CFB: Alabama Has Room to Improve
In the most anticipated Week 1 game of all-time, No. 1 Alabama took on No. 3 Florida State in the Chick-fil-A Kickoff Game, in Atlanta, Georgia. Early in the game, Florida State's Deondre Francois controlled the tempo and threw a touchdown pass which helped the Seminoles get out to an early 7-3 lead.
However, the next drive, Alabama went 85 yards in 15 plays and sophomore Jalen Hurts threw a 53-yard bomb to a streaking Calvin Ridley. Hurts completed all seven of his passes that drive. This gave Alabama a 10-7 advantage. And that score would remain the same going into halftime.
Towards the end of the third quarter, Alabama blocked a punt which put them inside the 15-yard line, but it just resulted in a second field goal because Derwin James and the rest of the Florida State defense came to play. With Alabama up 13-7, the next play was yet another special teams mishap for the 'Noles.
Alabama's special teams unit forced a fumble on the kick return, which led to a rushing touchdown, by Damien Harris, extending the Crimson Tide lead to 19- 7. Alabama also converted the 2-point conversion, after Hurts scrambled and found Ridley open near the sideline - bringing the score to 21-7.
These two plays changed the momentum of the game in the favor of Alabama, because the next drive, Francois threw a pick. Then, early in the fourth quarter, he threw his second interception. Unfortunately for Florida State, during the 5:30 mark of the fourth, Francois got hit hard on a pass and the defender landed on his knee.
He was taken out of the game, and we're waiting on reports to know the severity of the injury, and how long it'll keep him out. Alabama won the game, 24-7, and the Seminoles showed that they need to be sounder on special teams with a lot of costly turnovers coming on that side of the ball.
Moving forward, they need to do a better job of protecting Francois so he does not take any more of those big hits. Also, they need to learn how to keep their foot on the gas the whole game, instead of playing conservatively for a stretch. For Alabama, this was not their prettiest win, but their special teams helped them out a great deal.
Alabama's offensive still needs some work - Hurts went 10/18 for just 96 yards and one touchdown, which might be okay for this game because other areas of the team stepped up, but he, along with Bo Scarbrough, will have to have a better time later in the season if they want to win the national championship, which is always the goal for Nick Saban.
Photo Credit: CBS & Sporting News.
