Alabama’s first touchdown of the day on Saturday afternoon was the quickest the Crimson Tide have scored a touchdown under Nick Saban since his very first game.
It took UA just two plays and 39 seconds to go 73 yards for a score, finished by a 55-yard run from quarterback Jalen Hurts. The only time Alabama has scored faster than that under Saban was in the season opener in 2007 against Western Carolina, when Terry Grant ran 47 yards for a touchdown on the first play of the game. That score took just 22 seconds.
Alabama has scored on its first offensive play a few other times under Saban, but all came after the opponent had a possession first. Amari Cooper had an 80-yard touchdown on the first play against Tennessee in 2014 after the Volunteers started the game with the ball. Kenyan Drake had an 87-yard touchdown on UA’s first offensive play against Florida in 2014 after the Gators had one possession.
Grant had a touchdown run on Alabama’s first offensive play against Vanderbilt in 2007 after the Commodores punted and the ball was returned to the one.
Mark Barron returned an interception for a touchdown on South Carolina’s first possession against Alabama in 2010, just over a minute into the game.
All of those touchdowns came later into the game than Hurts’ first touchdown run against the Bulldogs.
