Chattanooga vs. Alabama: Game Grades, Analysis for Tide

It was not pretty, but the Alabama Crimson Tide improved to 11-0 Saturday night with a 31-3 victory over the Chattanooga Mocs.

The Crimson Tide got off to a slow start, trailing 3-0 after the opening quarter, but quickly took control of the game. Jalen Hurts was running the ball early and often, but it was his three touchdown passes that made the difference in the game.

The Tide's 31 points were the lowest score ever for one of Nick Saban's Alabama teams against an FCS opponent. It's a lose-lose situation when it comes to how people view a game against an FCS team, but the nation's top-ranked team stayed undefeated, and that's what matters.

Pass Offense

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There were not many opportunities to take a shot in the passing game, but Hurts made the most of his chances. The freshman hit Calvin Ridley for a 47-yard touchdown pass to open the second quarter, and the Tide never looked back. Hurts finished with 136 yards and three touchdowns on 15-of-21 passing.

Ridley was the team's leading receiver, finishing the night with 94 yards and a touchdown on seven receptions. Graduate transfer Gehrig Dieter caught two touchdown passes in the game. 

Alabama's offensive line took some hits Saturday night, allowing three sacks. Cam Robinson and Korren Kirven went down with injuries in the final quarter, forcing reserve tight end Brandon Greene to change into a tackle-eligible jersey.

The Crimson Tide played without leading receiver ArDarius Stewart. 

Grade: C

Rush Offense

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It seemed like the safety of Jalen Hurts was the farthest thing from the minds of the coaching staff during the first half. The offense called for plenty of designed runs for the freshman quarterback, and fans constantly held their breath whenever he was tackled.

Hurts finished with 68 rushing yards on a team-high 16 carries. He kept the ball on the majority of the read options, but the running backs still found time to impact the game.

Damien Harris finished with 91 yards on just 13 carries, including a 25-yard touchdown run in the third quarter. Joshua Jacobs had 17 yards on five carries but lost a fumble in the fourth quarter. As a team, the Tide fell just short of the 200-yard mark but still averaged 5.7 yards per carry.

Grade: B-

Pass Defense

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The Tide's secondary had a rough start to the night, allowing 57 passing yards on Chattanooga's opening drive, which led to a field goal.

The Mocs completed 17 of 24 pass attempts but only finished with 114 yards through the air. The visitors used two different quarterbacks and seven different receivers before finishing with just 4.8 yards per pass. Chattanooga's offensive line played well and did not allow a single sack to the nation's top pass rush, but the Crimson Tide still had four quarterback hurries.

Alabama's secondary did not record a single pass breakup on the night, but that was mostly due to the short throws by the Mocs. Chattanooga's biggest play of the game was on a 31-yard pass play in the first quarter.

Ronnie Harrison and Tony Brown led the team in solo tackles with eight and five, respectively. 

Grade: B-

Rush Defense

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Alabama's rush defense was once again the strongest part of the game for the home team.

The Crimson Tide finished the night with eight tackles for a loss and only allowed 70 rushing yards. The Mocs had two runs of 10 yards or more, but they finished with just an average of 2.3 yards per carry.

Richardre Bagley should have been the go-to back for the visitors, as he finished with 35 yards on just five carries. The rest of the team had 35 yards on 25 carries.

Rashaan Evans fell on a fumble in the fourth quarter to set up the game's final score. 

Grade: A

Special Teams

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JK Scott saw the field more in the first half against Chattanooga than he did in the entire game against Mississippi State. His five punts tied a season high, but the junior punter made the most of his opportunities with a net average of 41.2 yards per punt.

Adam Griffith made two extra points in the first half, but it was Andy Pappanastos who took over in the second half. The backup kicker added two extra points of his own and a 33-yard field goal, his first of the season. 

Trevon Diggs finished with 20 yards on three punt returns but still did not look completely comfortable returning kicks. Keaton Anderson recovered a muffed punt in the first half, setting up a touchdown for the Crimson Tide.

Grade: A-

Coaching

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Coaches may not be to blame for the slow start, but fans were certainly unhappy with putting Hurts in harm's way early in the game. The Tide were expecting to get a chance for young players and backups to see the field in the second half, but the reserves did not come in until late in the fourth quarter.

Injuries to Cam Robinson and Korren Kirven in the final frame were probably unavoidable with the lead being small, but the coaches could have made a decision to take out starters a little sooner with the game in hand. Coach Nick Saban held out ArDarius Stewart for what he called a "violation of our standard of behavior." 

Grade: B