No. 2 Alabama came into its SEC matchup with Ole Miss needing to answer some questions. Here is how the Crimson Tide answered four of them.
1. How many TDs for Tua?
Tua Tagovailoa had back-to-back games with five touchdowns coming into Saturday. He did it again against Ole Miss, completing six TDs this time, all but one to DeVonta Smith. Tagovailoa ended 26 of 36 passing for 418 yards and six touchdowns.
2. Can Alabama hold Ole Miss to under 100 rushing yards?
Not even close. Ole Miss came into Saturday’s game averaging 178 per game. It wasn’t the running backs that game Alabama fits, it was quarterback John Rhys Plumlee. The speedster ran for 109 yards and the Rebels had 279 yards as a team, the most Alabama has allowed this year.
3. Will we see a gadget play from Ole Miss?
There was no trick play Ole Miss used on Alabama, but the running of quarterback John Rhys Plumlee threw the Crimson Tide for a loop for the first quarter and part of the second quarter. After that, Alabama figured out a scheme to limit Plumlee’s damage.
4. Who will be the top dog at receiver for Alabama?
Every week a different Alabama receiver steps up with a monster game. Against Ole Miss, DeVonta Smith was not just the hot hand, he was on fire, catching a 74-yard touchdown pass on the fourth play of the game and finishing with a school records for reiving yards (274) and touchdowns (5) in a game.
