The No. 10 Alabama Crimson Tide secured a commanding 52-7 victory over Mercer at home on Saturday.
Recently, Alabama has been impressive, posting decisive wins against ranked teams like Missouri and LSU, along with beating Mercer, one of the leading teams in the FCS. The Crimson Tide has excelled on both offense and defense, fostering a strong sense of teamwork whenever the offense scores or the defense makes a stop.
There’s plenty to analyze from this game at Saban Field in Bryant-Denny Stadium. Here are five key observations:
**Strong Start in Tuscaloosa**
49 days after Alabama freshman wide receiver Ryan Williams made the game-winning touchdown against Georgia and freshman cornerback Zabien Brown sealed the victory with an interception, they both made headlines again on Saturday while wearing the No. 2 jersey.
Seventeen-year-old sensation Williams kicked off the scoring with a 29-yard run on Alabama’s first possession. On the following drive, he scored again in the first quarter, thanks to a powerful block from fellow receiver Germie Bernard.
After Alabama tight end/fullback Robbie Ouzts scored, Mercer returned to the field trailing 21-0, eager to change the momentum. The Bears advanced close to midfield, but after a short completion, Alabama defensive back DaShawn Jones delivered a big hit, resulting in a fumble that Brown recovered and returned 68 yards for a touchdown, putting Alabama ahead 28-0 before the halfway mark of the second quarter. This was the first defensive touchdown of the season, a significant milestone for the unit and defensive coordinator Kane Wommack.
“Those [defensive touchdowns] are thrilling,” DeBoer commented in the postgame press conference. “The players often talk about missed opportunities. Scoring that touchdown was a thrilling moment for the entire team because they’ve been securing takeaways, but we hadn’t yet converted one into a touchdown.”
Brown didn’t score again in the first half but his tight coverage limited Mercer’s quarterback Whitt Newbauer’s options. Together, the two No. 2’s accounted for 21 of Alabama’s first 28 points, allowing many starters to rest by the middle of the third quarter when the score was 38-7.
**Defensive Takeaways**
Alabama’s defense has recorded at least three turnovers in five consecutive games and in six of the last seven. Brown’s scoop-and-score followed a forced fumble by DaShawn Jones, while defensive lineman Damon Payne recovered another fumble after cornerback Domani Jackson caused a turnover, along with linebacker Qua Russaw’s remarkable interception, all contributing to this impressive streak.
“I’m pleased we secured three more takeaways,” DeBoer remarked. “Our defense has a mindset to force turnovers, especially early in the game. I like our current trajectory; we’re aggressively pursuing the ball.”
Winning the turnover battle is critical to winning matches, and Alabama’s last three games highlight this point. They have outscored opponents 128-20 in this span, with timely takeaways giving significant momentum to both sides of the ball, particularly against ranked teams like Missouri and LSU.
Since the second half against Georgia and leading up to the Mizzou game, Wommack and his unit have faced heavy scrutiny from the college football community, mainly due to their struggles to stop opponents on crucial third downs.
The concerning third-down statistics demonstrate this challenge, with Vanderbilt converting 12-of-18 attempts, South Carolina 7-of-15, and Tennessee 6-of-14. While the success rates against South Carolina and Tennessee appear better than against Vanderbilt, many conversions occurred in the second half.
However, the takeaways and notable score differentials indicate that Wommack’s Swarm Defense is performing well as Alabama strives for a place in the inaugural 12-team College Football Playoff.
