Football vs. LSU Postgame Notes
11/4/2017 10:43:00 PM | Football
GAME CAPTAINS: Alabama's captains for tonight's game vs. LSU were defensive back Minkah Fitzpatrick, linebacker Anfernee Jennings and offensive lineman Ross Pierschbacher.
SEC STREAK: With tonight's 24-10 win over LSU, Alabama has now won 21 consecutive SEC regular season contests (not including SEC Championship Games) dating back to a 38-10 win at Georgia on Oct. 3, 2015, the second-longest streak in school history. Alabama's last loss was a 43-37 defeat by Ole Miss on Sept. 19, 2015. Alabama won a school record 27 consecutive SEC games from 1976-80.
SABAN'S 59th GAME AS AP No. 1: The matchup with LSU tonight was Nick Saban's 59th career game coaching Alabama as the Associated Press No. 1 team, the most games coached as No. 1 at one school. At 53-6 (.898), Saban has won more games coaching as the No. 1 team at one school than any other coach in college football history. Woody Hayes (Ohio State) and Bobby Bowden (Florida State) are tied for second with 40 wins apiece. Bowden was 40-5 at Florida State as No. 1 and Hayes went 40-6 with Ohio State.
ALABAMA AS THE NATION'S NO. 1: Alabama has played 83 games as the nation's top-ranked team since the inception of the Associated Press Poll in 1936. In those games, the Crimson Tide boasts a 72-11 (.867) record. Those numbers are even more impressive when you look at the 11 seasons under the direction of head coach Nick Saban (2007-present). Since the ninth game of the 2008 season (125 games), Alabama has played 59 games while being ranked No. 1, posting a 53-6 (.898) record during that span.
115-7 UNDER SABAN WHEN LEADING AT THE HALF: Under head coach Nick Saban, the Crimson Tide is 115-7 (.943) when leading at the half. Alabama led LSU, 14-3, at the half tonight and has held the lead in 33 of its last 39 games dating back to the start of the 2015 season, including 13 of 15 games in 2016 and all nine games this season.
Defensive Notes
FIRST HALF DEFENSE: Alabama has not allowed a first half touchdown in SEC play this season. The Tide held Vanderbilt, Arkansas and Tennessee scoreless and limited Ole Miss, Texas A&M and LSU to a single field goal each in the first six SEC contests this season.
TURNOVER STREAK STANDS AT 36 GAMES: Junior Ronnie Harrison's first quarter interception tonight extended Alabama's streak of games forcing at least one turnover to 36. The streak began in Alabama's 34-0 win over ULM on Sept. 26, 2015. During the current run, the Crimson Tide has forced 67 turnovers (45 interceptions, 22 fumbles) and returned 16 of those miscues for touchdowns. Alabama is 35-1 during this run. Alabama's last game without a forced turnover was a 43-37 loss to Ole Miss on Sept. 19, 2015.
SEASON-HIGH SACKS FOR TIDE: Alabama finished with a season-high six sacks in tonight's win over LSU. Freshman Dylan Moses led the way with 1.5 and was followed by senior Rashaan Evans, sophomore Raekwon Davis and redshirt freshman Quinnen Williams, who finished 1.0 each. Juniors Ronnie Harrison, Da'Ron Payne and Minkah Fitzpatrick who each added 0.5.
GETTING TO THE QUARTERBACK: Over the first four games of the season, Alabama recorded a total of 5.0 sacks for an average of 1.25 per game. Since then, the Crimson Tide has amassed 24.0 sacks, averaging out to 4.8 sacks per game over the five-game span.
10 POINTS OR LESS: Alabama's 24-10 win over LSU tonight marks the 79th time under head coach Nick Saban that the Crimson Tide has held opponents to 10 points or less, the seventh time in nine games this season and the 22nd time in the last 39 games dating to the start of the 2015 season.
Offensive Notes
SCORING STREAK CONTINUES: Alabama's school record consecutive games scoring streak was extended to 222 games against LSU tonight with Jalen Hurts' four-yard touchdown pass to Irv Smith Jr. on Alabama's second possession. The Crimson Tide was last held off the scoreboard in a 9-0 loss to Auburn on Nov. 18, 2000.
FAST STARTERS: Alabama has now outscored its opponents 114-9 (12.7-1.0) in the first quarter and 204-29 (22.7-3.2) in the first half this season.
RIDLEY THIRD ON NCAA ACTIVE GAMES WITH A RECEPTION LIST: With his reception on Alabama's second possession tonight, junior Calvin Ridley now has at least one reception in all 39 games of his Alabama career and ranks No. 3 in consecutive games with a reception among active players in the Football Bowl Subdivision.
HURTS NOW THIRD ON UA CAREER TOUCHDOWN RESPONSIBILITY LIST: Jalen Hurts' two touchdowns tonight (one throwing, one rushing) moved Hurts into third place on the Alabama career touchdown responsibility list at 53. Hurts has thrown 33 career touchdown passes and rushed for 20 career scores in 24 games. John Parker Wilson ranks (2005-08) No. 2 on the UA list with 58 touchdowns.
HURTS NOW 10th ON UA CAREER PASSING YARDS LIST: With 183 passing yards tonight, Jalen Hurts moved into 10th place on the Alabama career passing yards list with 4,186 yards in 24 career games. Walter Lewis (1980-83) is ninth with 4,257 yards.
HURTS NOW THIRD ON UA QB SINGLE-SEASON QB RUSHING LIST: With 44 yards rushing tonight, Jalen Hurts has now rushed for 616 yards to move into sole possession of third place on the UA single-season quarterback rushing list. Hurts already holds the school record after rushing for 954 yards as a freshman in 2016. That performance broke Steadman's Shealy's 37-year-old school record of 791 yards, set in 1979.
HURTS SETS UA QUARTERBACK CAREER RUSHING TOUCHDOWN HIGH: Jalen Hurts' third quarter three-yard touchdown run is the 20th rushing score of his career, which sets a new UA career high for rushing touchdowns by a quarterback. Harry Gilmer (1944-47) held the previous career high at 19.
Special Teams Notes
SCOTT FIRST UA PUNTER TO REACH 10,000 YARDS: Senior JK Scott's 413 yards on eight punts tonight gives him 10,113 yards, making him UA's first 10,000-yard punter. Scott moved into first on the Tide's career punting yards list following the Arkansas game on Oct. 14. Scott's 221 career punt attempts ranks second to P.J. Fitzgerald (2006-09), who finished his career with 238.
