Alabama’s defense could only line up and burn the team’s final timeout as Ole Miss lined up in victory formation, the 23-17 win over the Crimson Tide a foregone conclusion with 37 seconds left on the clock.
The defense, along with the rest of the team, shuffled off as fans rushed the field. By then, the first half where it gave up three points had been forgotten.
“When they scored, they got the crowd back into the game, got the momentum of the game, and basically, unless you answer it offensively with a scoring situation like that, you’ve got to do something to get the momentum of the game back,” coach Nick Saban said.
The momentum was in Alabama’s favor at the end of the second quarter. Quarterback Blake Sims found the end zone with just under four minutes in the quarter to give Alabama a 7-3 lead. Ole Miss went three-and-out on the next drive. Alabama then pinned Ole Miss at their own 18 on a 64-yard punt by freshman JK Scott.
On the first down of the Rebels’ ensuing drive, cornerback Cyrus Jones forced a fumble at the Ole Miss 13-yard-line. He recovered it and returned it for a 13-yard touchdown to give Alabama a 14-3 lead before the half.
The defense couldn’t stop the Rebels after halftime, and Ole Miss scored 20 points in a mistake-riddled second half.
“I didn’t think we finished the game like we needed to on defense,” Saban said. “We’re ahead 14-3 in the game and basically gave up a play that was a mental error in coverage. That gave Ole Miss the momentum of the game, and we never really got it back.”
After Ole Miss scored the tying touchdown in the fourth quarter, wide receiver Christion Jones was in position to return the ball. He caught the ball at the 11-yard-line and returned it 20 yards before Ole Miss’ Channing Ward forced a fumble and Kailo Moore recovered it.
With five and a half minutes left and the ball on Alabama’s 31-yard-line, Ole Miss began the final scoring drive of the game. After Bo Wallace completed a 10-yard touchdown pass to Jaylen Walton, Ole Miss went to attempt the extra point. It bounced wildly off the left goal post and failed before Alabama was cited with roughing the kicker.
It was the defense’s only penalty. A pass interference call earlier in the game was declined by Ole Miss.
“Just have a short memory,” Cyrus Jones said. “We can’t get down on ourselves. It’s all about having composure. When you win, you can’t get too high, and when you lose, you can’t get too low.”
