Football vs. Kentucky Postgame Notes
10/1/2016 10:08:00 PM | Football
FOR THE RECORD: Saturday's game against Kentucky was Alabama's 1,237th college football game. That figure takes into account games both forfeited and vacated per NCAA rulings. Without accounting for those stipulations, the game was actually Alabama's 1,259th football game and, with the victory, the Tide's actual on-field record is 898-317-44 (.723), including a mark of 77-10 (.885) this decade. Alabama has defeated 63 consecutive unranked opponents dating back to the 2007 season. Saturday's game was the 705th home game in Alabama history and the 414th played in Tuscaloosa. The win improved Alabama to 346-65-3 (.839) all-time in Tuscaloosa, including 248-53-3 (.821) all-time at Bryant-Denny Stadium. The game was televised by ESPN and the Tide is 37-16 (.698) all-time in games televised by ESPN. The win improved the Tide to 59-7 (.894) under head coach Nick Saban at Bryan-Denny Stadium. Saturday's game with Kentucky was Alabama's 586th all-time SEC game and the Tide has an official record of 388-167-20 (.675), accounting for forfeiture and vacated games. Alabama's actual, on-field record in SEC games is 399-167-20 (.698). The victory improved Alabama's record against Kentucky to 37-2-1 (.938) all-time, including six consecutive victories in the series dating back to a 40-34 overtime loss in 1997. That setback was the only Alabama blemish in the series, other than a 6-0 loss to the Wildcats at Lexington in 1922 and a 7-7 tie with the Cats in Birmingham in 1939. The Tide is 22-0-0 against Kentucky at home, including an 11-0-0 mark in games played at Tuscaloosa.
HOMECOMING RECORD: With the win over Kentucky in its 2016 Homecoming Game, Alabama improves to 82-13-1 in Homecoming Games. The victory over the Wildcats extends Alabama's winning streak in Homecoming Games to 14. The last Homecoming Game loss for the Tide was a 35-21 defeat to LSU on November 3, 2001.
GAME CAPTAINS: Alabama's captains for tonight's game against Kentucky were Reuben Foster, O.J. Howard and Dalvin Tomlinson.
FIRST TIME STARTERS: Freshman running back Joshua Jacobs made his first career start tonight vs. Kentucky.
STREAKING: With the win over Kentucky, Alabama owns the longest winning streak in the Football Bowl Subdivision, having won 17 consecutive games dating back to last season (last loss: Sept. 19, 2015 vs. Ole Miss). The 17-game streak is the seventh-longest in school history (28 games twice: 1991-93 & 1978-80) and the second-longest under the direction of head coach Nick Saban (19 games 2009-10). During the current stretch the Crimson Tide have won eight games at Bryant-Denny Stadium, five straight road games, four consecutive neutral-site games while going 10-0 against teams from the Southeastern Conference. During the streak, Alabama has outscored its opponents by 415 points (637-222; 37.5-13.1), an average of 24.4 points per game.
SABAN'S HOME RECORD: With the win over Kentucky, Alabama head coach Nick Saban is 118-19 (.861) across his four career stops in home games. He owns the advantage at every stop he has made during his collegiate coaching career, including a 59-7 (.894) mark while at Alabama. Saban has won 30 of his last 32 contests at Bryant-Denny Stadium and has lost back-to-back matchups only once, with the consecutive losses coming at the end of the 2007 season (LSU and ULM).
UNRANKED, NO PROBLEM UNDER SABAN: With the win over Kentucky, Alabama has defeated 63 consecutive unranked teams under head coach Nick Saban. The last loss to an unranked team came at 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 67-3 (63-3 after vacated wins) mark against unranked opponents, including a perfect mark in unranked matchups since 2008.
SABAN MOVING UP SEC WINS LIST: With the win over Kentucky, Alabama head coach Nick Saban is second in league history in all-time winning percentage at .818 (153-34) and breaks a tie for eight all-time for career wins, with Tennessee's Philip Fulmer (152).
THE FRIENDLY CONFINES OF BRYANT-DENNY STADIUM: With the win over Kentucky, Alabama has won 23 of its last 24 games at its home stadium. Prior to the Sept. 19, 2015, loss to Ole Miss, the Crimson Tide had not lost a game at home since falling to Texas A&M in 2012. Alabama boasts the sixth-best home winning percentage in the FBS at .821 (248-53-3) at Bryant-Denny Stadium since the stadium opened in 1929.
98-6 UNDER SABAN WHEN LEADING AT THE HALF: With the win over Kentucky, Alabama is 98-6 (.942) under head coach Nick Saban when leading at the half. Alabama has led at the half in four of its five games this season and has held a halftime lead in 15 of its last 20 games dating back to the start of the 2015 season.
Defensive Notes
TIDE RUSHING DEFENSE CONTINUES TO SHINE: Alabama limited Kentucky to 72 yards on 36 carries tonight. Through five games, the Tide is holding opponents to just 342 total rushing yards (68.4 ypg).
TIDE LEADS THE NATION IN DEFENSIVE TOUCHDOWNS: With Ronnie Harrison's second quarter 55-yard fumble return tonight, Alabama moved into the national lead for defensive touchdowns this season. Ohio State is second with four defensive scores.
HAMILTON EQUALS CAREER HIGH IN TACKLES: Linebacker Shaun Dion Hamilton's eight tackles tonight (seven in the first half) set a new single-game high, surpassing his seven tackles against Ole Miss on Sept. 17. Hamilton had four solo tackles tonight.
Offensive Notes
FIRST HALF POINTS: Adam Griffith's first quarter field goal tonight extended Alabama's first half scoring streak to 123 games, the longest streak in the nation. The last time UA failed to score in the first half was on Sept. 29, 2007, when Alabama and Florida State headed into halftime in a scoreless tie. The Seminoles won that game, 21-14. Alabama owns a 107-16 record during the current streak.
SCORING STREAK CONTINUES: Alabama's school record consecutive games scoring streak was extended to 203 games with Adam Griffith's 44-yard field goal in the first quarter tonight. Alabama was last held off the scoreboard in a 9-0 loss to Auburn on Nov. 18, 2000.
CAREER NIGHT FOR JACOBS: Running back Joshua Jacobs established new career highs in rushing attempts and yards rushing tonight with 16 carries and 100 yards. The yardage total also gives him his first 100-yard game at Alabama. Jacobs also added 3 catches for 44 yards this evening to finish with 144 total yards on 19 touches.
RIDLEY'S CAREER NIGHT: Calvin Ridley's 11 receptions and 174 yards this evening are new career bests for the sophomore receiver. Ridley reached his previous high of nine catches twice, most recently against Western Kentucky on Sept. 10. Ridley's previous career high in yards was 140 vs. Arkansas last season. His two touchdowns tonight equals his career best set against Michigan State in last season's CFP semifinal at the Goodyear Cotton Bowl.
Special Teams Notes
NON-OFFENSIVE TDs IN THE SABAN ERA: Ronnie Harrison's 55-yard fumble return for a touchdown in the second quarter tonight was the 53rd non-offensive touchdown of the Nick Saban era and the seventh for Alabama this season, which leads the nation. Five of the seven scores in 2016 have been on defense. Alabama has scored non-offensive touchdowns in its last seven games – five on defense (two interceptions, three fumble returns) and four on special teams (three punt returns and a kickoff return) – dating back to the CFP semifinal vs. Michigan State on Dec. 31, 2015.
GRIFFITH CLIMBING CAREER LISTS: With 10 points against Kentucky (two field goals and four extra-point kicks), senior placekicker Adam Griffith moved past Derrick Henry and Mark Ingram into seventh place on the Alabama career scoring list with 278 points (44 FGs, 146 PATs). Henry scored 270 points (45 TDs) from 2013-15 to rank ninth all-time. Mark Ingram is in eighth place at 276 points (46 TDs, 2008-10). Griffith's two field goals against Kentucky moved him into a tie for fifth on the Alabama career list for field goals made with 44. That matched Jeremy Shelley, who made 44 of 55 attempts from 2009-12.
Kentucky Notes
Team Records and Series Notes
- Kentucky is 2-3, 1-2 in the Southeastern Conference. No. 1 Alabama is 5-0 overall and 2-0 in the SEC. Â
- Alabama leads the all-time series in games played, 37-2-1, including a 9-0 mark in games played in Tuscaloosa.
- Kentucky will return to action Sat. Oct. 8, playing at Vanderbilt at 4 p.m. in Commonwealth Stadium. The game will be televised on the SEC Network and broadcast on the UK Sports Radio Network.
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Kentucky Team Notes
- UK's game captains were senior center Jon Toth, junior wide receiver Jeff Badet, junior linebacker Courtney Love and senior defensive lineman Courtney Miggins. Â
- Kentucky scored on its opening possession for the first time this season, concluding with Austin MacGinnis' 45-yard field goal to give the Wildcats a 3-0 lead.
- With De'Niro Laster's fumble recovery in the first quarter the Wildcats have now forced a turnover in 10 of their past 11 games.
- Kentucky rushed for 72 yards, more than the 67.5 yards per game Alabama's defense had allowed entering the game, which ranked it No. 5 nationally.
- Kentucky held Alabama to a season-low 34 points. The Crimson Tide's previous low was 38 versus Western Kentucky on Sept. 10.
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Kentucky Player Notes
- Freshman punter Grant McKinniss boomed a career-long 61-yard punt in the second quarter. His previous long was 53 yards against both Florida and South Carolina. He is now averaging 41.8 yards per punt on the season. For the game, McKinniss averaged 44.7 yards on six punts, besting his previous high average of 43.4 versus Florida on Sept. 8.
- Junior kicker Austin MacGinnis had eight points in the game, including field goals of 45 and 30 yards.
- MacGinnis now has 190 career points and continues to rank seventh all-time on UK's career scoring list.
- MacGinnis needs two more points to tie Craig Yeast for sixth all-time at Kentucky. Â
- Junior defensive end/linebacker De'Niro Laster recovered a fumble in the first quarter, the first fumble recovery of his UK career. He also recorded the first sack of his career in the third quarter. He now has 14.0 tackles, 1.0 sack and 2.0 tackles for loss this season.
- Redshirt freshman linebacker Eli Brown saw his most extensive action of season, registering a career-high 7.0 tackles in the game. Brown came into the game with 5.0 tackles on the season and a previous game-high of 2.0 set against both Florida and New Mexico State.
- Senior center Jon Toth started his 40th consecutive game for the Wildcats. Toth, along with senior defensive back J.D. Harmon and senior wide receiver Ryan Timmons, have each played a team-high 41 games in their career.
- Sophomore safety Mike Edwards led the Wildcats with 12 tackles in the game, tying his career high set against New Mexico State on Sept. 17. He ranks second in tackles on the season with 43.
- Senior running back Jojo Kemp led the Wildcats with 39 yards rushing on 10 attempts. He now has 1,435 career rushing yards, good for 21st on the school's career rushing list. He needs 13 yards to equal Bobby Cravens (1956-58) for 20th.