Football vs. Arkansas Postgame Notes
10/6/2018 3:12:00 PM | Football
GAME CAPTAINS: Alabama's captains against Arkansas were running back Damien Harris, linebacker Anfernee Jennings and center Ross Pierschbacher.
Defensive Notes
TURNOVERS, TURNOVERS, TURNOVERS: Alabama's three forced turnovers against Arkansas (2 fumbles, 1 interception) gives the Crimson Tide at least one forced turnover in 48 of its last 50 games dating to the start of the 2015 season. During the current run, the Crimson Tide has forced 85 turnovers (58 interceptions, 27 fumbles) and returned 20 of those miscues for touchdowns.
NON-OFFENSIVE TDs IN THE SABAN ERA: Junior Shyheim Carter's fourth quarter 44-yard interception return for a touchdown against the Razorbacks is Alabama's 67th non-offensive touchdown of the Nick Saban era and its sixth this season. The score was also the fourth pick-six for the Tide and the second for Carter in 2018.
POINTS OFF TURNOVERS: With its two post-turnover scoring drives and a pick-six today, Alabama has scored 80 points off 13 opponent giveaways this season, scoring on 12 of the turnovers and intercepting a pass to end the first half against Louisiana on Sept. 29. The Tide defense has directly accounted for 28 points on three interception returns, while the offense has posted 52 points on its eight post-turnover possessions.
Offensive Notes
500 YARDS IN TOTAL OFFENSE FOR A UA-RECORD SIXTH GAME IN A ROW: Alabama's 639 yards in total offense against Arkansas marks the sixth time the Crimson Tide has topped 500 yards this season and the 18th time in the last 50 games dating to the start of the 2015 campaign. This is Alabama's first six-game run of 500-yard total offense performances in program history.
ALABAMA AT 600 YARDS: Today's 639 yards in total offense is Alabama's second 600+ total yardage game in as many weeks and is the eighth-best offensive tally in school history. It is the 13th 600-yard game of the Nick Saban era at Alabama and fourth-highest total of his tenure.
45-for-6: With its 65-31 win over Arkansas, Alabama has scored 45 or more points in six-consecutive games for the first time in school history. The 1945 Crimson Tide held the previous record with four in a row (Kentucky, 60-19; Vanderbilt, 71-0; Pensacola Naval Air Station, 55-6; Mississippi State, 55-13).
TUA VS. SEC: In three games against Southeastern Conference opponents this season, sophomore quarterback Tua Tagovailoa has thrown for 912 yards and 10 touchdowns on 43-of-58 passing (.741) and an efficiency rating of 263.12.
TUA AT THE HELM: Tua Tagovailoa has directed 44 drives as the Tide's starting quarterback this season with 31 resulting touchdowns and two culminating in field goals. In those 44 drives, the Tide offense is 21-of-31 on third down conversions and has accounted for 2,144 yards on 219 snaps for an average of 9.8 yards per play and 220 of the 302 points scored by the UA offense.
LAST 2 FIRST HALVES FOR TUA: Alabama's Tua Tagovailoa is 18 for 20 with 462 yards passing and six touchdowns in the first half against Louisiana and Arkansas for a passing efficiency rating of 383.04.
DAMIEN HARRIS NOW 11TH ON UA CAREER RUSHING LIST: With 111 yards rushing today, senior Damien Harris has 2,555 yards on the ground for his career, moving him into 11th place on the UA career rushing chart. Harris has now run for 236 yards against Arkansas in the Tide's last two meetings with the Razorbacks. Today's performance is the Richmond, Ky., native's eighth 100-yard rushing game of his career and his first since rushing for 125 in the Tide's 2017 meeting with the Hogs.
TWO OVER 100: With the career-high 123 receiving yards from tight end Irv Smith Jr., and 135 yards from sophomore wide receiver Jerry Jeudy, Alabama had two players with more than 100 yards receiving in a single game for just the seventh time in school history and the second time in two games. Freshman Jaylen Waddle (138) and sophomore Henry Ruggs III (116) both topped the century mark against Louisiana on Sept. 29.
DRIVES UNDER A MINUTE: With three first-half scoring drives of 21, 50 and 12 seconds, 15 of the Crimson Tide's scoring drives this season have lasted less than a minute with seven lasting less than 30 seconds. Alabama led the nation in scoring drives under a minute with 12 in its first five games.
300+ AND 4 AT THE HALF: Tua Tagovailoa's 334 passing yards and four touchdown passes today marks the first time a Power 5 QB has thrown for 300 or more yards and four scores in the first half of a conference game since Patrick Mahomes vs. Baylor on Nov. 25, 2016.
FIRST HALF TOTAL OFFENSE: With 463 total yards in the first two quarters against Arkansas, Alabama is now averaging 375.6 yards in total offense in the first half this season. The Tide has racked up 340 or more total yards in the first half in five of six games this season. The Tide had 340 vs. Louisville, 395 vs. Arkansas State, 418 at Ole Miss, 357 vs. Louisiana prior to the Arkansas game.
FIRST HALF SCORING: Through six games this season, Alabama is outscoring its opponents, 238-34 (39.7-5.7), in the first half. That total includes a 124-21 (20.7-3.5) first quarter advantage and a 114-13 (19.0-2.2) difference in the second quarter. The Tide's average of 39.7 points would rank 27th nationally in scoring offense entering today's contest.
FIRST-PLAY SCORE AGAIN: Tua Tagovailoa's 76-yard touchdown pass to Irv Smith Jr., on Alabama's first play from scrimmage today marks the second consecutive game against the Razorbacks that UA has scored on its first offensive snap. Running back Damien Harris opened the 2017 contest at Bryant-Denny Stadium with a 75-yard touchdown run.
OPENING DRIVE TOUCHDOWNS: Tight end Irv Smith Jr.'s 76-yard touchdown reception from Tua Tagovailoa on Alabama's first possession against the Razorbacks today was the Crimson Tide's sixth-straight opening drive touchdown this season. Alabama has now won 21-straight games when scoring a touchdown on its first offensive possession of a game. The Tide's last loss after finding the end zone on its first drive was to Oklahoma in the 2014 Allstate Sugar Bowl.
