Alabama quarterback Jalen Milroe mostly struggled, but did just enough in Alabama’s win over South Carolina Saturday in Tuscaloosa, Ala. (AP Photo/Vasha Hunt)
TUSCALOOSA, Ala. — There are SEC teams who pride themselves on their calm, relentless march to victory, and there are teams who live in chaos, every game an adventure where wins aren’t assured but madness is. Alabama used to be one of the former teams. Now, in the Kalen DeBoer-Jalen Milroe era, it’s very much the latter.
You’d never get a soul within a hundred miles of Tuscaloosa to admit it, but last week’s loss to Vanderbilt rattled the Tide to their core. You could see it in the secondary ticket market, which collapsed in the hours following last week. You could see it in the empty seats all over the upper reaches of Bryant-Denny Stadium on Saturday. And you could see it in the final 97 seconds of the first half, where the Tide defense completely fell apart and allowed 12 points — on three separate possessions — to the visiting South Carolina Gamecocks.
Yes, Alabama won, in a deeply unconvincing 27-25 victory after intercepting South Carolina on a potential winning drive in the final seconds.
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The Gamecocks were stopped on a potential game-tying two-point try in the final minute, and they got one more shot when they recovered the ensuing onside kick. But Domani Jackson picked off SC quarterback LaNorris Sellers in the closing seconds to save the day for the Tide.
But wow, are there problems in T-Town.
It makes sense, the Tide’s shaken self-image. When you establish your identity on a generational expectation of excellence, you’re not exactly built to handle the sledgehammer-to-the-heart of a loss to Vanderbilt. If the sun rose blue in the west, that’d be pretty upsetting too.
Given a chance to redeem itself for that Vanderbilt faceplant with a home game against South Carolina, Alabama once again inexplicably, maddeningly fell far short of expectations. Instead, the Tide did a whole lot to confirm the idea that the crew that hung 28 straight on Georgia was the aberration, and the team that flailed against the Commodores is a whole lot closer to the true 2024 Tide.
Alabama took the opening kickoff and proceeded to march 75 yards into the end zone in four minutes even, and for a moment, the Crimson Tide’s fortunes seemed to have turned back in the expected direction. When the Tide took a 14-0 lead with 4:38 left in the first half, well, it wasn’t pretty, but hey, at least it was a two-possession lead, something the Tide never managed against Vanderbilt.
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But then came the final 1:37 of the half, 97 seconds which defined this year’s Tide program and probably detonated the Heisman hopes of Alabama QB Jalen Milroe. First, the Alabama defense suffered yet another stunning defensive lapse, allowing Gamecock receiver Mazeo Bennett Jr. to get wide open in the end zone on a fourth-and-9. That cut the lead to 14-7.
On the ensuing possession, Milroe, under pressure, intentionally grounded the ball, resulting in a safety. Alabama forced South Carolina to punt, but Milroe then threw the first of his two interceptions. The clock appeared to run out, but officials put a second back on the timer … and that’s never good news for Alabama. South Carolina kicked a field goal to run out the half and draw within 14-12.
The Gamecocks kept the beat going in the third, grinding out a monstrous 16-play, 85-yard, 8 ½-minute drive that ended in a go-ahead touchdown. The stunned aura of what the hell is happening hung thick over Bryant-Denny Stadium, and when Milroe threw an interception in the end zone on the Tide’s next possession, disbelief veered toward fatalism.
But this is the Alabama of 2024, where nothing goes as expected. The very next play, South Carolina quarterback LaNorris Sellers fumbled away the ball, and Alabama flipped it into a touchdown to retake the lead in just 1:23.
From there, Milroe and crew righted the ship and held on for the win. Milroe provided some redemption by running for a 7-yard TD and throwing the clinching 34-yard score to Germie Bernard on third-and-10 with under two minutes in the game.
MONTGOMERY, Ala. (WSFA) – The Alabama Community College Conference has launched women’s flag football as an official sport.
Women’s flag football is one of newest athletic offerings sanctioned by the National Junior College Athletic Association.
ACCC will offer the sport to female student-athletes beginning in the 2025-2026 academic year.
“This new and exciting sport is going to bring additional opportunities to female student-athletes and provide that additional opportunity for them to continue the sport that they love,” said ACCC Commissioner Dean Myrick.
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Myrick said women’s flag football has exploded on the parks and recreation level, as well as within the Alabama High School Athletic Association.
Once completion begins next fall, Alabama will feature the largest flag football conference in the NJCAA.
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The No. 7 Alabama Crimson Tide face a fellow SEC foe when they visit the Oklahoma Sooners at Gaylord Family Oklahoma Memorial Stadium on Saturday, Nov. 23, 2024.
If you are looking to find Crimson Tide vs. Sooners tickets, information is available below.
Alabama vs. Oklahoma game info
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How to buy Alabama vs. Oklahoma tickets for college football Week 13
You can buy tickets to see the Crimson Tide take on the Sooners from multiple providers.
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Alabama vs. Oklahoma betting odds, lines, spreads
Spread favorite: Crimson Tide (-14)
Moneyline favorite: Crimson Tide (-610)
Total: 47.5 (O: -110, U: -110)
Odds courtesy of BetMGM
Alabama Crimson Tide schedule
Week 1: Aug. 31 vs. Western Kentucky Hilltoppers, 63-0 win
Week 2: Sept. 7 vs. South Florida Bulls, 42-16 win
Week 3: Sept. 14 at Wisconsin Badgers, 42-10 win
Week 5: Sept. 28 vs. Georgia Bulldogs, 41-34 win
Week 6: Oct. 5 at Vanderbilt Commodores, 40-35 loss
Week 7: Oct. 12 vs. South Carolina Gamecocks, 27-25 win
Week 8: Oct. 19 at Tennessee Volunteers, 24-17 loss
Week 9: Oct. 26 vs. Missouri Tigers, 34-0 win
Week 11: Nov. 9 at LSU Tigers, 42-13 win
Week 12: Nov. 16 vs. Mercer Bears, 52-7 win
Week 13: Nov. 23 at 7:30 p.m. ET at Oklahoma Sooners
Week 14: Nov. 30 vs. Auburn Tigers
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Alabama Crimson Tide stats
Alabama is averaging 438.2 yards per game on offense this year (30th in the FBS), and are allowing 324.7 yards per game (32nd) on the defensive side of the ball.
The Crimson Tide have been thriving on both offense and defense, ranking eighth-best in scoring offense (39.5 points per game) and 10th-best in scoring defense (16.9 points allowed per game).
Alabama ranks 48th in pass offense (246.1 passing yards per game) and 35th in pass defense (192.5 passing yards allowed per game) this season.
The Crimson Tide are compiling 192.1 rushing yards per game on offense (29th in the FBS), and they rank 53rd on the other side of the ball with 132.2 rushing yards allowed per game.
Oklahoma Sooners schedule
Week 1: Aug. 30 vs. Temple Owls, 51-3 win
Week 2: Sept. 7 vs. Houston Cougars, 16-12 win
Week 3: Sept. 14 vs. Tulane Green Wave, 34-19 win
Week 4: Sept. 21 vs. Tennessee Volunteers, 25-15 loss
Week 5: Sept. 28 at Auburn Tigers, 27-21 win
Week 7: Oct. 12 vs. Texas Longhorns, 34-3 loss
Week 8: Oct. 19 vs. South Carolina Gamecocks, 35-9 loss
Week 9: Oct. 26 at Ole Miss Rebels, 26-14 loss
Week 10: Nov. 2 vs. Maine Black Bears, 59-14 win
Week 11: Nov. 9 at Missouri Tigers, 30-23 loss
Week 13: Nov. 23 at 7:30 p.m. ET vs. Alabama Crimson Tide
Week 14: Nov. 30 at LSU Tigers
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Oklahoma Sooners stats
While Oklahoma’s offense has been stuck in neutral, ranking 18th-worst with 326.8 total yards per game, its defense ranks 23rd-best with just 319 total yards surrendered per contest.
The Sooners rank 91st in the FBS with 25.1 points per game on offense, and they rank 40th with 21.9 points ceded per contest on the defensive side of the ball.
Oklahoma ranks 21st-worst in passing yards per game (183.6), but it has been better on the other side of the ball, ranking 55th in the FBS with 210 passing yards surrendered per contest.
The Sooners rank 86th in the FBS with 143.2 rushing yards per contest, but they’ve been lifted up by their defense, which ranks 17th-best by allowing only 109 rushing yards per game.
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This content was created for Gannett using technology provided by Data Skrive.
MOBILE, Ala. (AP) — Dylan Fasoyiro scored 19 points as South Alabama beat Spring Hill 95-61 on Monday night.
Fasoyiro also contributed four steals for the Jaguars (3-2). John Broom scored 14 points and added nine rebounds and four steals. Myles Corey went 5 of 9 from the field to finish with 13 points, while adding three steals.
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Walter Peggs Jr. led the way for the Badgers with 30 points. Bo Barber added nine points and four assists.
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The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.
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