No. 1 Alabama scored two defensive touchdowns and another on special teams to overcome a three-touchdown deficit and beat No. 19 Mississippi 48-43 in a Southeastern Conference showdown on Saturday.

Alabama (3-0, 1-0 SEC) freshman quarterback Jalen Hurts threw for 158 yards and ran for 146 more but it was unlikely touchdowns from Jonathan Allen, Da’Ron Payne and Eddie Jackson that proved to be the biggest plays of the game.

Ole Miss had 527 yards total to Alabama’s 492 but it wasn’t enough. (see total stats here)

Ole Miss (1-2, 0-1) looked like it might be on its way to a third straight win over the Tide late in the second quarter. Instead, it was the Rebels’ second collapse in three games.

Ole Miss took a 24-3 lead with 2:47 remaining in the first half after defensive end Marquis Haynes’ big hit on Hurts, forcing a fumble that fellow defensive lineman John Youngblood scooped up and ran 44 yards for a touchdown.

But Alabama responded. The Tide needed just three plays and 37 seconds to pull within 24-10 after Calvin Ridley ran for a 6-yard score. Ole Miss was forced to punt on the next drive and Jackson returned a punt 85 yards for a touchdown, evading several tacklers before bolting down the right sideline for the touchdown.

In just 65 seconds, Alabama had turned a 21-point deficit into a manageable 24-17 game at halftime.

Ole Miss’ Chad Kelly threw for a career-high 421 yards and three touchdowns, but it was two costly turnovers in the second half that handed the game to Alabama.

Kelly fumbled deep in Ole Miss territory and Payne recovered before scoring a 3-yard touchdown to tie the game at 24. In the fourth quarter, the Rebels QB was under pressure and threw a ball right to Alabama’s 291-pound Allen, who ran the ball back for a 75-yard touchdown and a 48-30 Crimson Tide lead.

Ole Miss scored two late touchdowns to make things interesting, but Alabama was able to run out the clock for the win.

THE TAKEAWAY

Alabama: Coach Nick Saban and Alabama finally beat Ole Miss after two straight losses against the Rebels. Alabama was tested, but is once again the team to beat in the SEC Western Division.

Mississippi: It’s another frustrating collapse for the Rebels, who also led 28-6 against Florida State in the season opener before losing 45-34 to the Seminoles.

POLL IMPLICATIONS

Alabama: The Tide will almost certainly remain at No. 1 after a difficult, but resilient win on the road against a ranked opponent.

Mississippi: With a 1-2 record, the Rebels will probably fall out of the Top 25 despite losing to two ranked opponents.

 

Live Updates from the game:

It’s No. 19 Ole Miss vs. No. 1 Alabama today from Vaught-Hemingway Stadium in Oxford. We will have live updates here throughout the game so bookmark this page and return back at game time for the Rebels-Crimson Tide score.

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Three and out for Ole Miss. Gleeson punts it 50 yards and Alabama takes over at their 42 yard-line. Alabama 34, Ole Miss 30 9:36 4Q

After a holding call, Rebels had Alabama on a 2 & 18 deep in Tide territory but Jalen Hurts connected with Calvin Ridley for 45 yards. The drive then stalls, forcing Alabama to punt and JK Scott pins the Rebels back to their 11. Alabama 34, Ole Miss 30 10:59 4Q

Kelly starts the fourth quarter with a 25-yard pass to Van Jefferson. A pass interference call gave Ole Miss a fresh set of downs at the Alabama 28 but the drive stalls there. Gary Wunderlich hits a 38-yard field goal. Alabama 34, Ole Miss 30 13:17 4Q

End of 3rd Quarter: Alabama 34, Ole Miss 27

On Alabama’ s next possession, running back Damien Harris runs it 68 yards for a touchdown but is then ruled down at the 1. Two plays later Bo Scarborough scores. Alabama 34, Ole Miss 27 :16 3Q

Rebels looked to have a 33-yard touchdown pass from Kelly to Stringfellow, who was ruled down at the 1. Then a false start backs them up to the Alabama 6 yard line. Kelly is tackled and the 1 but fumbles and Stringfellow recovers in the end zone and ruled a touchdown. That play is then overturned and Gary Wunderlich hits a 18-yard field goal. Tie game, again. Ole Miss 27, Alabama 271:47 3Q

Ole Miss converts a big 3rd down to get near midfield. The running back depth took another potential hit as Eugene Brazely took a hard shot after a run and came out of the game. Injury timeout for Alabama two plays later. Rebels at the Bama 44 down 27-24 with 4:38 left 3Q.

Alabama tight end O.J. Howard gets his first catch of the game for 18 yards and Alabama entered Ole Miss territory, getting down to the Rebel 12. The defense gets a stop and the Tide convert a 30-yard field goal for their first lead of the game. Alabama has scored the last 24 points. Alabama 27, Ole Miss 24 6:03 3Q

Kelly is sacked, a short gain on a pass then an incompletion. Alabama blitzed on that drive and OL did not have an answer. Rebels punt and Alabama has it at their 37. Ole Miss 24, Alabama 24 10:27 3Q

On 2nd down, Chad Kelly is sacked at the 1, fumbles and Alabama recovers for the touchdown. We are now tied. at 24-24. Tide have scored last 21 points in the last 5+ minutes of game clock.

Tide converts one third down & long but are stuff on their second one of the drive. Tide punts it away and Ole Miss will have it at their 6 yard-line. Ole Miss 24, Alabama 17, 12:24 3Q

Alabama will start the second half with the ball at their 25 after the touchback

HALFTIME

It’s Ole Miss 24, Alabama 17 at the half. Alabama is right back in a game Ole Miss was in control of with 2:47 left in the second quarter.

Alabama strikes again on Eddie Jackson’ 85-yard punt return for a touchdown. There were penalties on the play, but both were on Ole Miss. And the momentum has shifted in a hurry at the end of the half. Ole Miss 24, Alabama 17, 1:05 2Q

Breeland Speaks was called for a personal foul on the fumble return. Ole Miss’ kickoff then goes out of bounds, resulting in 30 penalty yards to give the Crimson Tide the ball at midfield. Alabama gets in the end zone three plays later on Calvin Ridley’s 6-yard run on a direct snap. Ole Miss 24, Alabama 10, 2:10 2Q

Marquis Haynes come untouched off the edge and levels Hurts, who fumbles. John Youngblood picks up the loose ball and goes 44 yards for a touchdown. Ole Miss 24, Alabama 3, 2:47 2Q

Ole Miss gets the ball back, gets a fresh set of downs on Ryan Anderson’s late hit on Kelly and goes up top to Evan Engram for a 63-yard catch-and-run touchdown. Safety bit on the play action, and there wasn’t an Alabama defender anywhere near Engram down the right hash. Ole Miss 17, Alabama 3, 4:40 2Q

Kelly goes up top to Damore’ea Stringfellow, who outmuscles Marlon Humphrey for a 44-yard catch inside Alabama’s 15. Two passes and a run don’t go anywhere, but Ole Miss adds to its lead on Gary Wunderlich’s 23-yard field goal. Ole Miss 10, Alabama 3, 7:43 2Q

Teams trading punts, but Alabama’s JK Scott shanks his latest one for 8 yards. Ole Miss takes over at its own 44.

Montrell Custis drops a sure interception with Alabama backed up at its own 13-yard line after a pooch punt by Kelly. Rebels get the ball back though on a punt, but it will be at their own 26.

END OF FIRST QUARTER

Alabama drives into Ole Miss territory on its second drive. Jalen Hurts fumbles with Myles Hartsfield recovering for Ole Miss, but replay review showed Hurts was down before the ball popped up. Tide retain possession. Hurt’s third-down pass is out of bounds to Calvin Ridley, and Griffith’s 47-yard attempt is wide left. Rebels take over at their own 29.

Alabama converts three first downs on its first drive before Jalen Hurts misses a wide-open receiver in the end zone. Tide settles for Adam Griffith’s 32-yard field goal. Ole Miss rotated a lot of defensive players on that possession. Ole Miss 7, Alabama 3, 5:54 1Q

Alabama enters Ole Miss territory on its first possession. Cornerback Kailo Moore walks off the field after being tended to by trainers. Tony Bridges hasn’t played yet.

Ole Miss goes 75 yards on seven plays on the game’s first possession to take the early lead on Akeem Judd’s 23-yard touchdown run. Rebels implementing some option looks in their run game to keep Alabama’s defense honest. Judd went up the gut. Ole Miss 7, Alabama 0, 13:07 1Q

PREGAME

Ole Miss wins the toss, defers to second half. The Rebels will start on offense.

Defensive end Fadol Brown, who didn’t practice in fall camp while recovering from surgery on his fractured foot last season and played sparingly the first two games, is in a walking boot and street clothes. Doesn’t appear he’ll play.

Jeremy Liggins is also in street clothes. The offensive tackle and former Lafayette standout was suspended in camp for a violation of team standards and has yet to play.