NCAA Football: Crimson Tide keep streak going with tough win over Razorbacks
Tuscaloosa, Alabama - The Alabama Crimson Tide continues to roll on as they outlasted the Arkansas Razorbacks in a big SEC showdown.
The second-ranked Tide beat the 21st-ranked Razorbacks 42-35 on Saturday night to extend their winning streak to five games, their second five-game trend of success this season.
With the loss, Arkansas’ winning streak of three games was snapped.
The first quarter was somewhat uneventful, as the Tide took a small 3-0 lead into the second, when both teams’ offenses finally exploded for points.
They went into halftime with Alabama up 24-14 and the Tide continued the momentum into the third, scoring more points while also holding Arkansas at arms length, despite the Razorbacks’ refusal to go down quietly.
The scoring trends continued into the fourth quarter. The Tide played the clock to their benefit and came out with an onside kick that luckily bounced Alabama’s way with just over a minute in regulation.
The player spotlight
Alabama sophomore quarterback Bryce Young (20) had yet another big-time game for the Tide as they make another push for a national title.
Young had a career night, taxing the Arkansas pass defense for a record amount of yards through the air.
He was the difference-maker for the Tide against a conference rival they were expected to dominate, but who proved very resilient.
Young finished the game with 31-for-40 passing, a school record of 559 yards, and five touchdowns.
The big picture
The Crimson Tide is set to clash with the Georgia Bulldogs in December for the SEC championship.
That game might be bigger than the college football playoff games which both Alabama and Georgia are set to find themselves in, even if they do indeed matchup in the national championship brackets.
The Tide are the defending NCAA champions and going by past seasons, there's every chance they'll kick things into a higher gear to run the table for all the glory when the year’s done. It's what they do best, after all.
Next Saturday, the Tide will roll into Auburn to face the Tigers while the Razorbacks are at home to take on the Missouri Tigers.
Cover photo: IMAGO/ZUMA Wire