Alabama defensive back Landon Collins celebrates Saturday during their 25-20 win over Mississippi State in Tuscaloosa.The biggest disparity in Alabama's 25-20 win over Mississippi State on Saturday was not between quarterbacks Blake Sims and Dak Prescott or receivers Amari Cooper and De'Runnya Wilson.
What ultimately proved to be the difference was the Crimson Tide secondary, and how often has that been the case this season?
Once considered the team's weakest link, Alabama defensive backs intercepted Prescott three times. The Crimson Tide did not have any interceptions through their first three games this season but have tallied nine in their last seven contests.
"I do think our secondary has improved throughout the course of the year, and getting the picks today were big," Alabama coach Nick Saban said Saturday night. "I also think we have minimized explosive plays. We didn't allow any last week at LSU. Even though they had quite a few yards, they had to go the hard way most of the night."
Alabama moved up Sunday to No. 2 behind Florida State in both the Associated Press and USA Today polls.
Senior safety Nick Perry had the first interception against Mississippi State, collecting his at Alabama's 21-yard line early in the second quarter. Junior cornerback Cyrus Jones intercepted Prescott in the end zone late in the third quarter, while junior safety Landon Collins' interception of a tipped pass at the Crimson Tide 15 basically clinched the game with 5:01 remaining.
All three interceptions snuffed Mississippi State drives of at least 50 yards.
The Crimson Tide allowed 290 passing yards, but their three interceptions obviously limited Mississippi State's scoring output. In Alabama's 33-23 win over West Virginia in Atlanta that opened the season, the Tide allowed 365 passing yards to Clint Trickett and didn't intercept him once.
"They've improved a lot from the beginning of the season," Alabama senior linebacker Trey DePriest said. "We had a little bit of experience back there, but over time, you always get better by just playing and seeing stuff and being able to adjust. They have improved a lot, and that helps me out as far as communication, because none of them don't know what to do."
Said Jones: "I just think we had a bunch of new guys who hadn't been out there with each other a lot, and just like any group, you need time to jell. Time has given us that."
It wasn't long ago when Jones was considered the weakest link of the weak link. Yet against Mississippi State, the 5-foot-10, 194-pounder from Baltimore was matched up against Bulldogs sophomore receiver De'Runnya Wilson.
The 6-5, 215-pound Wilson led Mississippi State with eight catches for 91 yards, but his long of 29 in the second quarter went to waste when Prescott was intercepted by Perry.
"Cyrus has done a really good job all year long for us," Saban said. "I think he has been our best cover corner and certainly did a good job today against a tough matchup, especially size-wise for him."
Alabama's nine interceptions rank tied for eighth within the SEC and tied for 60th nationally. That's not exactly superb, but the Crimson Tide are just two interceptions away from matching last season's tepid total.
And considering how Alabama's secondary is viewed now compared to late August may be the most telling sign of all in terms of progress.
"I think we've improved all over the field," Collins said. "The defensive line is putting more pressure on the quarterback and breaking the pocket and making them scramble and make bad decisions. Our linebackers are making plays and reading the line of scrimmage and reading the tight ends, and our secondary is cutting off receivers playing man-to-man and breaking on the ball.
"The improvement is everywhere."
Contact David Paschall at dpaschall@timesfreepress.com or 423-757-6524.