Alabama's DeVonta Smith Ties Rose Bowl and SEC Records for Receiving Touchdowns

With three receiving touchdowns on Friday, DeVonta Smith tied the Rose Bowl record. The Heisman Trophy finalist has 20 receiving scores on the season.

DeVonta Smith made history in more ways than one on New Year's Day as the Rose Bowl Offensive MVP. 

By halftime, the Alabama wide receiver had tallied 101 receiving yards and two touchdowns, marking his eighth game with 100+ receiving yards this season. That's the most in a season in Crimson Tide history.

Smith went on to mark his place in the Rose Bowl record book, tying the receiving touchdown record with three. That score penned his way into the SEC record books as his 20th receiving touchdown of the season, tying the mark set last year by LSU's JaMarr Chase. Smith accomplished the feat in two fewer games.

The golden touchdown came in the third quarter, pushing Alabama's lead to 28-7 in the Crimson Tide's 31-14 win over the Fighting Irish.

DEVONTA SMITH IS A CHEAT CODE! 🤯 #RollTide

7 Rec
130 Yds
3 TDs

(via @SportsCenter)pic.twitter.com/Bipq2BVvhf

— Sports Illustrated (@SInow) January 1, 2021

The previous record of three receiving touchdowns was shared by USC’s Deontay Burnett (2017) and Michigan’s Braylon Edwards (2005).

The Crimson Tide is now the first team in FBS history to have a player with 20 receiving touchdowns (Smith) and 20 rushing touchdowns (Najee Harris) in a single season. Earlier in the Rose Bowl, Harris hurdled a Notre Dame player who was standing almost completely vertical. 

Smith is one of Alabama's two Heisman Trophy finalists. He's the school’s career leader in receiving yards (3,750), touchdown receptions (43) and is five catches away from Amari Cooper's career Alabama record in that category. He’s also got the single-game school records for catches (15), yards (274) and touchdowns (five).

“He’s probably one of the most selfless guys I’ve ever had the opportunity to coach,” head coach Nick Saban told Sports Illustrated's Pat Forde. “He’s one of the most popular guys on the team, and one of the people the players look up to because of his attitude.”