Tua Tagovailoa – Noteworthy
No. 1 Alabama finally found a team that could play toe to toe with the Crimson Tide, at least until halftime. The surprise twist: It was The Citadel, an FCS team, not a Southeastern Conference rival. Tua Tagovailoa passed for 340 yards and three touchdowns, but the Tide struggled for 30-plus minutes before putting away The Citadel in a 50-17 victory on Saturday. Alabama coach Nick Saban said his team learned a lesson – it must be mentally prepared. “I don’t really care who you’re playing,” he said. “Every team that comes here and plays us is going to give us their best shot,” Saban added. “These guys have got everything to gain and nothing to lose, and we’ve got nothing but downside in the game.” Alabama (11-0), which had coasted against SEC opponents, went into halftime tied at 10 with the Bulldogs (4-6). It wasn’t until ‘Bama scored two touchdowns in a 12-second span on its way to a 27-point third quarter that the Tide could rest easy. – AP College Football
