Countdown to kickoff: Jaylen Waddle goes 90 yards against Georgia

We continue our countdown to kickoff, and we are now 90 days away from Alabama football. Josh took us way into the past last time, but we don’t have to go far back for this one.

#2 Alabama was hosting #3 Georgia on October 17, 2020. The Tide trailed 24-20 at half, and it remained that way late into the third quarter. The two teams punted back and forth a few times as the score remained deadlocked with the Bulldogs up by four.

Alabama got the ball back on their 9 yard line. Brian Robinson Jr. rushed for one yard to set up 2nd and 9 on the Alabama 10 yard line. And then this happened.

Here’s what I said in my film room from that game

Alabama is pinned deep once again, and a short run on first down has Alabama behind the chains. All three receivers are on the left initially, but DeVonta Smith (#6) motions to the right and floats in the flat. Miller Forristall (#87) runs a deep route and draws one of the safeties. John Metchie (#8) and Jaylen Waddle (#17) switch with Waddle going outside and Metchie inside. Metchie’s deep route in the middle of the field draws the other safety, which leaves Waddle one-on-one on the outside. And that’s all she wrote. Waddle has a clean release and gets up to speed, and the cornerback stumbles and falls on his face while trying to keep up. Mac Jones puts the ball on the money, and it’s an easy go-ahead touchdown.

That was all she wrote. The Tide dominated the rest of the way and tacked on 14 more points for good measure.

Alabama had been tested in a boat race with Ole Miss the weekend before, but this was the first contest against a team laden with blue chips. And Bama passed the test with flying colors.

Teaching the Bulldogs to behave was just a harbinger of things to come.