• 2023 Alabama Football 2023 •  Tuscaloosa, AL Alabama football took care of business Saturday against Chattanooga, winning 66-10 and moving to 10-1 on the season, while remaining 7-0 in SEC play. The Crimson Tide has now reached its regular season finale, the Iron Bowl trip to Auburn. Before that game, here’s our grades from Saturday’s win over the Mocs. Offense: A There’s a caveat to every single one of these grades and that’s the opponent. Chattanooga simply wasn’t ever going to be able to put up a huge fight against a team like Alabama. With that said, the offense showed everything it needed to against the Mocs. Jalen Milroe was excellent, getting Jermaine Burton back into the swing of things, and the run game chipped in as well. In the second half, Alabama was able to go to the backups and get snaps for Ty Simpson and Dylan Lonergan at quarterback. As the season goes on, those reps could prove valuable for all parties. Defense: A- Gino Appleberry was able to put up 104 rushing yards and a touchdown for Chattanooga, and Nick Saban noted the group looked a bit unfocused on that scoring drive. Still, a solid performance overall. Even playing backups for much of the second half, Alabama still allowed only 233 total yards. The Mocs converted just four of their 14 third downs. Another possible ding would be Chris Braswell getting ejected for targeting. However, that just allowed more depth and it was early enough in the game that he won’t miss any of Saturday’s matchup against Auburn. Special teams: A- The glaring problem here was Kool-Aid McKinstry’s fumble on his second punt return. However, Saban made a change to Caleb Downs and things rapidly improved. Downs had no issue catching kicks. And not to bury the lede, but he ran one back 85 yards for a touchdown to increase the Crimson Tide’s lead. Couple that with a long field goal from Will Reichard, playing in his final home game, and it was an overall successful day for the special teams. Coaching A Saban and company wanted to get plenty of players on the field against Chattanooga. His hope was that his players would maintain the momentum they picked up throughout SEC play, including recent wins over Tennessee and LSU. Mission accomplished on both fronts. Alabama was able to go deep into the bench and get players game reps. The staff also deserves credit for making the call to pull McKinstry off punt returns, given his recent struggles. Overall A It was Chattanooga. The harder games are yet to come. But Alabama did exactly what it needed to Saturday. The matchup was an unqualified success. • CLICK HERE TO ROLL WITH THE TIDE •

• 2023 Alabama Football 2023 •  Tuscaloosa, AL The No. 8/8/8 Alabama football team downed Chattanooga, 66-10, on Senior Day Saturday afternoon inside Bryant-Denny Stadium. With the win, the Crimson Tide (10-1) earned its 10th victory of the 2023 season, stretching its NCAA record of consecutive 10-win campaigns to 16 straight. Alabama piled up 574 yards of offense which included a season-best 315 yards on the ground - the most rushing yards for the Tide in a game since posting 317 at Arkansas in 2022. Four different Crimson Tide players gained 50 or more yards enroute to the win, led by Jam Miller's 77 yards on six totes. In all, Miller, Ty Simpson (1-78 yards), Jase McClellan (6-62, TD) and Roydell Williams (7-52, TD) combined to account for 20 carries, 269 yards and 2 touchdowns, while averaging 13.5 yards per tote. Quarterback Jalen Milroe had another productive outing, finishing with 197 yards through the air on 13-of-16 throwing and three touchdowns before being pulled early in the third quarter. Jermaine Burton was the main beneficiary of Milroe's success, as he finished with 105 yards and a touchdown on three receptions. Defensively, Caleb Downs stole the show with an 85-yard punt return for a touchdown to go along with his seven tackles and on pass breakup on the day. Jihaad Campbell led the Tide with 10 stops, including six solo stops and a pass breakup. Senior Day: Today's matchup against Chattanooga marked Alabama's Senior Day. The Tide senior class improves to 48-5 record over the past four years, includes a pair of Southeastern Conference Championships and the 2020 College Football Playoff National Championship. The seniors recognized were (in alphabetical order): Jonathan Bennett (RB), Chris Braswell (LB), Jermaine Burton (WR), Zarian Courtney (WR) Justin Eboigbe (DL), Robert Ellis (TE), Kyle Flood Jr. (LB), Jaylen Key (DB) Trezmen Marshall (LB), Jase McClellan (RB), Caleb McDougle (DB), Seth McLaughlin (OL) Malachi Moore (DB), Will Reichard (PK), Quandarrius Robinson (LB), Charlie Skehan (TE) Jordan Smith (LB), Tim Smith (DL), Adam Thorsland (TE), Bennett Whisenhunt (LB) Roydell Williams (RB) and Sam Willoughby (WR). • CLICK HERE TO ROLL WITH THE TIDE •

•2023 Alabama Football 2023 •  Tuscaloosa, AL Alabama football’s offensive line struggled throughout much of the 2023 season. Quarterback Jalen Milroe often found himself running for his life, and the Crimson Tide are currently 120th nationally in sacks allowed, with 37 through 10 games. However, for the first time all season, UA didn’t allow a single sack in Saturday’s game against Kentucky. On Monday, Alabama head coach Nick Saban praised the group. “They played really well,” Saban said. " I think Kentucky’s big up front. We talked about trying to be the most physical team. I think they did a good job of that. I think we ran the ball in the second half better than we did in the first. And some of that was just how were they playing. But I was really pleased, especially in the second half, with how we controlled the line of scrimmage. I think for the most part the pass protection was a little better, and we want to continue to improve in all those areas.” Before the season, Alabama’s offensive linemen who spoke to the media said the group, featuring the highest average starter weight in the SEC, wanted to dominate in the trenches. When the campaign began, that wasn’t the case, with the issues appearing in obvious fashion during the Week 2 loss against Texas. The line limped through the early going of the season, allowing 4.4 sacks per game through the first eight contests. The left tackle spot, held mostly by true freshman Kadyn Proctor and redshirt freshman Elijah Pritchett, looked especially bad, but the entire line had issues. At center, Seth McLaughlin had real trouble getting the ball back to quarterback Jalen Milroe, with bad snaps hamstringing the offense almost as much as bad blocking. Things weren’t good. According to Saban, it was just a matter of players figuring out the right way. “I do think we have guys that are capable,” he said in October. “I think it goes back to that same attention to detail. There’s little things like in certain protections, I know I have inside help. So why would I get beat outside? Does that make sense? These are not all capability issues.” Slowly but surely, things have looked up. First of all, McLaughlin’s snapping has improved drastically. • CLICK HERE TO ROLL WITH THE TIDE •

• The magic continues to roll, Tide defeat Kentucky 49-21 •

•2023 Bama Football 2023 •  Tuscaloosa, AL LEXINGTON, Ky. - Jalen Milroe had a career-high six touchdowns, three each rushing and passing, and No. 8 Alabama cruised past Kentucky 49-21 on Saturday to clinch the Southeastern Conference West Division title. A week after rushing for a career-best four touchdowns in a 42-28 victory over LSU, the sophomore quarterback used his arm and his feet to surpass that total and guide the Crimson Tide (9-1, 7-0 SEC, No. 8 CFP) to an eighth consecutive victory and third conference championship appearance in four seasons. Milroe passed for his three of four TDs by halftime, including strikes of 26 and 40 yards to Amari Niblack and Kobe Prentice. The first score came after he sat out the game's sixth snap with an injured left thigh while being tackled on a 16-yard keeper. Milroe extended a play for his third passing score by rolling right, pointing to Roydell Williams and hitting him in stride at the 12 on the way for a 27-yard TD to make it 28-7. Williams tightroped the sideline for the final yards before crossing the goal line. Milroe was pushed into the end zone for two 1-yard scores and spun in for another from 3 yards in the third quarter, highlights of a day in which he carried eight times for 36 yards. Jamarion Miller also ran for a 3-yard TD as Alabama beat Kentucky (6-4, 3-4) for the eighth consecutive time. Ray Davis rushed for two short TDs and Tayvion Robinson caught a 6-yard scoring pass from Devin Leary for the Wildcats. Leary's pass followed Nasir Addison's recovery of a fumbled punt on Kentucky's sideline at the Crimson Tide 32, one of Alabama's few mistakes on an otherwise dominant day. POLL IMPLICATIONS Alabama's top-10 standing remains assured, and the question is whether it moves up in the playoff rankings. THE TAKEAWAY Alabama: Jalen Milroe has come a long way since being benched for the third game of the season, with the past two weeks showing how dangerous he is both throwing and running. Kentucky: The Wildcats were never in it after being outgained 450-253, but they forced two takeaways and mounted two 75-yard TD drives. UP NEXT Alabama hosts UT-Chattanooga on Saturday. Kentucky visits South Carolina on Saturday in its SEC finale. • ROLLING WITH THE TIDE •

• Adjustments powering Bama through 7-game streak •

• 2023 Bama Football 2023 •  Tuscaloosa, AL The prep for halftime starts the moment the ball is snapped in the first quarter. In order for Alabama football coaches to show players key plays from the first half, a staffer details every concept on a template. Then, according to Nick Saban, coaches formulate an offensive plan. The process is streamlined, built for quick translations in the 20-minute break teams are afforded. And in the majority of the 2023 season, the Crimson Tide has maximized the intermission to great results. “I would say it just comes from regrouping when it comes to halftime,” senior Malachi Moore said. “Sometimes, we feel like we’re not playing our best, or the offense gives us some crazy looks we might not have seen before. So we just fix those things.” Excluding sloppy wins over Mississippi State and Arkansas, Alabama is dominating opponents in the second half, often by necessity to either win a slugfest (against LSU) or mount a rally (Ole Miss and Tennessee). The Crimson Tide has outscored opponents 108-35 in the latter halves of its seven-game winning streak, dating back to Week 3 against USF. No. 8 Alabama’s (8-1, 6-0 Southeastern Conference) plus-73 differential in that time span is more than No. 2 Georgia’s (+66), No. 4 Florida State’s (+65) and No. 5 Washington’s (+4) margins. It’s a sign of a team fulfilling Saban’s goal of weekly improvement as well as a data point that supports Alabama in the impending College Football Playoff debate. “We all contribute to trying to make adjustments in the games. (Defensive coordinator Kevin Steele) has done a really good job,” said Saban on Monday. “He’s in the box, so he has a really good perspective of what we didn’t do correctly, what we need to fix, what’s not working, what might work better. But I think we also do a great job on the sidelines of showing the players the series before.” • ROLLING WITH THE TIDE •

• Nick Saban on Dallas Turner’s Jayden Daniels hit: Not an ‘Intentional hit to the head’ •

•2023 Bama Football 2023 •  Tuscaloosa, AL Alabama football’s Dallas Turner was flagged for roughing the passer in the fourth quarter of Alabama football’s matchup with LSU football after a hit on Tiger quarterback Jayden Daniels. The outside linebacker didn’t get called for targeting on the play, despite Daniels sustaining a possible concussion on the play. On Monday, Alabama head coach Nick Saban was asked what coaching points he would make to Turner following the hit. “I don’t know if there is a technical coaching point,” Saban said. “You always tell players you want them to see what they hit. He hit the guy (in the chest) and then he hit him, sort of, in the chin.” Daniels returned to the game briefly after being injured and spending time down on the field. He then returned to the sideline and was placed in concussion protocol. LSU coach Brian Kelly said postgame that he had expected a targeting call on Turner, but was told the replay booth had found no reason for it. Saban said he didn’t feel the play was purposefully illegal. “It wasn’t like a direct hit or an intentional hit to the head,” Saban said. “It was a really good hit, but unfortunately his helmet did slide up and hit the guy so it’s a foul if you hit the quarterback in the head, it’s gonna get called all the time. And you just want to have him keep his eyes up and see what he hits and hopefully target down a little bit so it doesn’t happen again.” Alabama quarterback Jalen Milroe was also asked about his perspective on whether the play was a foul. “Football is made to be physical,” Milroe said. " I got hit a couple times and looked at the ref like ‘You’re not gonna call anything?’ But that’s football. You gotta get up and you gotta look at the next play. But I’m glad that wasn’t me on the field, I’ll tell you that.” • ROLLING WITH THE TIDE •

• Four rushing TDs by Milroe key Tide's win over LSU •

•2023 Bama Football 2023 •  Tuscaloosa, AL Jalen Milroe rushed for 155 yards and four touchdowns and passed for another 219 yards to lead No. 8 Alabama to a 42-28 victory over No. 13 LSU on Saturday night. Milroe matched big plays both running and passing with the Tigers' Heisman Trophy candidate Jayden Daniels and the Crimson Tide (8-1, 6-0 Southeastern Conference, No. 8 CFP) moved closer to locking down an SEC West title. Alabama also continued its rise back into playoff contention with a seventh consecutive win. "Probably as close to a complete game as we've played all year and we needed to play a game like that," Tide coach Nick Saban said. It kept all of Alabama's annual goals intact, something that seemed anything but guaranteed after a game 2 loss to No. 7 Texas. "Maybe win the West, maybe get in the SEC Championship Game and who knows what happens from there?" Saban said, Daniels and Milroe were both putting on dazzling dual-threat displays. But the Heisman Trophy contender for the Tigers (6-3, 4-2) was hurt on a hard hit that drew a flag early in the fourth quarter. He briefly reentered the game but didn't run a play, heading to the medical tent after a penalty and a timeout, where his mother joined him. CBS reported he was in concussion protocol. Daniels lay face down before walking off after the hit by Alabama linebacker Dallas Turner that drew a roughing the passer flag. Milroe, meanwhile, had likely his best all-around game, putting up Daniels-like numbers. He completed 15 of 23 passes and had 20 carries, setting a Tide single-game record for rushing TDs by a quarterback. Daniels also passed for 219 yards with two touchdowns, while running for 163 yards and a score. His lone negative play proved a big one. Turner deflected a fourth-quarter pass into the air and Terrion Arnold intercepted it, setting up Jase McClellan's 10-yard scoring run to push the margin to two touchdowns. Garrett Nussmeier finished off the game and did move LSU into Alabama territory late. Malik Nabers, the nation's leading receiver had 10 catches for 171 yards, including a 46-yard touchdown on the Tigers' opening drive. Both starting quarterbacks had 100-plus rushing yards and topped 160 passing by halftime, when it was tied 21-21. The teams traded rushing touchdowns by Josh Williams and Roydell Williams in the third quarter. THE TAKEAWAY LSU: Picked up its third loss but played Alabama toe to toe most of the way. Totaled 478 yards to end a string of seven straight games with at least 500 yards. Alabama: Moved one step closer to winning the SEC West. The Tide needs Mississippi to lose again or to beat either Kentucky or Auburn. The Tide went 11 of 14 on third down plays and ran for 288 yards, playing keep away from Daniels and Co. NCAA RECORD The Tide's Will Reichard, in his graduate year, became the NCAA's all-time leading scorer among kickers with an extra point in the third quarter. He passed Austin Seibert's record of 499 set from 2015-18 at Oklahoma. POLL IMPLICATIONS Alabama keeps inching back up the rankings. LSU shouldn't fall too far - but could have bigger issues if Daniels is out. UP NEXT LSU hosts Florida to start a closing three-game home stand. Alabama visits Kentucky and has two of its last three on the road. • ROLLING WITH THE TIDE •

• NICK SABAN'S COACHING RECORD @ ALABAMA •

•2007 Bama Football 2023 •  Tuscaloosa, AL Alabama Crimson Tide (Southeastern Conference) (2007–present): 2007 Alabama 2–6 - 1–4 - T–3rd (West) W Independence 2008 Alabama 12–2 8–0 1st (West) L Sugar† 6 6 2009 Alabama 14–0 8–0 1st (West) W BCS NCG† 1 1 2010 Alabama 10–3 5–3 4th (West) W Capital One 11 10 2011 Alabama 12–1 7–1 2nd (West) W BCS NCG† 1 1 2012 Alabama 13–1 7–1 1st (West) W BCS NCG† 1 1 2013 Alabama 11–2 7–1 T–1st (West) L Sugar† 8 7 2014 Alabama 12–2 7–1 1st (West) L Sugar† 4 4 2015 Alabama 14–1 7–1 1st (West) W Cotton†, W CFP NCG† 1 1 2016 Alabama 14–1 8–0 1st (West) W Peach†, L CFP NCG† 2 2 2017 Alabama 13–1 7–1 T–1st (West) W Sugar†, W CFP NCG† 1 1 2018 Alabama 14–1 8–0 1st (West) W Orange†, L CFP NCG† 2 2 2019 Alabama 11–2 6–2 2nd (West) W Citrus 8 8 2020 Alabama 13–0 10–0 1st (West) W Rose†, W CFP NCG† 1 1 2021 Alabama 13–2 7–1 1st (West) W Cotton†, L CFP NCG† 2 2 2022 Alabama 11–2 6–2 T–1st (West) W Sugar† 5 5 2023 Alabama 7–1 5–0 (West) Alabama's Record W/Nick Saban: 196–28 †Indicates BCS or CFP / New Years' Six bowl. #Rankings from final Coaches Poll. °Rankings from final AP Poll. • ROLLING WITH THE TIDE •

• Crimson Tide Football 9th Game Nov. 4th •

• Louisiana St. Tiger's (4-2) - (6-3) •   vs   • Alabama Crimson Tide (6-0) - (8-1) • • Nov. 4th, 2023 - 7:45p.m. ET CBS • • ROLLING WITH THE TIDE •

• Alabama’s crowd was a major factor against Tennessee. • • Will the noise return vs. LSU? •

•2023 Bama Football 2023 •  Tuscaloosa, AL Alabama football cornerback Kool-Aid McKinstry was thrilled to hear the question. “I’m very glad you asked about the crowd,” McKinstry said Tuesday during a press conference. During Alabama’s last game against Tennessee, the Bryant-Denny Stadium fans made their presence known. Nick Saban had requested a rowdy environment during his weekly radio show, and the Crimson Tide faithful delivered. According to McKinstry and defensive teammate Chris Braswell, players felt it. “It was very loud at Bryant-Denny, probably the loudest I’ve seen this year,” Braswell said. “They do a tremendous job making noise.” Through the years, fans in Tuscaloosa have gained a reputation for not always being as disruptive as they could be, perhaps a side effect of so many years of expected success under Saban. That was different against the Volunteers. Alabama won that game 34-20, and late in the game, Tennessee’s offense looked like it was getting rattled by the noise. “Crowd noise definitely plays an extreme part into the game,” UA offensive tackle JC Latham said. “That was the loudest I think I’ve heard Bryant-Denny get. I loved it. They got two false-start penalties. When Jihaad (Campbell) scored that touchdown I was insane. Just having the crowd behind you definitely adds momentum for the defense.” The Tennessee win was cathartic after the Volunteers won the 2022 edition of the Third Saturday in October rivalry. The Crimson Tide has another opportunity for revenge coming up this week, as Saturday brings LSU to town. If Alabama wins, it will be firmly in the SEC West drivers seat, but LSU is bringing one of the best offenses in the country to town. The environment will again be important. On Tuesday, the Tide’s players made it clear that they’d like another hostile situation for their opponents. “I’m very excited how they were here against Tennessee,” McKinstry said. “I feel like we need the same amount of energy, if not more, for this game. We need the fans to be there. We’re very excited to have the fans at our game, and we want to make the game as hard as we can and make it to our advantage that we have a crowd here that’s on our side.” • ROLLING WITH THE TIDE •

• Bama’s CFP resume after initial rankings •

•2023 Bama Football 2023 •  Tuscaloosa, AL The stumping started early. Five days before the first batch of College Football Playoff rankings were revealed, Alabama coach Nick Saban was already being asked about it. Talking on The Pat McAfee show about the 2023 storyline that the SEC is having a down year, Saban noted the parity is “a lot closer than it has been.” Will Saban have to make Alabama’s case again in 2023? It’s too early to tell, but as of the initial CFP rankings, released Tuesday night, the Tide is not one of the four best teams in the country. As the debate starts and is sure to rage on until the final rankings come out on Dec. 3, let’s take a look at the good and bad of No. 8 Alabama’s resume. The Good: The Tide’s ranked wins both came at home against current No. 10 Ole Miss and No. 17 Tennessee. With two comeback efforts after slow starts, the Alabama defense rose to the occasion against a good Volunteers offense and a great Ole Miss attack. I don’t know if Alabama has a statement win yet, but outscoring Ole Miss and Tennessee 45-3 across both second halves is a significant accomplishment. The Bad: The rest of Alabama’s wins aren’t great. It escaped South Florida and beat Texas A&M and Arkansas in one-score games. The teams ahead of UA have marquee wins and guaranteed top-10 opportunities in the case of Ohio State and Michigan. Texas’ placement over the Tide also means Alabama needs Texas to presumably falter to jump them. Then there’s the obvious. A two-loss team has never made the playoff, giving Alabama no room for error moving forward. The Verdict as of 10/31: Alabama is in control of its own destiny. With opportunities for more quality wins against No. 14 LSU this weekend, at Kentucky and the big one, an SEC championship against No. 2 Georgia, there’s a chance to make Alabama’s case undeniable, especially if Texas ends up with a conference title. So, while the Tide get compared to No. 4 Florida State, No. 5 Washington and others, following Saban’s advice of avoiding the rat poison is probably best for now. • ROLLING WITH THE TIDE •

• Players sing happy birthday to Nick Saban •

•2023 Bama Sports 2023 •  Tuscaloosa, AL Trick or Treat 👻 Happy Halloween Birthday to the 🐐!! It may be Halloween, but, in the state of Alabama, it is also known by another name: Nick Saban’s birthday. The Alabama Crimson Tide took a minute during its preparation for an SEC West cash with LSU on Saturday to sing to the Alabama coach, who turned 72 on Tuesday. Saban was all smiles when he entered the meeting room. A cake with a lit candle was awaiting the coach, who blew out the candle before getting serenaded by his players. Last week, during Saban’s weekly appearance on “The Pat McAfee Show,” McAfee said Saban’s “next trip around the sun” will be his best yet. That’s when Saban, with his self-deprecating humor that McAfee appears to be able to bring out in him, shined. “I hope so, but if you ask my mom, I still think after all these years she doesn’t know if she got a trick or a treat.” The eighth-ranked Crimson Tide (7-1, 5-0), which already has a win over fellow contender No. 11 Ole Miss, can strengthen their hold on the division with a victory. No. 13 LSU (6-2, 4-1) still would need to close with wins over Florida and Texas A&M, along with a Rebels loss. The Tigers have losses to No. 4 Florida State and Ole Miss in which their defense allowed a combined 100 points. Alabama fell to No. 7 Texas, though its offense has progressed since then. • ROLLING WITH THE TIDE •

• What Bama players said about a post-bye week lull vs LSU •

•2023 Bama Football 2023 •  Tuscaloosa, AL 43%. That’s how much of their normal workload Alabama football players went through during the Crimson Tide’s bye week, at least according to head coach Nick Saban. “It’s a welcome time to have an open date,” Saban said during the SEC coaches teleconference on Wednesday. “We played eight straight weeks and there’s a lot of wear and tear on your team.” With the idle Saturday in the rearview mirror, it’s time for Alabama to ramp back up. There’s no time for a lull either, as the Crimson Tide faces LSU at Bryant-Denny Stadium Saturday. Alabama lost that game last year. If its championship ambitions are going to come to fruition in 2023, that result can’t happen again. “It is different, but as long as you have the same type of attitude that you have going into a game week, it all turns out good,” Alabama linebacker Dallas Turner said of coming off a bye. “You still have to put in the work on the bye week. You can’t get complacent in what you’re doing. Other teams are practicing and playing and stuff like that.” The Tigers also had an open date on Saturday. Both teams will have had two weeks to prepare for the matchup, which could play a deciding factor in the SEC West chase. LSU already has two losses this season, one against Florida State and one in conference play against Ole Miss. In a season that has already been somewhat disappointing based on preseason expectations, a win against Alabama would be a boost for second-year head coach Brian Kelly. The opponent should be coming in hot. It’s important for the Tide to be in rhythm after the break. “Just keeping your focus still on sharp,” wide receiver Isaiah Bond said of the key to a successful idle week. “Even though it’s a bye week, don’t treat it like an off week. Just making sure we finish off strong and then use the weekend to rest our body and then come back stronger next week.” Alabama enters the home stretch of the regular season coming out of the bye. After LSU, the Crimson Tide faces Kentucky on the road, then has Chattanooga in Tuscaloosa before the Iron Bowl at Auburn. At least on paper, the team with the best shot of dealing UA its second loss of the season, effectively dashing any hope of making the College Football Playoff, is LSU. Fortunately, the bye allows Alabama to get some players healthy, including linebacker Trezmen Marshall, who missed the Tennessee game with bruised ribs, and cornerback Terrion Arnold, who suffered what Saban described as a “slight” concussion against the Volunteers. Rather than being concerned over a bye-week hangover, Alabama’s players were mostly excited about the opportunity to get right. “I don’t think it’s any pitfalls,” UA defensive lineman Justin Eboigbe said. “I think there’s a combination between rest and getting retooled, working on things that we need to work on, improve on things that need to be improved upon and then, on top of that, getting guys healthy. We’ve had a tough schedule so far. I feel like it’s the best point in time, as a bye week in the middle of the season, retool, regroup, refocus and continue to the next game.” • ROLLING WITH THE TIDE •

• ESPN’s College GameDay headed to Tuscaloosa on Nov. 4th •

•2023 Bama Football 2023 •  Tuscaloosa, AL ESPN’s “College GameDay” is headed to Tuscaloosa next week ahead of the much-anticipated showdown between No. 9 Alabama and No. 15 LSU, it was revealed on Saturday. When the popular college pregame show was discussing the SEC race and previewing Tennessee-Kentucky, Rece Davis teased next week’s location. “We might very well find out who is coming from the SEC West,” Davis said. “Next week, we’re going back to Tuscaloosa LSU-Alabama. The grudge match finished in overtime last year. “(LSU coach) Brian Kelly’s former offensive coordinator is now (Alabama coach) Nick Saban’s current one. LC (Lee Corso) should be back dancing.” Davis revealed early Saturday why Corso was not with the GameDay panel in Utah. Both LSU and Alabama are off this week. The Crimson Tide is coming off a 34-20 win over Tennessee in which it rallied from 20-7, first-half deficit. Meanwhile, Jayden Daniels threw for three touchdowns and ran for another score to lead LSU to a 62-0 win over Army 62-0 on last week. The Tide (7-1) sits atop the SEC West standings at 5-0, while LSU (6-2) sits a game back at 4-1 • ROLLING WITH THE TIDE •

• Bama’s Jihaad Campbell named Bronko Nagurski POW •

•2023 Bama Football 2023 •  Tuscaloosa, AL Alabama football linebacker Jihaad Campbell has made himself indispensable for the Crimson Tide this season. When starters Deontae Lawson and Trezmen Marshall have been sidelined with injuries, the sophomore has gone from a rotation player to a starter and been a solid replacement. His best game of the season came Saturday against Tennessee. For his efforts in that game, Campbell was named the Bronko Nagurski National Defensive Player of the week. "He’s stepped up a lot," Crimson Tide outside linebacker Chris Braswell said of Campbell’s performance against the Volunteers. "Jihaad has stepped up a lot. He’s making plays out there on the field. He's a great player." Campbell had 10 tackles against Tennessee, good for a career high. He also sealed the Crimson Tide's comeback win, when Braswell forced a Joe Milton fumble, which Campbell recovered and took 24 yards to the end zone, making it a two-score game in the fourth quarter. The linebacker now has 39 tackles on the season. He's racked up seven tackles for loss, along with an interception and a half-sack. • ROLLING WITH THE TIDE •

• Nick Saban talks bye week rest for Alabama football coaches: • • ‘We got all these young bucks’ •

•2023 Bama Football 2023 •  Tuscaloosa, AL Nick Saban cracked a smile at the question. The Alabama football head coach was starting out the Crimson Tide’s open week at the Monday Morning Quarterback Club in Birmingham. The query from a reporter was whether Saban has some analytical way of determining whether his coaches need rest, like he has with UA’s players. “I don’t know,” Saban said. “Is there an analytical way for anybody to know whether I need a break? We got all these young bucks out there coaching. I know they don’t make them like they used to, but you oughta be worried about me, not them.” Saban’s Alabama team will face LSU after the open week, after beating Tennessee in comeback fashion on Saturday. He said during the press availability that the week off could do the Tide good when it comes to recovering from injuries. He also noted that UA keeps tabs on players’ physical capabilities as the season goes along. “We only have one player on our team who was down like 2.9%,” Saban said. “Everybody else is at at least that level. So they may think they’re tired, but it’s probably more psychological from game plans and the grind of the season than it actually is physically.” Saban said Alabama’s coaches will be mostly analyzing what players can be better at individually and to help their units. He also explained how the bye week can help the staff mentally. “It’s not nearly as taxing for coaches during the bye week as it is during the regular week,” Saban said. “So there is some psychological relief for everyone.” • ROLLING WITH THE TIDE •

• The true story behind predicting Alabama's comeback •

•2023 Bama Football 2023 •  Tuscaloosa, AL It's not the job of a sports reporter to correctly predict the future or pretend to be smarter than the average fan. There are a lot of really smart football fans in the Deep South, and especially in the state of Alabama. I can tell you with confidence that a large percentage of those people know just as much or more about football than pretty much all of the nerds in the press box during games and all the silly suds talking on TV or the radio during the week. Sometimes we get lucky, though, and someone hit the big jackpot in the press box at halftime of Alabama's unlikely 34-20 victory against Tennessee at Bryant-Denny Stadium. It was the second largest comeback for Alabama in the history of the Third Saturday in October rivalry and the biggest comeback of coach Nick Saban's time in Tuscaloosa. With the memorial plaque of sports writing legend Cecil Hurt as a witness, a sports columnist was standing near the press box popcorn machine with Alabama losing 20-7 to Tennessee and correctly predicted Alabama's historic second-half comeback for the ages. "What's the Joe Goodman headline going to be for this one?" Talty asked. I paused. Cecil's plaque was to my left, and I could sense it giving me the courage the moment demanded. This would not be the end of Alabama, but the beginning of something epic. Headline: "Jalen Milroe leads amazing comeback," I said. "Going positive, eh?" Talty said. Not for Tennessee. • ROLLING WITH THE TIDE ON al.com •

• No. 11 Alabama bounces back to beat No. 17 Tennessee •

•2023 Bama Football 2023 •  Tuscaloosa, AL Alabama players surged back onto the field happily puffing on celebratory cigars. The 11th-ranked Crimson Tide had plenty to celebrate minutes after producing an utterly dominant second half to keep their national championship hopes from going up in smoke. Jalen Milroe passed for two touchdowns, Jihaad Campbell returned a fumble for a score in the fourth quarter and Alabama uncorked 27 straight second-half points in rallying for a 34-20 victory over No. 17 Tennessee on Saturday. "Obviously a pretty fun second half," Tide coach Nick Saban said. With its national title hopes on the brink, Alabama (7-1, 5-0 Southeastern Conference) turned in its most dominant half of the season. And it came against a border rival who had helped end 'Bama's championship aspirations a year ago. Cigar smoke wafted across Bryant-Denny Stadium in the aftermath, a long-standing tradition for the winner in this rivalry. Some players raced across the field to celebrate with the student section, and Saban made a point to thank the fans. The comeback was fueled by big plays from Milroe and tailback Jase McClellan and a defense that smothered Joe Milton III and the Volunteers (5-2, 2-2) after the half and even provided the decisive TD. Saban said his halftime message was, "Everybody's got to choose what they want." Cambell took a scoop-and-score 24 yards midway through the fourth quarter after Chris Braswell knocked the ball loose from Milton. The loss dealt a big blow to the SEC East chances for the Vols, who had built a 20-7 halftime lead with a huge start from Milton. Their chances of a first win in Tuscaloosa in 20 years rapidly evaporated. The Vols had ended 15 years of frustration against the Tide, 52-49 a year ago on a last-play field goal. Milroe completed 14 of 21 passes for 220 yards, with a 46-yard touchdown less than a minute into the second half and an earlier 10-yarder to Jermaine Burton. McClellan ran 27 times for 115 yards and a touchdown. Milton was 28 of 41 for 271 yards - including 175 by the half - and two touchdowns. He also gained 59 rushing after completing his first nine passes. Alabama turned Vols coach Josh Heupel's second failed fourth-down gamble shy of midfield territory into its first lead. McClellan bounced outside and ran untouched for a 5-yard touchdown. The Tide had a chance to make it a two-score game in the fourth quarter but had to settle for Will Reichard's 50-yard field goal for a 27-20 lead with 8:17 left. The defense delivered the knockout blow. Squirrel Wright sprawled out for a 39-yard touchdown on the opening drive and finished with 10 catches for 111 yards. He had eight for 105 by halftime, though. THE TAKEAWAY: Tennessee: The Vols looked like a different offense in the first half, keeping the Tide off-balance. Milton turned things around after Texas A&M held him to 100 passing yards. Heupel's fourth-down gambles and failures in the red zone cost the team. Alabama: Yet another slow start left Alabama down 13-0 and outgained 187-36 in the first quarter. The Tide looked like a complete team in the second half, though. It was a big bounce-back from second-half struggles against Arkansas. Saban said cornerback Terrion Arnold suffered "a slight concussion." POLL IMPLICATIONS: Alabama could well return to the Top 10 for the first time since losing to Texas - unless voters only saw the first half. The Vols won't likely fall too far. UP NEXT: Tennessee visits SEC East rival Kentucky on Oct. 28 Alabama has an open date before facing chief SEC West challenger, No. 19 LSU on Nov. 4. • ROLLING WITH THE TIDE •

• Alabama talks UT rivalry, ‘bad taste’ of the 2022 loss •

•2023 Bama Football 2023 •  Tuscaloosa, AL Rivalries are a staple of college football, but for the players involved, there’s a variety of ways to tackle the week of a big game. How does one handle the intensity amid normal prep? Ahead of the third Saturday of October, that’s become a common question in Tuscaloosa, Ala., and Knoxville, Tenn. For Alabama quarterback Jalen Milroe, attacking each day and throwing himself into preparation has become the norm. Each matchup is as important as the rest. Yet, he remembered the atmosphere in Neyland Stadium last fall. He’s excited about Bryant-Denny Stadium’s response this weekend. UA linebacker Deontae Lawson said the 2022 ending — the Volunteers beat Alabama on a 40-yard field goal as time expired — left a bad taste in his mouth. Some, like defensive back Kool-Aid McKinstry, noted the game’s significance but said most of his family was actually more interested in the Iron Bowl rivalry. Georgia transfer Trezmen Marshall, in his first season with the Tide, said he’s still learning of the traditions, like how the winning team smokes a cigar. Tennessee running back Jabari Small called the Week 8 matchup “not even different.” It’s just more “great players and great competition.” “This game we’re playing against Tennessee, big rivalry game. Means a lot to a lot of people in the state of Alabama and I’m sure there, too. It’s one of the best rivalries in college football,” Nick Saban said. For the first time in Nick Saban’s tenure, Alabama will look to bounce back from a loss against the Volunteers. A run of 15 straight Tide wins was ended in the 52-49 thriller. Yet, as is the nature of the sport, a lot can change in a year. The No. 17 Volunteers (5-1, 2-1 SEC) aren’t the elite passing offense it torched UA with. No. 11 Alabama (6-1, 4-0) has explosive tendencies but also looks to establish the run. Alabama will enter around a 10-point favorite, per most sportsbooks with an over/under at 48 points, about one team’s offensive output a year ago. The matchup this weekend is likely to come down to the trenches. Alabama is once again bracing for another strong defensive front while trying to fix its offensive line woes. The Volunteers rank fourth in the country with 24 sacks. Alabama is third with 26 and will get to operate against a struggling Joe Milton (61.5% completion rate, 10 touchdowns to four interceptions, 6.9 yards per attempt). “From last year’s game, I remember a lot of missed assignments,” UA offensive guard Tyler Booker said. “I remember a lot of crucial penalties, not playing Alabama football. So what I’m gonna reiterate to the team and talk to the team about this week is just making sure that we play consistent Alabama football. Make sure that we execute when we need to and not take our foot off the gas.” As for the Tide working against a Josh Heupel passing game, Marshall said Alabama can learn from its Week 3 matchup versus USF, who’s led by Alex Golesh, Tennessee’s old offensive coordinator. South Florida managed 87 passing yards and no touchdowns in a sloppy, rain-delayed game in Tampa. The Vols produced 385 passing yards and five touchdowns in Knoxville against Alabama. They’re averaging 212.5 yards per game through the air and 231.3 rushing this season. In recent weeks, the Tide’s secondary has handled an injury to Malachi Moore. Terrion Arnold has excelled as a replacement at star and freshman safety Caleb Downs has continued to emerge as an impact player. “They certainly make you defend 53 yards wide of the field,” Saban said. “There’s two challenges. It affects run support in the box because the guys that are covering the receivers are so far away from the box. And they run a lot of vertical routes from out there so the people covering them get pretty isolated because they’re far away from, whether it’s split safety or middle-of-the-field safety. So it is very challenging. The thing that I think is going to be really important is not to give up big, explosive plays, which was a real issue for us a year ago.” • ROLLING WITH THE TIDE •

• No. 11 Alabama holds off Hogs' furious comeback attempt...! •

•2023 Bama Football 2023 • Tuscaloosa, AL Jalen Milroe passed for two touchdowns and rushed for a third, and No. 11 Alabama survived a second-half Arkansas rally in a 24-21 victory over the Razorbacks on Saturday. The Crimson Tide (6-1, 4-0 Southeastern Conference) blew most of an 18-point third-quarter lead before summoning a big final drive to keep KJ Jefferson and the Razorbacks offense off the field at the end, The Tide remained the only SEC West team without a league loss, but they're not coming in dominant fashion. Alabama had to recover a late onside kick to hold on for a 26-20 win over Texas A&M a week ago. This time the offense recovered from three straight three-and-out possessions to milk the final 5:19 off the clock. The Razorbacks (2-5, 0-4) dropped their fifth straight game but not before putting a scare into the Tide. Milroe completed 10 of 21 passes for 238 yards, including a 79-yard touchdown to Kobe Prentice, but was sacked five times. He was on a 1-of-9 stretch in the second half before the final drive, when he also scrambled for a third-down conversion. Jefferson, meanwhile, stepped up his play after halftime. He completed 14 of 24 passes for 150 yards overall and two second-half touchdowns. Alabama scored 24 straight points to push it to 24-6 with a field goal midway through the third quarter. Roydell Williams ripped off runs of 16, 19 and 35 yards on consecutive carries to start the drive before it stalled. Jefferson then muscled Arkansas right back into the game. On consecutive drives, Jefferson had scrambles of 22 and 23 yards before capping them with touchdown passes: 5 yards to Isaiah Sategna and 14 yards to Rashod Dubinion. A two-point conversion cut it to 24-21 with 10:59 left. The 247-pound Jefferson also busted out of the grasp of Terrion Arnold to turn what seemed a sure sack into a 25-yard pass on that drive. Arkansas pushed it near midfield with a chance to at least tie but Alabama ended the threat with a third-down sack by Dallas Turner and Justin Eboigbe. Alabama didn't give the Razorbacks a second chance, ending with two kneeldowns. Cam Little kicked field goals of 55 and 49 yards to stake Arkansas to a a 6-0 first-quarter lead. It only lasted until Milroe's deep ball to a wide-open Prentice on third-and-long late in the opening quarter, It was his only completion of the quarter. THE TAKEAWAY: Arkansas: The Razorbacks lost for the 17th straight time to Alabama. Ultimately it was another in a line of close losses for this team. Alabama: Pass protection continues to be a major liability. Milroe has been sacked at least four times in five consecutive games, tying the longest streak for an FBS quarterback in the past 20 seasons, according to ESPN. POLL IMPLICATIONS: Like the Texas A&M game, it wasn't likely a performance that boosts the Tide's stock much. This time it could easily go down. SCORING RECORD: Alabama kicker Will Reichard became the SEC's all-time leading scorer with his extra point in the first quarter, moving ahead of the record held by former Auburn kicker Daniel Carlson (480). UP NEXT: Arkansas hosts Mississippi State. - Alabama hosts No. 19 Tennessee. • ROLLING WITH THE TIDE •