Alabama Football Thrashes LSU, 55-17
BATON ROUGE, La. — "Roll tide, what?"
There was no expletive-laced postgame celebration for LSU and coach Ed Orgeron this year against the University of Alabama inside Tiger Stadium on Saturday night.
Instead, the No. 1-ranked Crimson Tide steamrolled to a 55-17 victory behind the special connection between quarterback Mac Jones and wide receiver DeVonta Smith that resulted in 231 yards and three touchdowns.
"I was proud of the way our guys came in and competed here today," Crimson Tide coach Nick Saban said postgame. "We did a fantastic job offensively, controlling the tempo of the game."
The shellacking inside the confines of Death Valley began on Alabama’s opening drive of the game when running back Najee Harris danced his way around five LSU defenders for a 14-yard score.
He also scored on a one-yard run on the next Alabama possession that was originally ruled a fumble recovered by the Tigers for a touchback.
Alabama closed the perfect opening-frame on a 24-yard touchdown strike from Jones to tight end Jahleel Billingsley, who was running wide-open and not a LSU defensive player within 15 yards of him at least.
With the Crimson Tide up 21-0 after the first 15 minutes, the Tigers were able to cut into the deficit with a 44-yard catch from wide out Kayshon Boutte, in which he fumbled into the end zone and was recovered by Jontre Kirklin for a touchdown, and a 54-yard score for tailback John Emery, but they couldn't contain an electric Alabama offense that was firing on all cylinders.
"The defense made some mental errors in the first half," Saban said. "Made some adjustments in the second half and thought we played a little better."
Smith was a force to be reckoned with in the second quarter, scoring on plays from 65, 61, and 20 yards out.
His final touchdown of the half was his most spectacular of the evening, hauling it in one-handed while hanging in mid-air, putting the Crimson Tide on top 45-14 at intermission.
He went on to finish with eight catches and 231 yards.
After scoring on all seven drives in the first half, Alabama's offense sputtered to open the final 30 minutes of action, punting when it came back out, then wide receiver Slade Bolden coughed up the ball.
But just three plays later, Crimson Tide linebacker Christopher Allen stripped Tigers tight end Arik Gilbert, putting Alabama (9-0) in prime field position, which it would take advantage of on a 11-yard touchdown run from Harris.
Along with his hat-trick, Harris toted the rock 21 times for 145 yards and is climbing up the Crimson Tide's all-time rushing charts. He now sits fourth in career-rushing yards behind Kenneth Darby and trails the leader, Derrick Henry, by only 176.
Jones was replaced by freshman Bryce Young one play into the fourth quarter, after completing 20 of his 28 pass attempts for 385 yards and four touchdowns. It was his fifth game of four-or-more touchdown passes this season.
The Crimson Tide's defense was led by freshman linebacker Will Anderson Jr. who recorded a team-high eight tackles, two tackles for loss, and two sacks. Defensive back Demarco Hellams entered the game for Daniel Wright, who was ejected for targeting in the second quarter, and tied Anderson with eight stops.
As a whole, the defensive unit sacked both Tigers signal callers, TJ Finley and Max Johnson, a combined five times, which is a season-high. LSU could only manage to go 5-of-15 on third downs.
Finley, who started the contest, only completed 50 percent of his passes (14-of-28) for 144 yards and one score, while Johnson went 11-of-17 for 110 yards through the air.
Boutte was LSU's (3-6) leading receiver with eight catches for 111 yards, while Emery finished with 79 yards on the ground on seven touches.
With the win, Alabama is now crowned champions of the Southeastern Conference Western Division and will play Florida on Dec. 19 in Atlanta. The Gators wrapped up the SEC East with a 31-19 victory over Tennessee earlier on Saturday.
Revenge is best served cold so it's only fitting that Alabama's 650 total yards and 55 points scored are the most in the long-standing history between the two schools.
"This team has accomplished a lot," Saban said. "They won the West today and I am very proud of that and their effort, all year long, to accomplish that. Now, we gotta talk about how we want to finish the season. Continue to learn and improve and get better from some of the things that happened today."
