Chapter 73: Full Throttle
JuJu was dumbfounded.
Was this still the Crimson Tide?
The team that built a dynasty on defense? The team whose offense seemed crippled without Derrick Henry? The team whose ground game relied solely on grinding out tough yards?
Really?
Since the opening whistle, the Crimson Tide's offense had taken the field three times, scoring three touchdowns in dominant fashion, leaving the Trojan defense in shambles.
At the coin toss, Helton had confidently chosen to let the Crimson Tide start with the ball. But now, the Tide had seized that opportunity to widen the gap, crushing the Trojans' morale with relentless attacks. Any hopes of a second-half comeback were fading as the Trojans' eyes glazed over, their focus shattered.
One touchdown could be chalked up to luck, maybe even two. But three? No excuses left. The Crimson Tide's offense had displayed an overwhelming dominance, pairing perfectly with their already stellar defense.
How were they supposed to play now?
JuJu glanced around, searching for something—anything—to hold onto, some hope, someone to rely on. Anything to ground him and bring him back from the swirling chaos of doubt and uncertainty.
And then JuJu spotted Darnold—
Poor Darnold, staring blankly ahead, lost in his own world after being thoroughly beaten into submission.
JuJu: …
It wasn't just JuJu and Darnold feeling this way. The broadcast booth was equally stunned into silence by the Crimson Tide's relentless offense, their analysts and commentators left fumbling for words like rookies watching football for the first time.
Just then, JuJu's dazed eyes caught another sight:
Humphrey.
Again! That guy—again!
Across the field, Humphrey was at it once more, dancing his ridiculous "Elephant Dance" as the Crimson Tide players cheered him on. His wiggling hips were comically exaggerated as the wind carried over faint laughter and the familiar song lyrics:
"…Elephant, why is your nose so long…"
Now JuJu was really starting to feel defeated.
Clearly, this season opener was nothing like the Trojans had expected. In fact, it wasn't what anyone—analysts or fans—had expected.
Sure, many had predicted that the defending champion Crimson Tide would comfortably defeat the Trojans, but no one had foreseen the blowout that was unfolding. The gap was just too big.
The young Trojans were paying the price for their inexperience, getting overwhelmed by the Crimson Tide's relentless waves of attack before they could even find their footing. Frustration and carelessness followed, leading to more and more costly mistakes.
Meanwhile, the Crimson Tide had hit their stride, fully locking into the game.
Especially the offense.
It wasn't just Lance—both Jacobs and Clark were also making solid gains on the ground. The Trojans' defense, with its rigid, predictable schemes, kept breaking down, unable to stop the Tide's ground attack—
They were retreating, panicking.
With their dominant ground game opening up opportunities, Hurts' passing game began to shine, showcasing his skill and talent. Despite what some had thought, the Crimson Tide's starting quarterback was no pushover.
With a mix of passing plays and various formations, they opened up the air attack. The Trojans, already weak in pass defense, were now completely cornered.
The Trojans found themselves in a lose-lose situation.
On offense, they were hesitant, playing as if in a daze.
On defense, they were being thoroughly dominated, with gaps all over the field.
By halftime, the Crimson Tide had an unbelievable 42-0 lead, heading into the locker room in complete control.
AT&T Stadium was in a state of shock.
No one knew whether to be more stunned by the Crimson Tide shutting out the Trojans or by how explosive their offense had been in the first half.
Without a doubt, Lance had been the brightest star of the first half. Even after Coach Saban deliberately limited Lance's playing time starting in the second quarter, giving Jacobs and Clark more opportunities, Lance still managed to rack up 177 yards and three rushing touchdowns.
By the looks of it, Lance might be getting an early break for the rest of the game.
But Helton wasn't giving up.
During the halftime break, Helton rallied his team, injecting them with the spirit of resilience. Even if victory was out of reach, the Trojans couldn't afford to throw in the towel. This was just the season opener, and there was a long road ahead. They needed to focus on fine-tuning their strategies on both offense and defense for the rest of the season.
"The game isn't over, and it shouldn't end here at halftime."
"This is a brand-new season. Forget everything that happened last year. We're starting fresh. So what if they're the defending champions? Right now, we're both starting with zero wins and zero losses."
"So what if we're down by 42 points? We can still play our style of football. If we score one touchdown—maybe two—the game will change."
"Don't forget, in sports, anything can happen!"
Fueled by youthful energy, the Trojans regained some fire. Helton's words reignited the team's spirit as they returned to AT&T Stadium, seemingly steadier than they had been since the opening series.
But football is a game of physical confrontation, and while Helton had his plan, so did Saban.
In the second half, Lance did not return to the field.
The season was long, and football was a brutal sport. Injuries were always a risk, and Saban had to think about the big picture. With such a commanding lead, there was no need to push Lance any further.
Instead, the fourth-string running back, Emmons—who had played alongside Lance on the practice squad—got his chance to shine.
On defense, Saban also began rotating players.
He didn't pull all his starters, but mixed in backups with the starters, shuffling the lineup. This strategy felt eerily similar to preseason games.
The season opener was turning into a glorified scrimmage.
Because of this, the Trojans finally found some breathing room. Although limited, the halftime pep talk helped them find their footing and return to a more competitive form in the second half.
However—
Experience still mattered.
Even with only half of his starting lineup, Saban's tactical adjustments remained top-tier. With simplified strategies, he maximized his players' abilities and maintained effective team coordination.
The Trojans' youth and inexperience were fully exposed.
Whether it was Darnold or JuJu, both had immense potential. But turning potential into consistent performance on the field was a lesson they were still learning.
In the second half, the Trojans had a few chances but squandered more, with Coach Helton and his young squad paying their dues to the more seasoned Saban. The game ended after a failed fourth-and-three conversion.
Final score: 55-3.
Even with the Crimson Tide easing up, they held the Trojans to just a field goal while their offense kept piling on points. Even without Lance, they scored another touchdown and two field goals, keeping the game firmly in hand.
The game concluded with the Crimson Tide steamrolling their way into the new season, launching their title defense with a commanding victory.
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