Saban Working To Keep Tide Focused On What’s Ahead, Not Behind

LSU was averaging 309 rushing yards and had 54. Alabama won that game, which got them one step ahead of the SEC Championship game.

Alabama at Mississippi State Saturday, 12:30 pm PT – CBS CRIS Opener: Alabama -7 O/U 49.5 CRIS Current: Alabama -7.5 O/U 50 Recommendation: Alabama Off last week’s win over LSU, Alabama has positioned itself for a berth in the four-team playoffs. Baylor has its most significant game of the season thus far Saturday against Oklahoma. In 2015, the Bulldogs are the 20th ranked team, whereas Alabama is the No. 4 ranked team and will move up in the ranking when the second College Football Playoff rankings come out tonight.

MI is ranked in the top five in the nation in all four major defensive statistical categories, No. 1 in scoring defense, No. 2 in total defense and No. 3 against the run and No. 3 in passing yardage allowed. Fournette, on the other hand, melted under the big lights, rushing for a mere 31 yards on 19 carries and a touchdown.

According to Brett McMurphy of ESPN, LSU running back Leonard Fournette, the favorite for much of the year, now trails Henry in the race for the award. Moore had been trying to come back from a knee injury several weeks earlier against Carolina. “That’s their bread and butter”. The Tigers finished with a meager 54. “So to be able to control that with our front seven was really good”, Saban said. First, he switched to offense to become a goal-line blocker for one of running back Derrick Henry’s touchdowns. Jake Coker was solid again under center, but the star of the game was undoubtedly Derrick Henry, who rushed for 210 yards and three touchdowns on 38 carries. The interest should focus on that other spot, whether it goes to an undefeated Big 12 team like Oklahoma State or Baylor, undefeated Big Ten West leader Iowa or one-loss Notre Dame. He’s been painfully efficient this season, completing almost 70 percent of his passes and throwing just one interception to 18 touchdowns.

“The practice was recognizable as the style of practice we have”, Miles said. “They executed and we didn’t”. “And they hit a couple big plays on us”. According to senior linebacker Dillon Lee, that shouldn’t be a problem this week.

On Alabama’s ensuing drive, Henry scored from three yards out to make it 10-0 midway through the second quarter.

Arkansas defensive coordinator Robb Smith was asked about game-planning vs. Fournette. He was held out of interviews after the game as was Harris.

Granted, there’s a lot of football left to be played. “We couldn’t get on track offensively”. The auction victor will also receive autographs from coaches Steve Spurrier and Les Miles. “We needed a game like that”. We can’t take those kinds of events.

“I just told him to keep on playing hard and keep making plays for his team”, said Henry, who tracked down his LSU counterpart. Dan Mullen has done a very good job there.

NOTES: LSU fullback John David Moore of Ruston returned to action in the first half against Alabama after missing LSU’s previous two games with a knee and thigh injury. He appeared to reinjure the knee and did not return to action. Putting that (Alabama) game behind us is a necessity. The auction ends at 11 a.m. Monday.

Will LSU rebound to recapture the trophy or will the red-hot Arkansas win its fifth game in six attempts to reclaim the Boot for another year? Go to your Gannett paper’s website and join the conversation.