Alabama used a 17-3 first half and a 17-3 second half to record a 34-6 disposing of Kentucky on Saturday night at Bryant-Denny Stadium.
Crimson Tide coach Nick Saban was happier with the second 17-3.
"I challenged them a little bit at halftime," Saban said in his news conference afterward, "because I didn't think we imposed our will in the first half like we could have or should have or wanted to."
The top-ranked Tide improved to 5-0 overall and 2-0 in Southeastern Conference play after defeating their 63rd consecutive unranked opponent. They will now enter their three-week gauntlet against No. 16 Arkansas, No. 9 Tennessee and No. 8 Texas A&M, facing the Razorbacks and Volunteers on the road before hosting the Aggies.
Saban's mood changed Saturday night when the passing game began to click. Jalen Hurts threw for 173 of his 262 yards in the third quarter, when he led an eight-play, 78-yard touchdown drive and a nine-play, 76-yard touchdown drive, capping each with throws to Calvin Ridley.
Ridley, whose younger brother Riley caught a late 47-yard touchdown for Georgia on Saturday, set career highs with 11 receptions for 174 yards and the two scores.
"We are starting to learn better," Ridley told reporters. "Jalen is starting to set up the offense as far as who is where and how things are going to be, so that has helped us a lot. We have to get better and just keep working.
"When that happens, I think we will be unstoppable."
Alabama played its first game since the abrupt departure of redshirt freshman quarterback Blake Barnett, who started the opening 52-6 win over Southern California but chose last week to transfer. Hurts completed 20 of 33 passes against the Wildcats before giving way to redshirt junior Cooper Bateman, who went 5-for-5 for 53 yards.
Saban believes the passing game is a long way from where it needs to be from a consistency standpoint.
"Calvin had a career day today and was really, really good, but we've got a lot of other good players who we need to get involved," Saban said. "We had some guys open out there and plays designed when they should have gotten the ball, and they would have been big plays. We didn't make the throws, and sometimes we didn't read it correctly. These are the things we need to continue to work on and develop."
The Crimson Tide started a true freshman backfield combination with Hurts and running back Joshua Jacobs, a 5-foot-10, 200-pound running back from Tulsa, Okla., who rushed 16 times for 100 yards. Jacobs was replacing sophomore Damien Harris, who sprained his ankle in the 48-0 win over Kent State the week before and played sparingly Saturday.
"Josh is really playing well," Saban said. "Damien was cleared to play in the game, but we decided that we would just spot play him and use him on third downs. That gave Josh a little more of an opportunity, and he took advantage of it and did a great job."
Moses commits
Alabama picked up a five-star commitment Sunday afternoon, receiving a nonbinding pledge from Dylan Moses of the IMG Academy in Bradenton, Fla.
Moses is originally from Baton Rouge, La., and was an LSU commitment in ninth and 10th grade. The 6-3, 235-pounder is rated by 247Sports.com as the No. 1 outside linebacker nationally and the No. 4 prospect overall.
Alabama has commitments from three of the top five national prospects - running back Najee Harris (No. 1) of Antioch, Calif., Moses (No. 4), and tackle Alex Leatherwood (No. 5) of Pensacola, Fla.
Tide tidbits
Saturday's game at Arkansas will be televised by ESPN and kick off at 7 p.m. Eastern. Senior outside linebacker Tim Williams, who was arrested Thursday and charged with possessing a pistol without a permit, sat out the first half and will not face additional punishment, Saban said. Alabama has held its first five foes to 342 rushing yards, or 68.4 per game. A 55-yard fumble return by sophomore safety Ronnie Harrison in the second quarter Saturday marked the fifth score by Alabama's defense this season and the seventh nonoffensive score. Junior linebacker Shaun Dion Hamilton tallied a career-high eight tackles. Senior kicker Adam Griffith scored 10 points and now has 278 in his career, which ranks seventh in school history. Griffith, a former Calhoun (Ga.) High School standout, passed Heisman Trophy winners Mark Ingram (276) and Derrick Henry (270).
Contact David Paschall at dpaschall@timesfreepress.com or 423-757-6524.