Alabama didn’t just leave Starkville with a 56-23 victory over Mississippi State. The Crimson Tide also produced several strong individual performances, according to Pro Football Focus.
PFF’s player grades provide another way to evaluate Alabama’s performance, and there were plenty of positives to take away from the Crimson Tide’s dominant road victory.
While PFF grades should never be viewed as the only measurement of a player’s performance, they can help identify some of the individual performances that may have gone overlooked during a game in which Alabama scored 56 points and pulled away from the No. 16 Bulldogs.
Here are five of the biggest takeaways from Alabama’s PFF grades against Mississippi State.
1. Keelon Russell Continues to Take Another Step
The quarterback matchup between Alabama’s Keelon Russell and Mississippi State’s Kamario Taylor received plenty of attention entering Saturday’s game.
Russell certainly did his part.
The Alabama quarterback finished with an 88.2 overall offensive grade, according to PFF, which was the highest among Alabama players who played at least 10 snaps.
Russell also received an 86.5 passing grade and an impressive 88.7 rushing grade.
The numbers provide another indication of just how well Russell played in his second career road start.
Alabama needed its young quarterback to play efficiently against a ranked Mississippi State team, and Russell delivered as the Crimson Tide rolled to its fifth consecutive victory.
2. Dijon Lee Was Alabama’s Top-Graded Defender
On the defensive side of the ball, cornerback Dijon Lee led Alabama with an 86.0 defensive grade.
Lee’s coverage grade was particularly impressive at 86.6, while he played 62 snaps against the Bulldogs.
His first-quarter pick-six against Kamario Taylor heavily influenced the junior cornerback’s overall grade.
Lee’s performance comes as Alabama’s secondary continues to develop behind a defensive front that has become one of the team’s biggest strengths.
3. Alabama’s Defensive Front Continues to Show Up
The PFF grades provide more evidence that Alabama’s defensive front is becoming a major problem for opposing offenses.
Devan Thompkins posted an 83.9 defensive grade, including an 80.2 pass-rushing grade.
Meanwhile, defensive tackle Kedrick Bingley-Jones recorded an 82.7 defensive grade, with a 78.4 run-defense grade and 71.5 pass-rushing grade.
Perhaps most encouraging was the performance of freshman linebacker Xavier Griffin.
Griffin finished with a 79.5 defensive grade, including an impressive 82.7 pass-rushing grade.
Those numbers match what Alabama showed on the field. The Crimson Tide consistently created problems for Mississippi State quarterback Kamario Taylor, who was under pressure throughout the afternoon.
Alabama finished the game with five sacks and six quarterback hurries, according to postgame PFF charting.
4. The Offensive Line Held Its Own Without Jayvin James
One of the biggest questions entering the game was how Alabama’s offensive line would respond without starting right tackle Jayvin James.
The answer was encouraging.
Tyrell Miller, who stepped into the starting lineup, played all 65 offensive snaps shown in PFF’s report and earned a 73.6 overall offensive grade.
His 73.7 run-blocking grade was particularly encouraging.
Left tackle Jackson Lloyd also turned in a strong performance, earning a 72.2 overall grade and an outstanding 89.2 pass-blocking grade.
Center Racin Delgatty also posted a 67.2 overall grade, while recording an 84.7 pass-blocking grade.
Considering the circumstances, Alabama’s offensive line gave the Crimson Tide enough stability to produce another explosive offensive performance.
5. Alabama Continues to Get Contributions From Its Playmakers
Perhaps the biggest takeaway from the PFF grades is that Alabama continues to get quality contributions from players throughout the roster.
Marshall Pritchett posted a 78.1 offensive grade, while Lotzeir Brooks finished at 76.8.
Ryan Coleman-Williams recorded a 72.8 grade, while Trae’shawn Brown posted a 67.6 grade despite scoring two touchdowns.
Even players with limited snaps made an impact. Running back EJ Crowell actually posted Alabama’s highest offensive grade at 90.0, although he played only nine snaps.
That depth could become increasingly important as Alabama moves into the most difficult portion of its schedule.
The Crimson Tide has already dealt with injuries to several important players, yet it continues to find ways to get production from different players.
What the PFF Grades Tell Us About Alabama
The biggest takeaway from the numbers isn’t necessarily one individual grade.
It’s the number of Alabama players producing solid performances across the roster.
Russell continues to develop at quarterback. The defensive front is creating pressure without needing to rely on one player. The secondary is producing quality coverage. And the offensive line managed to perform well despite losing a starter.
That balance is a big reason Alabama was able to turn a highly anticipated matchup with Mississippi State into a 56-23 rout. PFF’s grades simply provide another layer of evidence to support what was visible on the field.
Now, the Crimson Tide gets its biggest test yet.
Georgia is coming to Tuscaloosa next week.
And if Alabama wants to remain in the national championship conversation, these types of performances will need to continue.
PFF Grades Reveal 5 Big Takeaways From Alabama’s Win Over Mississippi State