6 Winners and 4 Losers from Alabama’s win over FSU: Keelon Russell bails out a putrid defensive performance by the Crimson Tide
Winners and losers from a game that should have been a blowout but turned into a grind against a heavy underdog.
The Alabama Crimson Tide finally got its revenge against the Florida State Seminoles, but it took multiple weather delays, a sluggish start, and a coming-out party from quarterback Keelon Russell to put away a game Alabama was favored to win by 20 points. The Crimson Tide’s secondary was torched, the play calling was inconsistent, and the slow starts that have plagued this team through three games showed up again. There were winners, and there were losers. Let’s get into both after the 50-36 win for Alabama.
Winners
EJ Crowell
Running back EJ Crowell may not have led the team in rushing yards, but he led in yards per carry from the backfield and once again showed why he is the most explosive weapon in Alabama’s backfield. Crowell doesn’t sugarcoat it. He hits the edge, hits the hole, and goes. His ability to get vertical separates him from the rest of the backfield. He did leave early with a lower body injury, but he was electric.
Lotzeir Brooks
Wide receiver Lotzeir Brooks hauled in over 100 receiving yards and served as Russell’s go-to target all game. Over the middle, down the sideline, out-cuts, in-cuts, fades: Brooks was a factor on every level of the field and played a huge role in helping Russell find a rhythm.
Ryan Coleman-Williams
Ryan Coleman-Williams didn’t see a ton of targets, but the screen pass he took to the house flipped the momentum for Alabama. He can struggle with catching the football at times, but when the ball is in his hands, he might be the best player in college football in terms of yards after the catch, you saw that later in the game as well.
Devan Thompkins
Defensive lineman Devan Tompkins now has 3 sacks in as many games for Alabama. The transfer portal addition from USC had another dominant outing against Florida State. Whether he lines up at 3-technique, 5-technique, or 7-technique, Tompkins wreaks havoc all the same. He has been one of the best additions on the roster this season.
Second Weather Delay
The second weather delay, which served as the de facto halftime, was a winner in its own right. Alabama had already started to build momentum before the break, but the defense needed that mental reset. It helped them get back on track, force a couple of stops, and generate a turnover.
Keelon Russell
And then there was quarterback Keelon Russell. The quarterback had his national moment. Russell threw for over 300 yards, was extremely efficient, and tossed multiple touchdown passes. But beyond the passing numbers, he showed you why he won the QB1 job. When he took a run nearly 60 yards to the house at a blistering pace, it was the kind of play that puts you into the top conversations among quarterbacks in college football. Russell is everything Alabama was hoping for, and he looked the part after shaky first halves against Kentucky and even against the Seminoles early on.
Keelon Russell stats vs Florida State
- 23/30 passing
- 320 passing yards
- 3 passing TDs
- 56 rushing yards
- 1 rushing TD
Losers
Opening Script
Alabama’s opening script continues to be a problem. The offense is way too slow out of the gate in those first 15 plays, and the defense tends to play on its heels early. Through three games, the first 15 minutes have been a consistent concern, and that has to change before SEC play heats up.
Secondary, Kane Wommack, Dijon Lee
The secondary, and Kane Wommack specifically, have a lot to answer for. Cornerback Dijon Lee had a rough time against Florida State’s Duce Robinson and let the Seminoles hang around far too long. The secondary as a whole, which was supposed to be one of the best in college football with all of its returning starters, looked like Swiss cheese. You cannot be reliant on your freshman quarterback to be the savior at home as 20-point favorites. This was an abysmal defensive performance from the secondary, and the question now is how much blame Womack needs to shoulder.
Bottom Line
The bottom line is that Alabama escapes with a win in a game that should have been a blowout. Russell’s breakout was the story, and the offensive skill players gave him plenty to work with. But the secondary and the slow starts are real problems, and the Crimson Tide have a lot to clean up as they head into the meat of SEC play.
