TUSCALOOSA, Ala. - One of college football’s statistical truisms the past few years has been you’re not going to beat Alabama if you can’t at least slow down the ground game.
That’s typically much easier said than done, but two defenses have already achieved the goal against the top-ranked Crimson Tide through three games.
The uncharacteristically unproductive running game hasn’t cost Alabama yet but No. 21 Mississippi visits Saturday night with the Tide coming off its worst rushing output since the South Carolina game in 2010.
Alabama managed just 66 yards on 21 carries against Colorado State and ranks last in the Southeastern Conference in rushing and only one spot higher in total offense. Ole Miss safety Cody Prewitt thinks it’s more aberration than trend.
“They were making mistakes that Alabama normally doesn’t make,” Prewitt said on Monday. “They had players not playing that will be playing against us. We’re absolutely expecting the best Alabama team to be out there. And that’s what we want. We want to line up and play them.”
Sports, Pages 21 on 09/25/2013