Notebook: Saban Hot Under the Collar on Second Half Snafu

Miscommunication on first down costs Alabama a shot at the end zone; has to settle for a field goal.

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. — You can blame Alabama for the blunder, or you can chalk it up to referee incompetence.

No matter who’s at fault for the confusion on the down and distance situation, the 23-yard field goal that followed to put Alabama ahead 9-7 was not the result the Crimson Tide wanted. They were eyeing a touchdown and a bigger lead.

“I got hot about that one,” Alabama coach Nick Saban said of the incident.

It happened on Alabama’s first drive of the second half. The offense moved the ball 64 yards to the Ole Miss 11-yard line. Everything was looking great after a 5-yard second-down run by Roydell Williams. That’s when everything went haywire.

“Most of the time the (official) that marks the ball will signal first down,” Saban said. “He came and marked the ball and put their hand down like it’s short. We assumed it was short (of the first down).”

Jalen Milroe quickly snapped the ball and plunged ahead for a 1-yard gain for what Alabama thought made it first down. It was actually second down.

“We are snapping the ball (on the sneak) and they are moving the chains,” Saban said. “The referee said, ‘I signaled first down.’ I said, ‘Why didn’t the guy spotting the ball signal first down?’ We didn’t think in the press box that we made a first down.”

Instead of three cracks at the end zone, Alabama wasted a chance and had to settle for the Will Reichard field goal.

“When stuff like that happens the football gods are not with you,” Saban said.

QB success

Jalen Milroe didn’t have an elite performance against Ole Miss, but it was still impressive. He passed for 225 yards with a touchdown and rushed for 28 yards in the 24-10 win.

The quarterback play against Ole Miss over the past eight years has been successful. Ole Miss downed Alabama in back-to-back seasons (2014-15), but since then, the Tide QBs showed out.

• In 2022, Bryce Young passed for 209 yards and three touchdowns in a 30-24 win.

• In 2021, Young threw for 241 yards and two scores in a 42-21 win.

• In 2020, Mac Jones had 417 yards and a touchdown in a 63-48 victory.

• In 2019, Tua Tagovailoa had 418 yards with a record six TD passes in a 59-31 win.

• In 2018, Jalen Hurts, Tagovailoa and Jones combined for 306 yards and four TDs in a 62-7 win.

• In 2017, Hurts and Tagovailoa combined for 248 yards and three passing TDs in a 66-3 win.

• In 2016, Hurts passed for 148 yards, but no touchdowns in a 48-43 win.

Tough hit

An Alabama cheerleader took a vicious hit on the sidelines in the first quarter. Ole Miss receiver Dayton Wade was hit near the sideline by Alabama’s Terrion Arnold. Wade crashed into the Crimson Tide cheerleader, but she was smiling and laughing after being helped up by her cheer mates. The laughter didn’t last long. Ole Miss scored on the following play to take a 7-3 lead.

Shanks a lot

Pinned inside its own 10-yard line, Ole Miss punter Fraser Mason shanked a kick in the second quarter that went about 20 yards. A false start penalty forced a re-kick, which seemed like a good break for the Rebels. But the re-try was blocked by Alabama’s Ja’Corey Brooks, setting up the Crimson Tide at the 1-yard line.

Alabama settled for a field goal.

You’re not Najee Harris

Late second quarter, Alabama tight end CJ Dippre caught a pass, took a hard hit, turned up field. He then tried to do his best impression of former Crimson Tide running back Najee Harris and leap over Ole Miss’ John Saunders Jr. It didn’t end well. Saunders caught the 6-foot-5, 257-pound Dippre, who barely got off the ground, and slammed him into the turf.

Using your head

Ole Miss quarterback Jaxson Dart took off up the middle on a play late in the second quarter and was met head on by linebacker Jihaad Campbell. Dart’s helmet was knocked off after the hard hit, but the Ole Miss QB jumped right up and stayed in the game.

Another one

It’s almost comical at this point. Alabama had a touchdown called back due to a penalty. It’s the fifth touchdown of the season nullified by a penalty in the last three games.

On Saturday, Jase McClellan ran for a 21-yard score, but Jermaine Burton was flagged for holding. Alabama settled for a field goal.

A week ago against South Florida, Terrion Arnold had a 100-yard kickoff return called back and Roydell Williams had a rushing score whipped out by a holding penalty.

Against Texas, Burton caught two touchdown passes but both were called back because of penalties.

Crisis averted

Alabama trailed 7-6 at halftime, which could have been 10-6 if not for a missed Rebels’ field goal in the last few seconds of the second quarter. Alabama regained momentum and held the Rebels to just three second-half points and got the win.

It was Alabama’s first game at home since a loss to Texas two weeks ago. The last time Alabama lost back to back games at Bryant-Denny Stadium was in 2006, Mike Shula’s final season as head coach. Alabama finished the regular season with losses at home to Mississippi State and Auburn.

See also:

No. 13 Alabama Downs No. 15 Ole Miss, 24-10

Everything Nick Saban Said After Alabama's 24-10 Win Over Ole Miss

Everything Lane Kiffin Said after No. 15 Ole Miss' 24-10 Loss to No. 13 Alabama

Alabama Football Injury Updates vs. Ole Miss