No. 3 Alabama football weathered a lackluster first-half offensive performance and escaped Nashville with a 21-6 win over Vanderbilt on Saturday in FirstBank Stadium, avenging a 2024 loss to the Commodores in the Music City.
The Crimson Tide’s offense — despite playing in front of a largely crimson-clad crowd — struggled through its first five drives and punted on three of them, as quarterback Keelon Russell worked through a lower-leg injury he suffered against LSU. A turnover on downs and an interception from Russell followed, but a late first-half score from Russell to tight end Marshall Pritchett kickstarted three straight touchdown drives.
Russell’s status entering Saturday was unclear, and backup Austin Mack took significant reps in practice ahead of the game. Still, the sophomore pushed through and recorded his third straight three-touchdown performance.
“Just seeing your quarterback be able to push through pain — and we all know that he’s having some issues right now — but just seeing that, it just pushes everybody else,” said linebacker QB Reese of Russell’s toughness. “Like, ‘I can play through this, I can play through that.’”
The former 5-star was far from perfect, as he threw the aforementioned interception early on and also fumbled in the fourth quarter, which could have set Vanderbilt up for a score. With FCS’s the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga set to visit Saban Field at Bryant-Denny Stadium next week, the Crimson Tide’s starter may not see extended playing time ahead of the 91st Iron Bowl on Nov. 28.
Unlike in 2024, when Alabama’s defense allowed 418 total yards and 166 rushing yards to the Commodores, Vanderbilt and freshman quarterback Jared Curtis struggled against defensive coordinator Kane Wommack’s unit. The Crimson Tide held the Commodores to 235 total yards, with just 12 of them coming via the ground game.
Alabama also forced six punts — with four coming in the first half alone — and forced two turnovers on downs. Its defensive line notched five sacks, its most in a game since also recording five in a 56-23 win over then-No. 16 Mississippi State.
Russell connected with wide receiver Lotzeir Brooks for touchdown passes on two straight drives, with the latter a dime fit into a difficult window. Brooks recorded just one catch for 9 yards against LSU last week.
“I stay open, so nothing really gets to me,” Brooks said of his performance. “I’m humble. I keep my head down. I’m about to work, so the ball will find you, as Coach DeBoer said. He was telling me the whole time on the sideline [that] the ball will find me, and it found me today.”
Alabama entered halftime up by four after Russell found wide-open tight end Marshall Pritchett for the game’s first touchdown on a 9-yard score with just six seconds to play. The score capped a nine-play, 75-yard drive, which served as the first half’s longest possession in both plays and yardage.
The Commodores drew first blood on a 52-yard field goal by Brock Taylor, on a four-play, negative-17-yard drive which followed an interception from Russell deep in his own territory. Leading up to Taylor’s field goal, the two teams punted a combined eight times, with Alabama turning it over on downs once.
Alabama will return to action next week against the Chattanooga Mocs inside Saban Field at Bryant-Denny Stadium, as the Crimson Tide will celebrate its seniors and Bama Salute Military Appreciation Day. Kickoff is set for 1 p.m. CT and can be seen on SEC Network+.
“I’m young, so I get to have another experience,” Russell said. “But a lot of those guys, [it will be their] last time playing in Bryant-Denny, so it’s gonna be very special. The fans, we love the atmosphere that y’all give us. We love the crowd; we love everything that y’all give us. It’s gonna be very special, those last two games, for sure.”
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