Alabama’s Eddie Jackson returns punt 85 yards for touchdown (Video)
By John Buhler
The Alabama Crimson Tide needed a score near halftime and punt returner Eddie Jackson gave them a lift with an 85-yard return on the Ole Miss Rebels.
The Alabama Crimson Tide entered their SEC West road game with the Ole Miss Rebels at 2-0 and as the No. 1 team in the country. Ole Miss was the No. 19 team in the nation after the Rebels’ Week 1 loss to the Florida State Seminoles in Orlando.
Ole Miss had to win this game to have any hopes of making the third annual College Football Playoff. Alabama had not beaten Ole Miss since the 2013 season. The Rebels came out early and dominated the Crimson Tide with a 24-3 lead late in the second quarter.
Alabama would eat at the 21-point deficit on back-to-back touchdowns. The first came from a six-yard run by wide receiver Calvin Ridley to make it 24-10 Ole Miss. Needing a bigger boost than that entering halftime, punt returner Eddie Jackson got Alabama into the end zone again with an 85-yard touchdown return.
Jackson’s special teams touchdown would bring the Crimson Tide within eight points of the Rebels. After Adam Griffith’s successful point after attempt, Alabama would only trail Ole Miss, 24-17 at halftime in Oxford.
Getting 14 unanswered points before halftime was huge for the Crimson Tide. Keep in mind that a late second quarter touchdown by Florida State in Week 1 would spark the Seminoles’ massive comeback victory over the Rebels in neutral-site Orlando.
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Alabama did a great job of beating itself up in the first half, but manages to enter the third quarter only down one score to the Rebels. Ole Miss can’t feel good about letting Alabama back in this game. The Crimson Tide play their best ball in the fourth quarter for head coach Nick Saban. This game should be an exciting one until the final whistle in Oxford.