There are 51 days till college football season, and today we focus on the Alabama Crimson Tide, who made a habit of blowing teams out in 2016.
The Alabama Crimson Tide went 14-1 last season, with an average margin of victory of 29.2 points per game. Only one of the Crimson Tide’s wins was decided by single digits, and that was their 48-43 victory on the road at Ole Miss. Meanwhile, it was a different Magnolina State team that was Alabama’s most lopsided win from 2016.
And that leads us to no. 51 on the Southbound and Down College Football Countdown.
Alabama Crimson Tide scored 51 points in their 51-3 win over Mississippi State in 2016
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The 51 points were the third-most by Alabama last year, behind their 54-point total against Florida and their 52 points against USC. And the 3 points they allowed were tied for the third fewest points they allowed last season.
Mississippi State had one of the highest scoring teams in the SEC last season, but it wasn’t happening against the Crimson Tide. After scoring 10 points in the first quarter, Alabama struck for 20 points in the second quarter, to lead 30-0 at halftime.
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And as you may have guessed, its was more of the same in the second half. The Crimson Tide outscored the Bulldogs 21-3 in the second half to win 51-3.
This game was the Jalen Hurts/ArDarius Stewart show. The SEC Offensive Player of the Year went 28-for-37 for 347 yards, four touchdowns, and one interception. He also added 100 yards and a rushing touchdown on 11 carries. Meanwhile, Stewart had eight receptions for 156 yards and three touchdowns.
Alabama also held Mississippi State’s dynamic quarterback Nick Fitzgerald to 145 yards passing and 15 yards rushing while throwing an interception.
The Alabama Crimson Tide won’t have Stewart on this year’s roster, and they also lose a lot from their vaunted defense, but they do return Hurts, and they’ll be counting on him to take a step forward in 2017.