The Alabama Crimson Tide earned a 34-0 victory over the Missouri Tigers at Bryant-Denny Stadium on Saturday afternoon in what was the team’s best overall performance of the entire season to this point.
As has been the case for most of the season with the Alabama offense, the unit got off to a slow start and struggled through large portions of the first half. The Tide converted a field goal on the first drive of the game, but punted three straight times before making another field goal to take a 6-0 lead.
Missouri star quarterback Brady Cook, who was injured going into the matchup already, was knocked out of the game in the second quarter and Alabama was able to capitalize. Malachi Moore intercepted backup Drew Pyne and a nice return set the Tide up for what would end up as their first touchdown of the day with Jam Miller taking it in:
GIMME DAT!!!! 😤@malachi_moore13
📺: ABC pic.twitter.com/EA0w50y11A
— Alabama Football (@AlabamaFTBL) October 26, 2024
Rammer JAMmer 💪@JamarionMiller1
📺: ABC pic.twitter.com/QdpIPGPtLx
— Alabama Football (@AlabamaFTBL) October 26, 2024
That would wrap up the scoring for the first half, but the Tide would go on a 6-play, 80-yard touchdown drive on their first possession of the second half capped off by a Jalen Milroe rush from nine yards out:
👀4️⃣🙌😤@JalenMilroe
📺: ABC pic.twitter.com/gamynkkDha
— Alabama Football (@AlabamaFTBL) October 26, 2024
Alabama continued to dominate on defense throughout the second half as Pyne struggled, throwing two interceptions on the first two Tiger offensive possessions of the second half, the second of which led to Miller’s second rushing touchdown of the game:
SNAGGED 👀👀@quarussaw
📺: ABC pic.twitter.com/E54m4toFdS
— Alabama Football (@AlabamaFTBL) October 26, 2024
Jam’s Jammin’ 👊
📺: ABC pic.twitter.com/kwZ4xFKGam
— Alabama Football (@AlabamaFTBL) October 26, 2024
The play of the game – and really one of the plays of the season – came early in the fourth quarter when Justice Haynes was handed to ball at Missouri’s 35 yard line. Haynes dashed up the middle and found a little bit of space before absolutely leveling a Tiger defender to the ground, bouncing back out to the outside, and outrunning defenders into the end zone:
BRING THE BOOOM!!! 💥💥💥@justicehaynes6
📺ABC pic.twitter.com/hk1GmN9uk3
— Alabama Football (@AlabamaFTBL) October 26, 2024
The Tide preserved the shutout when it held the Tigers on the team’s ensuing possession from goal to go inside the five on four straight plays, standing up tall and earning the celebration to a much delighted Tuscaloosa crowd.
It’s a huge victory for Alabama who now get a well deserved bye week before heading to Death Valley two weeks from now where they will try to continue to keep their season alive against LSU.
Michael Brauner is a Senior Sports Analyst and Contributing Writer for Yellowhammer News. You can follow him on Twitter @MBraunerWNSP and hear him every weekday morning from 6 to 9 a.m. on “The Opening Kickoff” on WNSP-FM 105.5, available free online.
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