NASHVILLE — Alabama football rewrote history on the road against Vanderbilt. But it was by no means the dominant performance the College Football Playoff-cemented Crimson Tide expected.
No. 7 Alabama (8-2, 6-2 SEC) beat Vanderbilt 21-6 at FirstBank Stadium Saturday, Nov. 14, a game where Kane Wommack and the Crimson Tide defense feasted on a young and inefficient Commodores offense, but answered with an offense that did enough, but had its share of struggles against one of the, statistically, worst defenses in the country.
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Here’s our postgame grades after Alabama‘s road win against Vanderbilt (4-6, 1-6) :
Alabama football offense: C-
For a team with 300-plus-yards of offense, Alabama’s attack looked inept at points against one of the worst defenses in the SEC. Daniel Hill brought a bright spot to a run game that looked, at times, invisible and abandoned. Keelon Russell was forced to play hero ball less than 100%, running for his life behind a line that crumbled under pressure quickly. Alabama did enough, but when it comes to the high expectations placed on the Crimson Tide, questions remain about how proficient the offense can be.
Alabama defense: A
Alabama’s defense feasted on a struggling Vanderbilt offense, one that just exceeded 1 yard per play through the first half. The Commodores were unable to move the ball against a Crimson Tide defense only gaining more and more momentum, especially when it came to its pass rush. Alabama’s defense, once again, saved the day, and it seems like the unit that will carry the Crimson Tide as far as it is going to go.
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Alabama special teams: A
Alex Asparuhov was busy as the center of a field position battle, recording three punts in the first 16 minutes of game play, one of which pinned Vanderbilt at its own 6-yard line. An 83-yard kickoff return by Dijon Lee Jr. cemented special teams as a verified force against the Commodores.
Alabama coaching: D
Alabama lost its coaching battle before it even took the field, from a conversation regarding the health of Russell that turned into a widespread story focused well past what the Crimson Tide was supposed to do Saturday afternoon in Nashville in regular-season SEC play. Kane Wommack and a tremendous defensive performance is the only saving grace of what proved to be a disaster for both Ryan Grubb and his offensive play-calling, and, ultimately, head coach Kalen DeBoer.
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Alabama overall grade vs Vanderbilt: C+
Alabama survived the horrors of Nashville, more than the Crimson Tide could say two years ago. But this time it came against an opponent and on a stage where Alabama should have expected more than just survival.
Alabama MVP vs. Vanderbilt
Wommack had his unit on point against a Vanderbilt offense it should have been on point against, providing pressure, getting hands on footballs consistently against the Commodores. The Alabama defense, and its leader, beat Vanderbilt Saturday afternoon.
Colin Gay covers Alabama football for The Tuscaloosa News, part of the USA TODAY Network. Reach him at cgay@gannett.com or follow him @_ColinGay on X, formerly known as Twitter or Instagram @colingaytnews.
This article originally appeared on The Tuscaloosa News: Alabama football report card after messy road win vs Vanderbilt
Disclaimer : This story is auto aggregated by a computer programme and has not been created or edited by DOWNTHENEWS. Publisher: Sports.yahoo.com
