Football vs. Colorado State Postgame Notes
9/16/2017 9:41:00 PM | Football
GAME CAPTAINS: Alabama's captains for tonight's game vs. Colorado State were sophomore quarterback Jalen Hurts, junior defensive lineman Da'Ron Payne and junior offensive lineman Ross Pierschbacher.
UNRANKED, NO PROBLEM UNDER SABAN: Alabama has defeated 67 consecutive unranked teams under head coach Nick Saban. The last loss to an unranked team came against Auburn to close out the 2007 season. The current streak began with a win over Colorado on Dec. 30, 2007, in the Independence Bowl. Under Saban, Alabama holds a 71-3 (.959) (67-3, .957 after vacated wins) mark against unranked opponents, including a perfect mark in unranked matchups since 2008.
SABAN AGAINST NON-CONFERENCE OPPOSITION: With tonight's win, Nick Saban owns a career mark of 79-19 (.806) against non-conference opponents (including postseason games) across his 21 years as a head coach in the collegiate ranks. During his time at Alabama, Saban owns a 48-6 (.889) record against non-conference opposition, including a 31-1 (.969) mark at home. The Crimson Tide is currently riding a 29 game winning streak against non-conference opponents at home after losing to ULM in 2007 by a score of 21-14. Saban-coached Alabama teams are outscoring non-conference opponents 2,030-646 37.6-12.0 ppg and have shut out the opposition nine times.
ALABAMA AS THE NATION'S NO. 1: Alabama has played 77 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 66-11 (.857) 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 (119 games), Alabama has played 53 games while being ranked No. 1, posting a 47-6 (.887) record during that span.
SABAN'S 53rd GAME AS AP No. 1: The matchup against Colorado State tonight was Nick Saban's 53rd career game coaching Alabama as the Associated Press No. 1 team, the most games coached as No. 1 at one school. At 47-6 (.887), Saban has won more games coaching at 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 each. Bowden was 40-5 at Florida State as No. 1 and Hayes went 40-6 with Ohio State.
109-7 UNDER SABAN WHEN LEADING AT THE HALF: Under head coach Nick Saban, the Crimson Tide is 109-7 (.940) when leading at the half. Alabama led Colorado State, 24-10, at the half tonight and has held the lead in 27 of its last 33 games dating back to the start of the 2015 season, including 13 of 15 games in 2016.
Defensive Notes
HOLCOMBE FINISHES WITH CAREER HIGH IN TACKLES: Junior linebacker Keith Holcombe led the defense in tackles with nine, setting a new career high. His previous best was seven, which came against Fresno State on Sept. 9.
RUSHING DEFENSE: Alabama has surrendered only 18 individual 100-yard rushing performances dating back to the 2005 season, a mark that is the lowest in the nation. Alabama has not allowed a 100-yard rusher in the past 26 games (Nick Chubb, Georgia on Oct. 3, 2015). Since head coach Nick Saban's arrival in 2007, the Tide has allowed 11 players to rush for more than 100 yards in a game.
Offensive Notes
SCORING STREAK CONTINUES: Alabama's school record consecutive games scoring streak was extended to 216 games tonight with Jalen Hurts' 27-yard first quarter touchdown run. Alabama was last held off the scoreboard in a 9-0 loss to Auburn on Nov. 18, 2000.
HURTS TOUCHDOWN RESPONSIBILITY: Sophomore Jalen Hurts' three first half touchdowns (one rushing, two passing move him into a tie for seventh place with Trent Richardson (2009-11) on the Alabama career touchdown responsibility list at 43. Derrick Henry (2013-15) is sixth with 45. Hurts has rushed for three touchdowns and thrown for four scores this season. He now has 16 career rushing touchdowns and 27 career passing touchdowns.
HURTS CAREER LONG TOUCHDOWN PASS: Sophomore Jalen Hurts' first quarter 78-yard touchdown pass to junior Calvin Ridley is a new career long pass for the sophomore signal-caller. Hurts' previous career long pass (and touchdown pass) was 71 yards to ArDarius Stewart vs. USC on Sept. 3, 2016.
HURTS OVER THE CENTURY MARK AGAIN: Alabama sophomore quarterback Jalen Hurts rushed for 103 yards on 11 carries tonight, his second consecutive game with 100+ yards this season and the sixth 100-yard rushing game of his career. Hurts rushed for a career-high 154 yards on 10 carries against Fresno State on Sept. 9. This is the second time the sophomore has hit 100 yards in consecutive games in his career. He rushed for 114 yards on 20 carries at LSU on Nov. 5 and 100 yards on 11 carries at home vs. Mississippi State on Nov. 12 last season.
RIDLEY NOW TIED FOR FOURTH IN CAREER TOUCHDOWN RECEPTIONS: Junior Calvin Ridley's 78-yard, first-quarter touchdown catch tonight was his second of the season and 16th of his career. The catch moved Ridley into a tie for fourth place with Ozzie Newsome (1974-77) on the Alabama career touchdown receptions list. D.J. Hall (2004-07) is third with 17.
RIDLEY CONSECUTIVE GAMES WITH A RECEPTION: Junior Calvin Ridley has now caught at least one pass in all 33 games of his Alabama career. The 33-game reception streak is the third-longest active streak in the Football Bowl Subdivision.
Special Teams Notes
SCOTT CLIMBING TIDE CAREER PUNTING LISTS: Senior Punter JK Scott's two attempts against Colorado State tonight gives the senior 200 for his career, the third-most in Alabama history. Chris Mohr (1985-88) is No. 2 all-time with 203 attempts, and P.J. Fitzgerald (2006-09) is Alabama's career leader with 238 punts. Scott's 100 punting yards against the Rams gives him 9,190, good for second all-time at UA behind Fitzgerald.
