NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — Alabama had backup quarterback Austin Mack preparing all week to start at Vanderbilt with Keelon Russell limited by his injured ankle.
Turns out Russell is a bit of a quick healer.
Russell threw for 217 yards and three touchdowns, and No. 7 Alabama beat Vanderbilt 21-6 on Saturday in an ugly game that did little to help the Crimson Tide's stock for the College Football Playoff.
"We were definitely playing it day by day here throughout this week and especially the end of the week,” coach Kalen DeBoer said of Russell. “We truly didn’t really know the last 24 hours what direction we’d go. … If he can go, I expect him to go.”
Russell was 22 of 33 despite being sacked three times.
“Keelon is a dog,” wide receiver Lotzeir Brooks said. “He’s been on it. He had an injury but that didn’t stop him from anything. He’s just been putting the work in head down, and he was able to play today.”
Alabama (8-2, 6-2 SEC) came in third in the CFP rankings but struggled for the first half against a team that came in having recently snapped a five-game skid. The Crimson Tide led only 7-3 at halftime thanks to Russell's 9-yard TD pass to Marshall Pritchett.
DeBoer was glad to get the win and would like to see Alabama do a better job finishing off an opponent especially with two games left in the regular season.
“We know we got to continue to move on, continue to improve,” DeBoer said. “We got areas we can do that and continue to get guys healthy is going to be a key as we make this final run.”
The Crimson Tide had five sacks and held Vanderbilt (4-6, 1-6) to a season-low 235 yards of total offense. The Commodores also turned it over on downs on three of their final four drives, twice inside the Alabama 15, and also missed a field goal late.
Vanderbilt forced three turnovers: A turnover on downs, Dontae Carter intercepted a pass, and Miles Capers forced a fumble by Russell recovered by Talan Carter. The Commodores held Alabama to 92 yards rushing.
The Crimson Tide had zero rushing yards after Russell slipped to the turf for a big loss and a turnover on downs early in the second quarter. Russell also had a pass batted into the air by Carter for his first career interception.
Russell opened the third quarter with a 75-yard drive he capped with a 39-yard catch-and-run pass to Lotzeir Brooks. When Dijon Lee Jr. returned a kickoff 83 yards, Russell finished the drive by finding Brooks with a 9-yard TD pass to put Alabama up 21-6 midway through the third.
“Keelon found ways to impact the game on minimal opportunities or reps throughout the week,” DeBoer said.
Vanderbilt couldn't overcome its own mistakes, which included more yards off penalties (52) than total offense (32) by halftime. After Carter's interception put them at the Alabama 17, Vanderbilt went backward with a false start, then lost yards on three straight plays before Brock Taylor kicked a 52-yard field goal for a 3-0 lead with 4:13 left in the second.
Coach Clark Lea called it a tough day for Vanderbilt.
“Obviously thought there were moments defensively where we played well enough, the two turnovers that created field position were big,” Lea said. “We just weren’t able to capitalize offensively and just felt like a mess on offense today.”
The takeaway
Alabama: The Crimson Tide came in ranked 87th nationally averaging a mere 143.8 yards per game. Vanderbilt stifled runs up the middle early, then finally Daniel Hill started breaking off chunks late in the first half. Hill finished with a team-high 89 yards on 14 carries.
Vanderbilt: The Commodores continue being their own worst enemy with 14 penalties for 92 yards, which helped keep them from converting a third down until 11:03 of the second quarter. Their best offensive weapon remains Taylor who connected on a field goal from 57 yards. Yet even he came up short early in the fourth on a 50-yarder.
Up next
Alabama hosts Chattanooga on Saturday.
Vanderbilt visits Florida on Saturday.
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