Football vs. Mercer Postgame Notes

GAME CAPTAINS: Alabama's captains for today's game with Mercer were defensive back Anthony Averett, tight end Hale Hentges and linebacker Anfernee Jennings.

POW/MIA MEMORIAL DEDICATION: This week, Alabama unveiled a special dedication to the 92,000 American soldiers who are unaccounted for since World War I with an unoccupied POW/MIA seat at Bryant-Denny Stadium.

SENIOR DAY: Seniors honored before today's matchup with Mercer were: Anthony Averett, Bradley Bozeman, Tony Brown, Hunter Bryant, Rashaan Evans, Robert Foster, Joshua Frazier, Bo Grant, Shaun Dion Hamilton, Da'Shawn Hand, Joseph Harvey, J.C. Hassenauer, Swade Hutchinson, Austin Johnson, Hootie Jones, Vohn Keith Jr., Jamar King, Rogria Lewis, Andy Pappanastos, Jacob Parker, Jonathan Rice, JK Scott, Cam Sims, Turner Skehan and Levi Wallace.

TIDE SENIORS RECORD 51st WIN: Alabama's victory over Mercer today is the 51st for members of Alabama's senior class. The group boasts a four-year record of 51-4 (.927), A national championship, three consecutive Southeastern Conference championships and three College Football Playoff appearances. The 51 wins equals the school and NCAA record of 51 set by Alabama's 2016 senior class, which posted a 51-6 (.895) career record.

UNRANKED, NO PROBLEM UNDER SABAN: With today's 56-0 win over Mercer, Alabama has defeated 73 consecutive unranked teams under head coach Nick Saban, which is a new FBS record. The Tide entered today's game tied with Miami (Fla.) (1985-95) and Florida (1990-2000) at 72 consecutive wins. Alabama's 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 77-3 (.963) (73-3, .961 after vacations) mark against unranked opponents, including a perfect mark in unranked matchups since 2008.

ALABAMA AS THE NATION'S NO. 1: Alabama has played 85 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 74-11 (.871) 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 (127 games), Alabama has played 61 games while being ranked No. 1, posting a 55-6 (.902) record during that span.

SABAN'S 61st GAME AS AP NO. 1: The matchup with Mercer was Nick Saban's 61st career game coaching Alabama as the Associated Press No. 1 team, the most games coached as No. 1 at one school. At 55-6 (.902), 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.

SABAN AGAINST NON-CONFERENCE OPPOSITION: Nick Saban owns a career mark of 80-19 (.808) against non-conference opponents (including postseason games) across his 22 years as a head coach in the collegiate ranks. During his time at Alabama, Saban owns a 49-6 (.891) record against non-conference opposition, including a 32-1 (.970) mark at home. The Crimson Tide is currently riding a 30-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 2,086-646 (37.9-11.7 ppg) and have shut out the opposition 10 times.

FIRST CAREER START: Today's game with Mercer marked the first career start for senior left guard J.C. Hassenauer and freshman linebacker Dylan Moses.

Defensive Notes

TURNOVERS, TURNOVERS, TURNOVERS: With three interceptions today, the Alabama defense has forced at least one turnover in 39 of its last 41 games dating to the start of the 2015 season. During the current run, the Crimson Tide has forced 69 turnovers (47 interceptions, 22 fumbles) and returned 16 of those miscues for touchdowns.

MOSES SHINES IN FIRST START: Freshman linebacker Dylan Moses had more tackles in today's game than he had all season, recording a team-best 11, 10 of which were solo and four of which went for a loss, in the win over Mercer. He also added his first career interception.

HOLDING OPPONENTS UNDER 200: Mercer's 161 yards in total offense today marks the 47th time in the last 136 games under Nick Saban (since the start of the 2008 season) that the Crimson Tide defense has held the opposition to fewer than 200 yards of total offense.

10 POINTS OR LESS: Alabama's 56-0 win over Mercer on Nov. 18 marked the 79th time under head coach Nick Saban that the Crimson Tide has held opponents to 10 points or less, the eighth time in 11 games this season and the 23rd time in the last 40 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 224 games against Mercer today with Jalen Hurts' eight-yard touchdown pass to Irv Smith Jr. on Alabama's first possession. The Crimson Tide was last held off the scoreboard in a 9-0 loss to Auburn on Nov. 18, 2000.

116-7 UNDER SABAN WHEN LEADING AT THE HALF: Under head coach Nick Saban, the Crimson Tide is 116-7 (.943) when leading at the half. Alabama leads Mercer, 35-0, at the half today and has held the lead in 34 of its last 41 games dating back to the start of the 2015 season, including 13 of 15 games in 2016 and 10 of 11 games this season.

SIX TOUCHDOWN PASSES SECOND-MOST IN SCHOOL HISTORY: Alabama's six touchdown passes today against Mercer is the second-most in school history in a single game. The school record for touchdown passes is seven against Southern Miss on Nov. 11, 1950.

CONSECUTIVE QUARTERS WITH A SCORE: Tua Tagovailoa's 13-yard touchdown pass to Derek Kief in the fourth quarter today extends the Tide's consecutive quarters with a score to 49, which is the longest such streak in the Football Bowl Subdivision since 2005 (Stanford, 46, from 2010-11). Alabama was last held off the scoreboard in the third quarter of the 2016 College Football Playoff Semifinal at the Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl against Washington.

RIDLEY TIED FOR THIRD IN CAREER TOUCHDOWN RECEPTIONS: Calvin Ridley's 66-yard second-quarter touchdown catch today is the 17th of his career, tying him with D.J. Hall (2004-07) for third on the Alabama career touchdown receptions list. Amari Cooper (2012-14) is Alabama's career leader with 31.

RIDLEY FOURTH IN CAREER RECEIVING YARDS AT UA: Calvin Ridley's 103 receiving yards on three catches in the first half today gives the junior 2,672 yards for his career, which moves him into third place on the Alabama career receiving yards list. D.J. Hall ranks No. 2 with 2,923 yards. Amari Cooper (2012-14) is Alabama's all-time leader with 3,463 yards.

RIDLEY'S EIGHTH CAREER 100-YARD RECEIVING GAME: Calvin Ridley's three catches for 103 yards in the first half marks the eighth time in his career the junior has topped 100 yards receiving, which ties him Julio Jones (2008-10) for third all-time at Alabama. Amari Cooper (2012-14) is the career leader with 14.

RIDLEY THIRD ON NCAA ACTIVE GAMES WITH A RECEPTION LIST: With his 25-yard reception on Alabama's first possession today, junior Calvin Ridley now has at least one reception in all 41 games of his Alabama career and ranks No. 3 in consecutive games with a reception among active players in the Football Bowl Subdivision.

HURTS' CAREER TOUCHDOWN RESPONSIBILITY: Jalen Hurts' three first half touchdown passes moves his career touchdown responsibility total to 58, moving the sophomore into a tie with John Parker Wilson (2005-08) for No. 2 on the UA career touchdown responsibility list. AJ McCarron (2010-13) is the UA career leader with 88. Hurts has thrown 37 career touchdown passes and rushed for 21 career scores in 26 games.

HURTS NOW THIRD ON UA CAREER TOTAL OFFENSE LIST: With 210 yards of total offense in the first half today, quarterback Jalen Hurts now has 6,248 total offensive yards in his 26-game career to move into third place on the school career total offense list. John Parker Wilson (2005-08) is second with 8,099 yards in 45 games. AJ McCarron (2010-13) is the UA career leader with 8,969 yards in 53 games.

HURTS NOW FIFTH ON UA CAREER TOUCHDOWN PASSES LIST: Jalen Hurts' three first half touchdown passes gives him 37 in his 26-game career, moving him into sole possession of fifth place on the Alabama career touchdown pass list. Greg McElroy (2007-10) is fourth with 39.

Special Teams Notes

SCOTT PATs: Punter JK Scott's eight PATs today were his first PAT attempts since 2015. The senior entered today's game two for two in career conversion attempts. He converted one against Charleston Southern in 2015 and one against Texas A&M in 2014.

SCOTT CLIMBING TIDE CAREER PUNTING LIST: Punter JK Scott's 105 punting yards against the Bears gives him 10,392 yards for his career to extend his UA career record. He is the first punter in UA history to surpass the 10,000 yard mark. Scott's two punting attempts against Mercer gives the senior 227 for his career, the second-most in Tide history behind P.J. Fitzgerald (2006-09), who punted 238 times in his career.