How Alabama football stopped Kansas State with a goal-line stand at the Sugar Bowl
The Alabama football defense had been on the field for more than 10 minutes when Kansas State lined up for its third fourth-down attempt on a long drive Saturday, this one coming from the 2-yard line in the Sugar Bowl in Caesars Superdome.
The Crimson Tide was able to get the stop as Will Howard's pass to Ben Sinnott pass fell incomplete in the end zone. Alabama was able take over on downs with 1:01 left in the half. The stop ended an 18-play drive that covered 73 yards while taking 10:32 off the clock during the second quarter.
The Wildcats attempted three fourth-down plays, converting two to help set them up inside the Alabama 10-yard-line. The Crimson Tide was able to control running back Deuce Vaughn, holding him to one yard on six carries. Howard went 6 of 10 for 61 yards on the drive.
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The stop allowed Alabama to take a 21-10 lead into halftime as the Crimson Tide offense marched 98 yards in seven plays to score on Bryce Young's pass to Jermaine Burton for a 12-yard touchdown just before intermission. Alabama used three plays that went for more than 20 yards to score before the half. Young went 10-of-15 for 211 yards and three touchdowns in the first half.
"I think first of all it was a big turnaround there to get the fourth-down stop and go 98 yards in two minutes. That was a big swing in the game," Saban told the Crimson Tide Sports Network at halftime.
The goal-line stop was not the first for the Crimson Tide at a Sugar Bowl. Alabama famously stopped Penn State in the 1979 Sugar Bowl to win Paul "Bear" Bryant's fifth national championship. On that goal-line stand, the Nittany Lions were inside the 1-yard-line and tried to go over the line, but Barry Krauss hit the running back to secure the win.
This article originally appeared on The Tuscaloosa News: Alabama football makes goal-line stand in Sugar Bowl vs. Kansas State
