Alabama overcomes mistakes to beat Vanderbilt 21-6
Keelon Russell threw for 217 yards and three touchdowns as the Crimson Tide defense held the Commodores to a season-low 235 total yards.
| Kickoff | 12:45 PM ET |
|---|---|
| Venue | FirstBank Stadium |
| Spread | Alabama -14 |
| Total | 47.5 |
| TV | SEC Network |
|---|---|
| Streaming | the ESPN app |
Alabama at Vanderbilt airs on SEC Network. Each school's radio network carries the game, and the live score and every scoring play post here as it happens.
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Follow the full play-by-play and box score →No. 7 Alabama overcame three turnovers and a difficult first half to beat Vanderbilt 21-6 on Saturday in Nashville, with Keelon Russell throwing for 217 yards and three touchdowns. The Crimson Tide improved to 8-2 overall and 6-2 in SEC play, while the Commodores fell to 4-6 and 1-6.
Vanderbilt led 3-0 after Brock Taylor’s 52-yard field goal, but Russell answered with a 9-yard touchdown pass to Marshall Pritchett for a 7-3 halftime advantage. Russell, starting after hurting an ankle in Alabama’s win at LSU, threw his first career interception when Dontae Carter batted the pass into the air and secured it.
Alabama created separation in the third quarter. Russell completed a 39-yard catch-and-run touchdown pass to Lotzeir Brooks, then found Brooks again for a 9-yard score after Dijon Lee Jr. returned a kickoff 83 yards.
The Crimson Tide defense carried much of the load, recording five sacks and limiting Vanderbilt to a season-low 235 total yards. The Commodores turned the ball over on downs on three of their final four possessions, including twice inside the Alabama 15. Early in the fourth quarter, Taylor missed a 50-yard field-goal attempt.
Vanderbilt’s defense kept the game within reach by holding Alabama to 92 rushing yards. Miles Capers forced a Russell fumble recovered by Talan Carter. The Commodores also produced a turnover on downs.
Penalties repeatedly damaged Vanderbilt’s chances. The Commodores finished with 14 penalties for 92 yards and had more penalty yards than total offense at halftime, 52 to 32. After Carter’s interception gave Vanderbilt the ball at the Alabama 17, a false start and three plays that lost yardage forced the Commodores to settle for Taylor’s field goal.
Daniel Hill supplied Alabama’s best production on the ground, finishing with a team-high 89 yards on 14 carries. The Crimson Tide entered the game ranked 87th nationally in rushing offense at 143.8 yards per game, and Vanderbilt’s early success stopping inside runs made Alabama rely heavily on Russell and its defense.
Why it matters
Alabama moved to 8-2 overall and 6-2 in the SEC after entering the game third in the College Football Playoff rankings. Vanderbilt dropped to 4-6 overall and 1-6 in conference play after penalties and failed red-zone possessions erased several scoring chances.
What to watch next
On Saturday, Alabama hosts Chattanooga and Vanderbilt visits Florida.
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