Alabama’s game with Colorado State was all but over before the midpoint of the first quarter. The Tide accepted the ball to open the game and swiftly marched 75 yards in six snaps, grabbing a 7-0 lead on a 27-yard Jalen Hurts rush.
The Tide defense promptly forced a three-and-out, and a Colorado State punt pinned the Alabama offense at its own 5-yard line. It didn’t matter. Three Bo Scarborough runs gave the Tide some breathing room, and Hurts took care of the rest with a 78-yard bomb to Calvin Ridley, handing the Tide a 14-0 lead at the 8:56 mark of the first quarter.
Colorado State briefly made it interesting, pulling within 17-10 with 2:18 left in the first half. The Rams would not score again until the 9:53 mark of the fourth quarter, after Alabama had ripped off 24 straight points en route to a 41-24 win. It was the top-ranked Tide’s 67th straight victory over an unranked opponent.
Hurts closed the first half with a 52-yard catch-and-dash to Robert Foster, and ended his night completing 12-of-17 passes for 248 yards and two touchdowns while rushing 11 times for 103 yards and a score. Bo Scarborough and Damien Harris combined to carry 20 times for 93 yards and two more scores. The only intrigue in the second half came with the debut of freshman quarterback Tua Tagovailoa, who completed 1-of-4 passes for no gain.
For Colorado State, Nick Stephens hit 21-of-38 passes for 247 yards with two touchdowns and two interceptions while rushing five times for 26 yards and a third score. He tacked on a 5-yard run and a touchdown pass, the second of the night to Warren Jackson, after the game was out of reach.