Film Room: The Stop That Secured the Win in Oxford

When it mattered, the Alabama defense stepped up.

Blake Byler | Nov 14, 2022

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Alabama Crimson Tide

Stop me if you've heard this before: an Alabama game in 2022 came down to the final minute.

This has become the recurring theme of the season for the Crimson Tide, now with five games that have been decided by one possession and in the final minute of play. Games like this have provided a wide range of outcomes this season as well, with Alabama posting a 3-2 record in games of this nature.

But on Saturday night in Oxford, Alabama came away with a victory, thanks in huge part to its defense down the stretch. In the second half of the game the Crimson Tide allowed only 166 yards and seven points, compared to giving up 17 first half points.

Despite the stellar second half performance, though, Ole Miss still had the ball with a great chance to hand Alabama its third consecutive road loss. The Rebels trailed by just six points and after big plays of 35 and 14 yards from running back Quinshon Judkins, Ole Miss had the ball on the Alabama 14-yard-line with just over one minute to play.

That's when the following series happened:

1st-and-10, 1:13 4Q

Alabama had its back against the wall on its own 14, and the Vaught-Hemingway Stadium crowd was rocking after the big gains from Judkins.

With the chains moved for a new set of downs, Ole Miss quarterback Jaxson Dart used first down to take a shot to the end zone, likely thinking Alabama wouldn't expect a deep shot that early.

The Rebels lined two receivers out to the right while Alabama lined four defensive lineman up front with two linebackers tight in the box in case of another Judkins run up the middle.

From the snap, Dart looked right all the way and threw one up for Malik Heath near the right pylon. Unfortunately for Dart there was a miscommunication, and Heath ran his route inside and was tightly covered by Alabama cornerback Terrion Arnold — who was in the game replacing the injured Eli Ricks.

The pass fell incomplete, setting up second down.

2nd-and-10, 1:08 4Q

With the ball lined up in the same spot, Alabama lined up in a nearly identical defensive formation for second down. The only difference was Arnold did not line up tightly on his man at the line of scrimmage, but rather backed off after the shot to the end zone on the previous play.

Ole Miss brought Judkins in motion and faked a handoff to him while the Rebel receivers ran deep routes to pull more defenders away from the line of scrimmage.

Dart dropped one step and took off down the field — an organized quarterback draw. He had no luck though. Defensive lineman Byron Young — who had one of the best games of his four-year career — executed a beautiful swim move on his interior blocker and was waiting for Dart to tackle him for no gain, setting up third down.

3rd-and-10, 1:02 4Q

Now getting desperate to pick up some chunk yardage, Ole Miss lined up for third-and-long with an empty backfield. the Rebels put two wide receivers to the boundary, with three receivers out to the wide side of the field.

Alabama kept its look of four men on the line of scrimmage, three down and outside linebacker Dallas Turner in a two-point stance on the edge.

The Crimson Tide's seven men in coverage drop back into a zone, and the pass rush of Alabama rushed hard, quickly enclosing the pocket around Dart. Dart got impatient and tried to escape the pocket through a small hole on the left side but it closed quickly — leading to a sack from none other than Byron Young.

4th-and-16, 0:53 4Q

Do or die time for the Rebels.

On fourth-and-very-long, Ole Miss lined up three receivers to the left and one to the right, with Judkins on Dart's right hip.

Alabama's pass coverage lined up in man-to-man, while showing a blitzing linebacker to go with the four men up front that it used the entire series.

From the snap the Crimson Tide rushed three and dropped two to spy Dart and cover Judkins out of the backfield. Dart's target was Jonathan Mingo — the Rebels' best receiver — who lined up in the slot right off the hip of the left tackle.

Mingo ran a go route right down the left seam of the Alabama defense, but he was covered perfectly by Brian Branch who broke up the pass in the end zone and secured another tight victory for the Crimson Tide.

Alabama fans let out a sigh of relief after dealing with yet another close game, and more than likely won't have to worry about that next week as Austin Peay comes to town on Saturday.

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