For the 2018 University of Alabama football season, 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.  

ORLANDO — No. 1 Alabama defeated Louisville 51-14 at Camping World Stadium last Saturday in front of 57,280 people for the Crimson Tide’s season opener.

Stellar stats

  • The Crimson Tide continues its streak of winning every season opener during the Nick Saban era by at least 10 points.
  • Alabama has allowed just three touchdowns in its last three season openers.
  • Louisville managed only 11 rushing yards in the first half.
  • During the 2018 College Football Playoff National Championship Game, Alabama made a season-high 12 stops behind the line of scrimmage. That was its last game. It made 11 tackles for loss against Louisville to set this year’s bar early.
  • Alabama has scored in 228 consecutive games. It hasn’t been shut out since the 2000 Iron Bowl, which Auburn won 9-0.
  • Last week was the 104th week the Crimson has been ranked No. 1 in the AP Poll. The all-time record is a week longer and held by Ohio State, so Alabama could tie it this week.

Obscure facts

  • Saban has beaten Louisville coach Bobby Petrino five times now, outscoring him 197-59 (with four previous meetings when Petrino was at Arkansas).
  • Alabama hadn’t scored two non-offensive touchdowns in a game since the 2016 SEC Championship Game against Florida. But running back Josh Jacobs returned a kickoff 77 yards for a score this weekend and Shyheim Carter had a 45-yard interception return to the end zone.
  • That touchdown kickoff return by Jacobs was also the first since Kenyan Drake’s 95-yarder against Clemson in the 2016 CFP National Championship Game.
  • It has been five years since the Crimson Tide has scored on a rush, reception, kickoff return and interception. The last time was on Aug. 31, 2013, against Virginia Tech, another season opener.
  • For the first time since the second game of the 2016 season, versus Western Kentucky, Alabama quarterback Jalen Hurts did not start. Tua Tagovailoa did, and his two touchdown passes match the most from a starter under Saban on an opening day. AJ McCarron and John Parker Wilson did it in 2012 and 2008, respectively.
  • No one other than JK Scott had punted for Alabama since Jan. 2, 2014. Now, Skyler DeLong is the Crimson Tide’s punter. He booted three for 109 yards, which averages out to 36.3 yards per punt. Scott averaged 43 yards in his last season.

Quoting Nick Saban

ESPN’s Maria Taylor: “What answers did you have about your quarterbacks after watching both of them play tonight?”

Saban: “Well, I still like both guys. I think both guys are good guys. I think both guys can help our team, all right? So why do you continually try to get me to say something that doesn’t respect one of them? I’m not going to. So quit asking.”

About 15 minutes later in the postgame news conferene:

Saban: “If I sound a little bit pissed, you’re right. I am. All right? So you know, be careful.”

The spread

OddSharks.com had Alabama as a 23.5-point favorite. The Crimson Tide covered, winning by 37 points.

Quoting the Crimson Tide

Wide receiver Jerry Jeudy on smack talk from Louisville leading up to the game:

“Talk doesn’t really motivate us. We motivate ourselves.”

Quoting the opponent

Louisville coach Bobby Petrino on having four substitution infractions in the first half:

“Yeah. We had an issue on the offense where we were calling out a formation that’s also a personnel grouping. So the personnel grouping ran out on the field. True freshmen.”

GAME LEADERS

Top 3 rushers

  1. UA: Damien Harris, seven carries for 55 yards
  2. UA: Josh Jacobs, six carries for 45 yards and a touchdown
  3. UA: Brian Robinson Jr., seven carries for 41 yards

Top 3 receivers

  1. UA: DeVonta Smith, four receptions for 99 yards
  2. UL: Seth Dawkins, three receptions for 68 yards
  3. UA: Jaylen Waddle, three receptions for 66 yards

Top 3 passers

  1. UL: Jawon Pass, 20-39-2 for 252 yards and two touchdowns (sacked three times)
  2. UA: Tua Tagovailoa, 12-16-0 for 227 yards and two touchdowns (sacked once)
  3. UA: Jalen Hurts, 5-9-0 for 70 yards

Top 3 defenders

  1. UL: P.J. Mbanasor, 7.5 total tackles
  2. UA: Saivion Smith, 5.5 total tackles
  3. UA: Mack Wilson, 4.5 total tackles (a quarterback hurry)

NEXT UP

Alabama (1-0) hosts Arkansas State (1-0) on Saturday at Bryant-Denny Stadium for the Crimson Tide’s home opener. The game will kick off at 2:30 p.m. and air on ESPN2.

Reach Terrin Waack at twaack@tuscaloosanews.com or at 205-722-0229.

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