In the biggest game of the season for the Crimson Tide, Jalen Milroe came up with the best performance of his career to help Alabama defeat LSU 42-28 and put the team squarely in position to represent the SEC West in Atlanta.
Tide fans hoping to see Milroe run the ball more got their wish and more on Saturday night in Bryant-Denny, with the Crimson Tide QB carrying the ball 20 times for 155 yards and four touchdowns.
As has been characteristic with this team, Alabama did not get off to the fastest of starts, punting on its first drive and allowing a quick Tiger scoring drive to put LSU on top early.
Going into this one, we knew that LSU had major issues on the defensive end and would have to outgun Alabama in order to win. The Tide took advantage of leakiness in the Tiger defense on the next two drives, scoring touchdowns on both via the legs of Jalen Milroe.
WALK 👏 IT 👏 IN👏@JalenMilroe
📺 CBS pic.twitter.com/paJBpd6UU0
— Alabama Football (@AlabamaFTBL) November 5, 2023
ANGRY RUNS 😤😤😤@JalenMilroe
📺 CBS pic.twitter.com/WRgwbrhI3i
— Alabama Football (@AlabamaFTBL) November 5, 2023
LSU would tie the game at 14, thanks to Jayden Daniels’ phenomenal running, which was consistent throughout the night. Milroe followed that up with a scoring drive that ended in his third rushing touchdown of the half, but a minute on the clock was too much time to leave Daniels and LSU, who scored once again to tie the game at 21 headed into halftime.
See you later. 👋@JalenMilroe
📺 CBS pic.twitter.com/x2wmO8HQEx
— Alabama Football (@AlabamaFTBL) November 5, 2023
LSU would score their final points of the night on the first drive of the second half, also securing their final lead with Daniels leading a surgical 9 play, 75-yard scoring driver to put the Tigers up 28-21.
A quick response from Alabama led to a Roydell Williams rushing touchdown, tying the game. This was followed by a critical stop and another touchdown drive that ended in Milroe’s fourth rushing touchdown, putting the Tide up for good.
The biggest play of the night came after Alabama took the lead, with Dallas Turner tipping the ball up and allowing Terrion Arnold to make an easy interception for the first turnover of the game for either team.
Tip Drill! 👏@ArnoldTerrion
📺 CBS pic.twitter.com/2eKmSZy1OS
— Alabama Football (@AlabamaFTBL) November 5, 2023
With Alabama up two scores, Jayden Daniels went out of the game due to injury and the Crimson Tide was able to hold on and secure the 42-28 win.
In perhaps the most amazing stat of the season, Alabama converted 11 of 14 of its third down attempts, with many of them over five yards. While this speaks to the struggles LSU has on defense, it also says so much about the development of Jalen Milroe.
Milroe wonderfully chose his spots yesterday, deciding when to run and when to throw. He looked comfortable and poised, embodying the quarterback Alabama needed him to be.
Alabama is getting better every week and if it can continue to improve and keep winning ball games, this is a team that still has everything in front of it.
Michael Brauner is a Senior Sports Analyst and Contributing Writer for Yellowhammer News. You can follow him on Twitter @MBraunerWNSP
