Nick Saban outplays Lane Kiffin as Alabama rolls over Ole Miss 24-10: What's next for the crimson tide coach?
There was a lot of talk about coach Nick Saban and the 13th-ranked Alabama Crimson Tide heading into Week 4. It was the first time since September 2015 that the program was ranked outside of the top 10 in the country with their 2-1 record after a 17-3 road win against the South Florida Bulls.
They began their Southeastern Conference schedule today with a game against the 15th-ranked Ole Miss Rebels and picked up a 24-10 home win to get back on track. Sophomore quarterback Jalen Milroe had a great game throwing the football as he finished 17-of-21 for 225 yards with a touchdown and an interception.
They also played very well in the ground game as senior running back Jase McClellan recorded 17 rushes for 105 yards with a rushing touchdown as well as two receptions for 12 yards. This was the eighth consecutive victory over the Rebels so the Crimson Tide are getting back on track for their college football playoff hopes.
Does the thought process change for Nick Saban and the Alabama Crimson Tide going forward?
Alabama coach Nick Saban has been through the ringer as his team failed to make the College Football Playoff last season and is 13th in the nation entering this week.
The offense has looked stagnant at times, with first-year offensive coordinator Tommy Rees calling the plays and the talent is lackluster compared to previous years. However, this game does provide some spark going forward as the team was able to outscore the Rebels 18-3 in the second half for the win.
The defense showed a lot of signs of life as they held Ole Miss to 3-of-14 on third down opportunities and just 1.9 yards per rushing attempt throughout the entirety of the game. The offense was able to show signs of improvement after being held to six points at halftime and the improvements during the halftime break definitely worked.
Nick Saban and his team have a lot of experience with plowing through the SEC as he is a top coach in college football history and can help lead his team to the SEC Championship Game. With their performance and the play of some other teams that are ahead of them in the AP Poll, they should climb up a couple of spots.
Nick Saban is a legendary coach and has done well with teams with less talent than this roster. Only time will tell if they can continue to get back in the college football playoff race.