TIDE, TAKE THREE
1. Alabama holds a 78-18-3 series lead over Mississippi State and has won the past eight meetings by the average score of 29-8.2. Although the Crimson Tide scored just 10 points at LSU, junior left tackle Cam Robinson graded out at 87 percent and did not allow any sacks or quarterback pressures.3. Junior punter JK Scott leads the SEC and ranks third nationally with a 48.1-yard average. He led the nation as a freshman with a 48.0-yard average.
SEC players of the week
OFFENSIVE: Mississippi State quarterback Nick Fitzgerald, who threw for 209 yards and rushed for 182 at 9.1 yards per carry in the 35-28 upset win over Texas A&M. OFFENSIVE: Arkansas tailback Rawleigh Williams III, who rushed for 148 yards and scored a 41-yard touchdown in the 31-10 defeat of Florida. He has 955 yards this season. DEFENSIVE: Alabama outside linebacker Ryan Anderson, who had six tackles, four quarterback pressures and a tackle for loss on a defense that held LSU to 125 yards. SPECIAL TEAMS: Alabama punter JK Scott, who averaged 51.6 yards on five attempts during the 10-0 victory at Baton Rouge. Scott had a 54-yarder to LSU’s 3-yard line. SPECIAL TEAMS: Georgia kicker Rodrigo Blankenship, who went 4-for-4 on field-goal attempts, including a 25-yarder as time expired, in a 27-24 triumph at Kentucky. FRESHMAN: South Carolina quarterback Jake Bentley, who was 22-of-28 passing for 254 yards with two touchdowns and no interceptions in a 31-21 win over Missouri. OFFENSIVE LINEMAN: Mississippi State tackle Martinas Rankin, who had three knockdown blocks and allowed no sacks. The Bulldogs rushed for a season-high 365 yards. DEFENSIVE LINEMAN: LSU defensive end Lewis Neal, who had a career-high 11 tackles, two quarterback hurries and a tackle for loss against Alabama. – David Paschall
The adage of talent replacing talent on Alabama’s football roster was proven repeatedly Saturday night during the Crimson Tide’s 10-0 triumph at LSU.
Playing their first game without senior safety Eddie Jackson, who was lost for the season with a broken leg on Oct. 22, the top-ranked Tide held LSU to 125 total yards, including 25 in the second half. The Tigers had one first down in the second half and six total.
“Coming in and beating a great team like LSU is a great morale boost and confidence boost for us,” sophomore safety Minkah Fitzpatrick told reporters afterward. “When we do what we’re supposed to do, nobody can beat us.”