Alabama Not Taking Bait To Talk Smack After Win, Maybe Because It Was Just Ole Miss

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. - Alabama got a relief win Saturday. That is all. The win kept it breathing in the College Football Playoff hunt. It did not reach the playoffs.

But apparently some in the media would like to think so.

Here was a question to Alabama quarterback Jalen Milroe after the No. 13 Crimson Tide's 24-10 win over No. 15 Ole Miss at Bryant-Denny Stadium: "Do you think this team is a national championship team still?"

"Still?"

Really?

Alabama appears far from being a national championship team from the way it played in the first half Saturday, in the fourth quarter against Texas two weeks ago, and through most of its 17-3 "win" over 34-point underdog South Florida last week. And Ole Miss is clearly no world beater. The Tide did win for the eighth straight time against the Rebels.

Jalen Milroe, Alabama QB, is tackled in the first quarter Saturday in the Crimson Tide's 24-10 win over Ole Miss at Bryant-Denny Stadium in Tuscaloosa, Ala. (Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images)

And Milroe knows his team better than the people covering it.

"This team is a work in progress," he said, not taking the bait that "Alabama is back."

Thank you, Jalen.

"We're going to continue to grow." he said. "And acknowledge that we need more room to improve."

Good answer. Whether he was coached, or that was all him, good answer.

But another similar question came: "Do you feel like your team got its swagger back a little bit today?"

Alabama had a four-play, 21 yard drive for a field goal Saturday after a high snap blew a first-and-goal at the Ole Miss 1-yard line following a blocked punt. The coaching staff didn't realize it got a first down deep in Ole Miss territory, which contributed to another field goal instead of a touchdown in the third quarter. The officials did not signal the first down attained as they usually do, but the coaching staff needs to do better than that. And Milroe threw a bad interception in the second quarter in the end zone, ruining a field goal chance.

So, that's not swagger. That's survival. And Milroe knows that.

"I think we did. We do have our swagger back," he said, but quickly qualified. "We do have to acknowledge that we've got a lot of work to do."

And that's obvious. Alabama again looked like it has reverted back to the 1990s with its offense. Very good running game, but questionable passing game with a too-often tentative Milroe, who telegraphs his pass targets.

That retro style of play will work against Ole Miss and at Mississippi State (2-2, 0-2 SEC) Saturday (9 p.m., ESPN). And maybe at an improving Texas A&M (3-1, 1-0) on Oct. 7 and likely against Arkansas (2-2, 0-1) on Oct. 14. But perhaps not so much against Tennessee (3-1, 0-1) on Oct. 21 and LSU (3-1, 2-0) on Nov. 4.

Alabama Is Hungry

"We've got a lot of work to do to reach all of our short-term goals and long-term goals," Milroe said. "We're a work in progress. But I will say this - we're hungry to improve and we're excited what the future holds."

Milroe showed significant improvement in the second half Saturday, completing 6 of 7 passes for 132 yards with completions of 54 and 21 yards and a 33-yard touchdown just before getting smacked.

"He was coming," said Milroe, who stayed down for a few moments out of wind. "I heard the crowd. I looked at the ref a little bit. He put his hands up. OK, touchdown."

Alabama outscored Ole Miss, 18-3 in the second half after Texas outscored Alabama 21-8 in the fourth quarter for a 34-24 win two weeks ago.

"Hunger, hunger, hunger, hunger," Milroe said when asked what turned the Tide in the second half. "It's hard to stop the Alabama football team."

Nothing wrong with a little smack.