Keelon Russell battled through an ankle injury, throwing three touchdown passes to lead No. 3 Alabama to a 21-6 win over Vanderbilt on Saturday in Nashville, Tenn.
Russell, who ESPN reported Friday would sit out because of the injury, was named the starter just before kickoff after practicing sparingly during the week. He completed 22 of 33 passes for 217 yards and one interception.
During Alabama’s three-game winning streak, Russell has thrown nine touchdown passes with two interceptions.
Lotzeir Brooks, who entered the game with one touchdown catch this season, caught five passes for 62 yards and two scores, while Daniel Hill rushed for 89 yards for the Crimson Tide (8-2, 6-2 Southeastern Conference).
Jared Curtis completed 25 of 40 passes for 223 yards for Vanderbilt (4-6, 1-6), which has lost six of its past seven games. Junior Sherrill caught seven passes for 100 yards for the Commodores, who were hampered by 14 penalties for 92 yards.
Although Alabama outgained Vanderbilt 156-32 in the first half, the Crimson Tide nearly trailed at halftime.
After the teams traded empty possessions for much of the first half, Dontae Carter’s interception with 6:27 left in the second quarter gave the Commodores a short field. They moved 17 yards in the wrong direction but remained within field-goal range, allowing Brock Taylor to drill a 52-yarder for a 3-0 Vanderbilt lead with 4:13 left in the half.
The Crimson Tide finally awakened, putting together a 75-yard drive to take a 7-3 lead with six seconds remaining in the half. Russell found Malachi Pritchett for a 9-yard touchdown after a defensive holding penalty extended the drive.
That momentum carried into the second half, as Brooks caught touchdown passes on each of Alabama’s first two possessions.
The first, a 39-yard pass from Russell down the right sideline, gave Alabama a 14-3 lead with 12:18 left in the third quarter. After Taylor’s second field goal, this one from 57 yards, cut the deficit to 14-6, Russell found Brooks for a 9-yard touchdown to extend the Crimson Tide’s lead to 21-6 with 7:13 remaining in the quarter.
Alabama’s defense held an opponent without a touchdown for the first time this season and finished with a season-high-tying five sacks and nine tackles for loss.
–Field Level Media
