Alabama Football: 5 Things We Learned About the Crimson Tide Against Vanderbilt

As expected, Alabama took one more step toward a clash of unbeatens against Louisiana State in college football's "Game of the Year" on Nov. 5 in Tuscaloosa, Ala.

This week's victim was Vanderbilt.

The Crimson Tide defeated the Commodores 34-0, and is often the case, Nick Saban's team was dominant on both sides of the ball.

Here are five things we either learned about or had confirmed in the Vanderbilt game.

The Pass Defense Bounced Back Nicely

After a so-so outing (by Alabama standards) against Florida last weekend in the Swamp, the Crimson Tide intercepted Vanderbilt quarterback Jordan Rodgers (the younger brother of Aaron) twice and didn't allow the Commodores to earn a single first down through the air.

The Run Defense Remains Awesome

One week after limiting Florida to 15 yards on 29 carries, the Crimson Tide held Vanderbilt to 41 yards on 19 carries. Commodores quarterback Jordan Rodgers led his team with 23 yards on four carries. No one else had more than six yards rushing.

The Tide Can Pass It When Necessary

Because Alabama has such a powerful defense and potent running game, the Crimson Tide haven't had to rely much on passing.

Quarterback A.J. McCarron showed he was up to the task in Saturday night's 34-0 victory against Vanderbilt by completing 23-of-30 for 237 yards with four touchdowns and no interceptions.

Remember the Name DeAndrew White

All season Alabama has been looking for a second standout wide receiver to complement Marquis Maze. The Crimson Tide may have found one on Saturday night against Vanderbilt.

Freshman DeAndrew White, a native of Houston, caught three passes for 58 yards and two touchdowns in Alabama's 34-0 victory against the Commodores.

Mark Barron Is a Star

Coveted as an NFL prospect (just like many of his defensive teammates), Alabama safety Mark Barron led the Crimson Tide with six tackles (1.5 for loss) and two pass breakups.