ATLANTA – Bryce Young led the Tide to a 44-13 win over Miami on Saturday at Mercedes Benz Stadium to kickoff the 2021 season. From start to finish, it was total domination by Alabama, as they started their title defense.
Here’s how it went down in the ATL on Saturday afternoon.
Miami wins the toss and elected to defer to the second half. The Tide opened up the game on their 25-yard line after the Canes booted it out of the endzone. The first play from scrimmage was a 3-yard carry. That followed a bomb from Young on the second play of the game. However, Jameson Williams slipped and was unable to corral the pass.
That wouldn’t slow down the Tide, though, as Young connected with John Metchie, who was wide open on the left sideline for the catch. He would take this one, diving into the endzone to give Bama the quick 7-0 lead with only 2:53 expired from the game clock.
Miami then had their chance to open the season for the first time on offense. They would get started on their 25-yard line, and D’Eriq King connected with Charleston Rambo for a quick 7-yard reception. He followed that with another 7-yard pass to Will Mallory for a first down.
Then the Tide defense stood tall and forced a punt three plays later. Then Young and the offense went right back to work, marching, seemingly unchallenged downfield. However, the Tide offense fizzled out once in the red zone and would have to settle for a 38-yard Will Reichard field goal.
With Alabama leading 10-0 just over 10 minutes into this one, Miami needed a spark to get something going. This would not be the drive for that to happen though, as the Canes were quickly whisked off the field after a 3-and-out.
Things went from bad to worse for Miami on the ensuing defensive possession. Safety Bubba Bolden was ejected at the end of the 1st quarter for a targeting infraction. This would set Alabama up with a 1st and ten at the Canes 34-yard line to get the 2nd quarter started.
Three plays later, Young connected with Cameron Latu across the middle in the endzone for the 9-yard TD reception. This made it 17-0 with 14:12 still left in the 1st half, as things started to get away from the Canes.
The clinic was just getting started, though, as D’Eriq King got smothered in the backfield on 1st and 10 from the 36. He was rocked by Christopher Allen and the rest of the tide defense, forcing a fumble which was recovered by Allen.
Alabama took the turnover and converted it into points as Will Reichard drilled through a 51-yard field goal to make it 20-0 Bama with 11:33 left in the 1st half.
Miami continued to struggle to get anything going and suffered yet another 3-and-out. Tide kept rolling, adding a 25-yard TD connection from Young to Cameron Latu, making it 27-0 with 6:55 left in the half.
By this point, the discrepancy was egregious. Bama had 279 yards of total offense compared to just 43 yards by the Canes.
Miami’s lone breathe of life in the first half would come on the final drive, where they were able to get on the board with an Andy Borregales 37-yard field goal. As they went to the locker room at the half, Tide was all over this one 27-3.
The Canes started off the 2nd half with some momentum and promise. They were able to get it all the way to the goal line. However, after a failed 4th down conversion, they would turn the ball back to the Tide.
Three plays later, Young threw one on a rope to Jameson Willams, who caught it in stride and turned on the afterburners to make his way to the house on the 94-yard score. This made it 34-3 Tide with 9:29 left in the 3rd.
The Canes following possession would end as quickly as it started on a King interception by Malachi Moore on the second play of the drive. Alabama then took just five plays to get back into the endzone as Trey Sanders bounced to the right sideline and took it in for the 20-yard score to make it 41-3.
Miami refused to back down though and finally were able to find their way into the endzone on the ensuing possession. King would find Xavier Restrepo in the back left corner of the endzone for a TD, capping a 7-play 75-yard drive. This made it 41-10 Alabama with 5:18 left in the 3rd quarter.
Bama’s Young was hit for a sack-fumble on the Tides’ next drive as the Canes tried to scrape their way back into this one. Miami took over 1st and ten at the Tide 25 yard line.
They were unable to get into the endzone and had to settle for a Borregales 28 yard field goal to make it a 28-point game. Despite the effort, this one was sealed in ink and shipped out via UPS after halftime. The Tide closed them out in the 4th quarter after tacking on a 40-yard Will Reichard field goal that made it 44-13.
Alabama dominated this one in nearly every stat line. The Tide had 490-yards of total offense, compared to just 266-yards for the Canes.
The Tide will head back to Tuscaloosa for a warmup weekend against Mercer before heading to Gainesville on Sept. 18th to play Florida in the SEC opener. Meanwhile, Miami will head back to Coral Cables to prep for their Sept. 11th matchup against Appalachian State.
