How one late decision led to Alabama's game-winning drive
STARKVILLE, Miss. — Calvin Ridley shook his head, but ultimately Jalen Hurts had the last word. Facing a third-and-15 at the Alabama 43 with 31 seconds remaining in a tie game, the sophomore quarterback saw something he liked in Mississippi State’s defense.
“I told him to run a route that I wanted him to run, and he kind of shook his head no at first,” Hurts said of the play. “I said, ‘Trust me, I got you.’ That’s the trust and togetherness I’m talking about.”
Hurts hit Calvin on a slant over the middle, allowing the junior to pick up the first down on a 31-yard gain to the Mississippi State 26-yard line.
“They blitzed everybody, and just ran as fast I can,” Ridley said. “I just wanted to help us do something.”
Ridley helped indeed. The following play, Hurts connected with Devonta Smith on another slant pass, allowing the freshman to race into the end zone for a 26-yard touchdown with 25 seconds remaining to secure a 31-24 win for Alabama.
“They had all-out pressure once again, and [Smith] did a good job of catching and controlling the ball and he made somebody miss and he got in the end zone,” Hurts said. “I don’t who it was, it was an ESPN guy, he was working with the video crew. It was like in the third quarter and I told him, I said. ‘I was built for stuff like this. We were built for stuff like this.’
“As a team, I think we’re built for situations like this. We try to establish ourselves as a fourth-quarter team and we got it done tonight. It was ugly but we got it done.”
Before embarking on the game-winning drive, Hurts said he couldn’t help but think of how former Clemson quarterback Deshaun Watson led the Tigers down the field to beat the Crimson Tide in last season’s national championship game. Watson started that drive with 2:01 left on the clock before going 68 yards on nine plays to beat Alabama on a last-second touchdown to Hunter Renfrow.
Saturday, Hurts wasn’t given as much luxury. Alabama also started its final drive at its own 32-yard line. However, Hurts was given the ball with only 1:01 left on the clock. Watson also didn’t have to deal with 60,000 cowbells ringing relentlessly from the stands.
Nonetheless, Hurts kept his usual poise, staying calm and collected in the huddle.
“Same as always,” offensive lineman Jonah Williams said with a smile. “I mean, that’s his whole M.O. We didn’t even think about it that way, he just gets the plays and executes, very cut and dry.”
Hurts finished the night 10 of 19 passing for 242 yards and a touchdown. He also added 40 yards and a touchdown on 19 carries, using his feet to escape constant pressure in the pocket. Outside of his touchdown pass to Smith, Hurts biggest moment came on a fourth-and-4 with Alabama trail 24-17 with 10:55 remaining. On that play, the sophomore tucked the ball for 13 yards, setting up a 14-yard touchdown run from running back Damien Harris two plays later.
“That’s why we love Jalen’s feet and running,” Ridley said. “We ain’t going to get open every time. He does the little things we need sometimes.”
Hurts is no stranger to big moments. He scored the eventual game-winning touchdown during last season’s 10-0 victory over LSU and would have provided the game-winning score against Clemson had Alabama been able to hold off Watson’s comeback. However, Saturday was the first time the quarterback played hero with his arm.
“I think I’m impressed that we make plays anyway that we can,” Alabama head coach Nick Saban said. “I don’t select and say ‘I hope you can make them with your arm, don’t make them with your feet.’ Because basically, you make them however you got to make them to win.”
Hurts did that Saturday, and it’s the reason why Alabama made it out of Starkville with its perfect season still intact.