For the 2017 University of Alabama football season, TideSports intern Terrin Waack will provide select stellar stats, obscure facts and notable quotes from the most recent game to show how the Crimson Tide uses “The Process” against its opponents.
No. 1 Alabama defeated Mercer, 56-0, at Bryant-Denny Stadium on Saturday in front of 101,821 people, which is by no means an accurate attendance count. It was definitely not a full house.
Stellar stats
• The Alabama senior class boasts a 51-4 record. That win total equals the NCAA record set by Alabama’s 2016 graduating class. What a Senior Day.
• With the victory over Mercer, Alabama has defeated 73 consecutive unranked teams during the Nick Saban era, which is a new Football Bowl Subdivision high.
• Between quarterbacks Jalen Hurts and Tua Tagovailoa, the Crimson Tide had six touchdown passes, good for second-most in program history. Seven is the number to beat, which was done against Southern Miss in 1950.
• Alabama has posted points in each of the past 49 quarters, dating back to the fourth quarter of last season’s playoff game against Washington. That is the longest streak in the FBS since 2005 when Stanford went on a 46-quarter roll.
• Linebacker Dylan Moses and defensive backs Hootie Jones and Deionte Thompson all had interceptions. Three in one game is a season-high. Alabama hasn’t done that since last season’s SEC Championship Game.
Obscure facts
• The Crimson Tide has shut out 21 opponents under Saban. On the flip side, the last time Alabama failed to post any points on the scoreboard itself was the 2000 Iron Bowl. Guess who’s next on the schedule.
• JK Scott kicked PATs for the first time since 2015. He had only done so twice before but made all eight against Mercer.
• Alabama’s back-up back-up quarterback played. No, it wasn’t Mac Jones. It was Austin Johnson. He never threw the ball, but he did run with it twice for 8 yards.
• That was Mercer’s worst defeat since 1941 when it lost to Georgia, 81-0. Woof. That’s rough. Granted, the program was shut down for five years after that season.
• Alabama played a season-high 75 players.
Wait, what?
• There’s only one regular season game left.
• Read this Thursday: Happy Thanksgiving.
• Google Baker Mayfield and watch what he did during Oklahoma’s game against Kansas.
CFP rankings check-in
1. Alabama — defeated Mercer, 56-0.
2. Clemson — defeated The Citadel, 61-3.
3. Miami — defeated Virginia, 44-28.
4. Oklahoma — defeated Kansas, 41-3.
Quoting Nick Saban
On seniors playing their last game in Bryant-Denny Stadium…
“For two or three of the guys, they were walking out for the second half and saying, ‘This is the last time I’m going to walk down this tunnel with you.’ ”
Quoting the Crimson Tide
Wide receiver Cam Sims on his Senior Day emotions…
“It really didn’t hit me until we ran out to get go our family for the senior ceremonies. It didn’t hit me until then, and I almost shed a tear, but I knew I couldn’t shed a tear before the game.”
Quoting the opponent
Mercer coach Bobby Lamb on overall thoughts…
“I guess the only state we won (Saturday) was time of possession, and that’s because they were scoring so doggone quick.”
He also gave Alabama punter JK Scott some high praise.
“This team here is really good in all phases of the game, and you add their punter who can punt it to the moon and back, it’s a very difficult football team.”
Name of the game
MC: Brian Forrestal
The redshirt freshman is a defensive lineman for the Bears. His last name is just like Alabama tight end Miller Forristall’s, but not.
GAME LEADERS
Top 3 rushers
1. MC: Tee Mitchell, 17 carries for 57 yards
2. UA: Bo Scarbrough, five carries for 54 yards
3. UA: Brian Robinson Jr., seven carries for 50 yards and a touchdown
Top 3 receivers
1. UA: Calvin Ridley, three receptions for 103 yards and a touchdown
2. UA: Josh Jacobs, two receptions for 45 yards and a touchdown
3. MC: Sam Walker, four receptions for 33 yards
Top 3 passers
1. UA: Jalen Hurts, 7-7-0 for 180 yards and three touchdowns
2. UA: Tua Tagovailoa, 7-11-0 for 85 yards and three touchdowns
3. MC: Kaelan Riley, 6-19-3 for 44 yards
Top 3 defenders
1. UA: Dylan Moses, 11 total tackles (four tackles for loss and an interception)
2. MC: Eric Jackson, nine total tackles
3. MC: Lee Bennett: seven total tackles (a pass breakup)
NEXT UP
Alabama (11-0) heads to Auburn (9-2) on Saturday for a winner-takes-all Iron Bowl at Jordan-Hare Stadium. The game will kickoff at 2:30 p.m. and air on CBS.
