TUSCALOOSA, Ala. — Alabama’s season was on the line Saturday after two losses in three weeks — a scenario that will continue with each passing week as the Tide are fighting for College Football Playoff contention. The first quarter and a half against Missouri looked like much of the same from the previous four weeks, highlighted by a poor offensive start. But several big plays in the second and third quarters propelled Alabama forward and produced its most complete game in SEC play.
Alabama won 34-0 and enters its bye week with a ton of momentum ahead of a road game against LSU on Nov. 9 with major SEC and Playoff implications.
Here are three takeaways from the win over Missouri:
Good, bad and ugly on offense
The first 25-ish minutes of the game might’ve been Alabama’s worst offensive stretch of the season: The first four drives produced just 63 yards, 3.2 yards per play and four unsuccessful third-down tries. And despite the eventual turnaround, Alabama finished the game with just one third-down conversion. The early play calling felt conservative with a lack of downfield passing attempts, while quarterback Jalen Milroe looked uncomfortable, and there were a few breakdowns in pass protection that led to sacks. Then, sparked by the defense, the offense found its way.
Leading 6-0 with less than three minutes to play in the first half, Malachi Moore’s interception gave the offense the ball in prime position to score. Unlike last week at Tennessee, the offense capitalized on the turnover with a rushing touchdown by Jam Miller to extend its lead to 13-0. On the opening possession of the second half, Alabama drove 80 yards on six plays, culminating in a Milroe rushing touchdown, and the game was in hand.
👀4️⃣🙌😤@JalenMilroe
📺: ABC pic.twitter.com/gamynkkDha
— Alabama Football (@AlabamaFTBL) October 26, 2024
Milroe didn’t look at full strength throughout the game but still finished with a clean sheet turnover-wise, breaking a four-game streak with at least one turnover. He finished with 265 total yards (215 passing, 50 rushing). The best player offensively throughout was wide receiver Germie Bernard, who finished with five catches for 82 yards.
Milroe played more confidently and the offense opened up as the game went on. The most encouraging sign was a commitment to the run as the Tide rolled up 271 rushing yards. Milroe, Justice Haynes and Jam Miller all finished with double-digit carries and combined for four touchdowns. The offense averaged a sack-adjusted 7.2 yards per rush.
Haynes’ late touchdown run was the highlight of the day offensively, and ideally, that can be kind of a springboard for the second half of the season. It wasn’t a perfect day by any means, but Alabama’s offense responded well to early adversity.
This is the Justice Haynes that Alabama fans have been waiting for — can this play be a launching pad for the remainder of the season? pic.twitter.com/CeRL3lMjzM
— Kennington Lloyd Smith III (@SkinnyKenny_) October 26, 2024
Defense dominates the day
Kane Wommack’s defense pitched a first-half shutout for the second consecutive week. The unit offered a complete four-quarter performance as it shut out Missouri for the first time since 2019.
GIMME DAT!!!! 😤@malachi_moore13
📺: ABC pic.twitter.com/EA0w50y11A
— Alabama Football (@AlabamaFTBL) October 26, 2024
Missouri’s first five offensive possessions ended in punts, including three three-and-outs, and the sixth possession resulted in Moore’s interception. Missouri’s longest drive of the game was only 34 yards across nine plays, which ended in a missed field goal before halftime.
Perhaps the most impressive part of Saturday’s performance was a secondary that allowed only 72 passing yards without starter Keon Sabb and key contributor Red Morgan, who was available but didn’t play. Missouri didn’t have a completion of longer than 15 yards even though the defense had only one sack. Sophomore Bray Hubbard, who filled in for Sabb, capped his first career start with a leaping interception on the opening drive of the second half. Hubbard was second on the team with seven tackles.
SNAGGED 👀👀@quarussaw
📺: ABC pic.twitter.com/E54m4toFdS
— Alabama Football (@AlabamaFTBL) October 26, 2024
A diving Qua Russaw interception on the following possession gave Alabama its third forced turnover — its second straight game with at least three takeaways. Saturday’s game, albeit against a beat-up Missouri offense, reinforces the notion that the defense has started to find a rhythm since the team’s loss to Vanderbilt. The defense has forced 14 turnovers in SEC play, the most of any team, and returned to its early-season dominance on third down, allowing just two conversions. Wommack subbed in the second-team defense for the entire fourth quarter, and the shutout remained behind a late-game fourth-down stand on the goal line.
The LSU game will be the true barometer of this unit’s progress, but the defense did its job against a short-handed offense — dominating play-to-play and creating game-changing plays. The bye will allow for this unit to get to full strength ahead of the biggest game of the second-half stretch.
Up-and-down special teams
Rotation wide receiver and starting punt returner Cole Adams left the game early with a leg injury. Adams returned to the sidelines in street clothes and crutches. In his absence, there’s a notable void at punt returner that remains unsettled.
Alabama WR Cole Adams leaving Bryant-Denny after win over Missouri. pic.twitter.com/M2ke25G5Iw
— Touchdown Alabama (@TDAlabamaMag) October 26, 2024
Freshman Jaylen Mbakwe got the first opportunity to replace Adams but muffed a punt and nearly lost possession deep in Alabama territory. He recovered the ball to avoid a turnover, but the offense began the ensuing drive on its 9-yard line, which ended in a three-and-out. After that, Ryan Williams was inserted into that role for the remainder of the game. He finished with one return for 15 yards.
Alabama was flagged for two personal-foul penalties on punts — a kick catch interference on Mbakwe in the second quarter and a dead-ball personal foul on Kendrick Law in the third quarter. Overall, Alabama’s team was flagged seven times for 85 total yards, higher than its season average of 78.27 yards, which ranks 127th nationally.
On a positive note, kicker Graham Nicholson had the best game of his Alabama career with two made field goals in the first half (47 and 39 yards), and the 47-yarder is the longest successful kick this season. Saturday’s game marked three consecutive made kicks for Nicholson, a positive trend after a slow start for the 2023 Lou Groza Award winner.
(Top photo of Jam Miller: Will McLelland / Imagn Images)
