Football vs. WKU Postgame Notes
9/10/2016 6:27:00 PM | Football
GAME CAPTAINS: Alabama's captains for today's game against Western Kentucky were Reuben Foster, Jonathan Allen and Cam Robinson.
FIRST HALF POINTS: Adam Griffith's 36-yard field goal in the first quarter extended Alabama's first half scoring streak to 120 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.
SCORING STREAK CONTINUES: Alabama's school record consecutive games scoring streak was extended to 200 games today with Adam Griffith's 36-yard first quarter field goal.
96-6 UNDER SABAN WHEN LEADING AT THE HALF: The Crimson Tide led Western Kentucky, 17-3, at halftime. Alabama is now 96-6 (.941) when leading at halftime in the Nick Saban era. Alabama led at the half in 11 of its 15 games in 2015.
Defensive Notes
NON-OFFENSIVE TDs IN THE SABAN ERA: Eddie Jackson's 55-yard interception return for a score in the second quarter was the 48th non-offensive touchdown of the Nick Saban era and the second for Alabama this season. Last week, Marlon Humphrey returned an interception 18 yards for a touchdown in the Tide's season-opening 52-6 win over USC. This marks the first time since 2008 that Alabama has returned interceptions for touchdowns in consecutive games (Nov. 1 vs. Arkansas State and Nov. 8 at LSU). Alabama has scored non-offensive touchdowns in its last four games – two interceptions, a punt return and a kickoff return – dating back to the CFP semifinal vs. Michigan State on Dec. 31, 2015.
JACKSON FINDS THE END ZONE AGAIN: With his second quarter 55-yard touchdown, Eddie Jackson has now returned three interceptions for scores since the beginning of the 2015 season. The senior from Lauderdale Lakes, Fla., recorded his first career touchdown with a 50-yard interception return against Georgia last season and returned another pick for a score at Texas A&M later in the year.
10 POINTS OR FEWER: Saturday's 38-10 win over Western Kentucky marked the 60th time the Crimson Tide has held an opponent to 10 points or fewer under head coach Nick Saban since the start of the 2007 season. In 2015, Alabama held six opponents to 10 points or less and recorded two shutouts. In 2014, Alabama shut out two opponents and held seven opponents to two touchdowns or less. Alabama held 9-of-13 opponents to 10 points or less in 2013 with three shutouts. Seven opponents were limited to 10 points or less in 2012, four of which were shutouts. Alabama was successful in holding opponents in the 0-10 point range in nine games in 2011 and eight times in 2010. UA kept opponents within that range seven times in both 2008 and 2009, and in 2007 posted two games in which it held opponents to 0-10 points. Alabama has shut out the opposition 17 times during the Saban era.
HOLDING OPPONENTS UNDER 300: In head coach Nick Saban's tenure at Alabama, the Crimson Tide has limited opponents to under 300 yards of total offense 78 times, or 69.6 percent of the time. Alabama opened the 2016 season by limiting USC to just 194 yards in the Tide's 52-6 victory and followed that up today by holding WKU to 239 yards. In 2015, the Crimson Tide held the opposition to less than 300 yards of offense 10 times in 2015 (Michigan State, 239 yards; Florida, 180; Auburn, 260; LSU, 182; Arkansas, 220; Georgia, 299; ULM, 92; Middle Tennessee, 275; Wisconsin, 268).
TOUGH SLEDDING ON THE GROUND: Alabama allowed only seven rushing touchdowns in 15 games in 2015, second-lowest total in the country and hasn't surrendered a rushing score in 2016. The Tide leads the nation in allowing the fewest rushing touchdowns since the start of the 2005 season, surrendering only 78. Since head coach Nick Saban arrived in 2007, the Crimson Tide has allowed 62 rushing touchdowns. Ohio State is No. 2 in that category, giving up 96 since 2007.
RUSHING DEFENSE: Alabama has surrendered only 16 individual 100-yard rushing performances dating back to the 2005 season, a mark that leads the nation. Since head coach Nick Saban's arrival in 2007, the Tide has allowed only 11 players to rush for more than 100 yards in a game: Georgia's Nick Chubb (146 on Oct. 3, 2015), Ohio State's Ezekiel Elliot (230 on Jan. 1, 2015), Auburn's Tre Mason (164 on Nov. 30, 2013), Virginia Tech's Trey Edmunds (132 on Aug. 31, 2013), Georgia's Todd Gurley (122 yards on Dec. 1, 2012), LSU's Jeremy Hill (107 on Nov. 3, 2012), Georgia Southern's Dominique Swope (153 on Nov. 19, 2011), Tennessee's Tauren Poole (117 on Oct. 23, 2010), Ole Miss's BenJarvus Green-Ellis (131 on Oct. 13, 2007), Houston's Anthony Alridge (100 on Oct. 6, 2007) and Darren McFadden of Arkansas (195 on Sept. 15, 2007).
Offensive Notes
HURTS FIRST TRUE FRESHMAN TO START AT QB IN 32 YEARS: With his start today, Alabama's Jalen Hurts is the first true freshman to start at quarterback for Alabama since Vince Sutton in 1984. Sutton's first start was against Southwestern Louisiana on Sept. 22 that season. He would go on to also start against Vanderbilt, Georgia, Penn State and Tennessee.
HURTS SETS PASS YARDS RECORD FOR STARTING DEBUT & FRESHMAN: In his first career start at quarterback for the Crimson Tide, true freshman Jalen Hurts completed 23 of 36 attempts for two touchdowns while passing for 287 yards without an interception. In addition to breaking the previous record for passing yards in a starting debut of 285 yards set by Brodie Croyle versus Arkansas on September 28, 2002, Hurts' performance also surpassed the previous Crimson Tide freshman passing yards mark of 167 yards set by Vince Sutton against Tennessee on October 20, 1984. Hurts connected on three passes of 40 yards or longer in the performance.
RIDLEY TOPS THE CENTURY MARK: Sophomore Calvin Ridley caught nine passes for 129 yards and one touchdowns against Western Kentucky today for his third-best receiving yards total in his two-plus seasons at the Capstone. Ridley's nine catches today also equaled his previous career high. Ridley had 140 yards receiving on a career-high nine catches against Arkansas in 2015 and 138 yards and a career-high two touchdowns in the CFP semifinal against Michigan State a year ago.
Special Teams Notes
SCOTT CONTINUES TO SHINE: Junior punter JK Scott continues to be a weapon for the Crimson Tide. Scott averaged 46.4 yards per punt on five attempts against the Hilltoppers. Three of Scott's punts were downed inside the 20 and he had two punts over 50 yards today, giving him five on the year after recording three kicks beyond 50 yards against USC a week ago.
