No. 9 Alabama took the lead for the first time all day in the fourth quarter in a 30-24 win over the No. 11 Rebels on Saturday. After trailing for most of the game, Alabama got two field goals from Will Reichardt in the final period and held Ole Miss scoreless over the final 15 minutes. Ole Miss got the ball back with 2:23 to go after Reichardt’s second field goal of the quarter and got within striking distance of the end zone thanks to a great performance by running back Quinshon Judkins. But Ole Miss ran away from Judkins on the final 4 plays of its final drive, and Jaxson Dart’s fourth-down pass into the end zone fell incomplete with less than 45 seconds left. Alabama coach Nick Saban couldn’t hide the smile on his face after the game. The Crimson Tide were effectively eliminated from playoff contention a week ago when they lost 32-31 to the Tigers in overtime. “I’m so proud of these players for what they did tonight, it was great,” Saban told CBS after the game. Alabama’s Jahmyr Gibbs (1) battles Mississippi safety Otis Reese (3) during the first half of an NCAA college football game in Oxford, Miss., Saturday, Nov. 12, 2022. (AP Photo/Thomas Graning) Judkins scored two TDs off direct snaps in the first half as Ole Miss took a 17-7 lead early in the game. But Ole Miss’ chances of putting Alabama away disappeared late in the first half when Zach Evans fumbled the ball deep in Ole Miss territory. Terrion Arnold ran into the end zone with the ball, but Alabama didn’t get the TD because the officials had initially ruled Evans. Alabama then scored eight seconds before halftime to cut Ole Miss’ lead to three and never trailed by more than a score the rest of the way. Alabama QB Bryce Young was 21-of-33 passing for 209 yards and three touchdowns, while Alabama’s defensive line took over in the second half. The Tide began to steadily pressure Dart in the second half as Ole Miss went the final 22 minutes and turnovers without scoring a single point.
LSU beat Arkansas
The Tigers entered Saturday with a simple script to represent the West in the SEC title game. They just had to beat Arkansas and Alabama had to beat Ole Miss. This scenario proved difficult to execute. LSU needed a monster game from freshman quarterback Harold Perkins to beat Arkansas and its backup quarterbacks 13-10. The story continues But now the Tigers can focus on a possible showdown with Georgia in Atlanta in three weeks, as the No. 1 Bulldogs need just one more win to clinch the division. LSU is also now the West’s only hope for a spot in the College Football Playoff, though its chances are slim at best. No two-loss team has ever made the playoffs, and Ole Miss, Alabama and LSU can do no better than 10-2 in the regular season. If the Tigers beat Georgia in the SEC title game, then there is a chance they could snap the teams two-game losing streak. But Alabama and Ole Miss are out of luck. Their best hopes are now for a New Year’s Six bowl.
