as a rushing touchdown.

In total, Alabama's offense recorded 559 yards — 281 in the air and 278 on the ground. Utah State, on the other hand, finished the game with 57 passing yards and 79 rushing for a total of 136. The Aggies finished with just seven first downs compared to 30 for the Crimson Tide.

Utah State finished with six three-and-outs on the game and was also stopped two of four attempts on fourth down. Meanwhile, Alabama punted the ball on just two occasions on the night.

"I was really pleased with the way the players approached this game," Saban said after the game. "I thought we had good energy, I thought we had good intensity. We had good preparation throughout this week. They're sort of challenging with some of the things they do. I thought the first group did a really good job and we had a lot of intensity."

On defense, linebacker Jaylen Moody led Alabama with six total tackles, with defensive back Brian Branch and outside linebacker Will Anderson Jr. finishing second with five tackles each. While no Crimson Tide player was able to record a sack on the game, Alabama totaled five tackles for loss and four quarterback hurries.

About Texas: The Longhorns finished 2021 with a record of 5-7, failing to reach a bowl game for the first time since the 2016 season. After starting the season 4-1, Texas proceeded to lose six games in a row — including a 57-56 overtime loss at home to Kansas — before salvaging one final win over Kansas State.

Texas fans might not have gotten all that they had hoped for in head coach Steve Sarkisian's first season, but there were still some noticeable improvements. The Longhorns averaged 424 yards and 35 points per game. While it wasn't enough to improve its record, Texas was put on track to progress heading into 2022.

All-time, the Longhorns rank as the sixth-winningest program in the FBS, with an overall record of 928-385-33. Alongside four national championships, Texas boasts an FBS third-best bowl appearances with 57.

When it comes to storied programs, Texas is undoubtedly near the top of the list.