The No. 7 Alabama Crimson Tide went into Starkville and defeated the No. 16 Mississippi State Bulldogs 56-23. From the get-go, the Crimson Tide were ready to roll, and the play of sophomore quarterback Keelon Russell was a big reason for that.
Going into the game, a lot of talk was on fellow sophomore quarterback Kamario Taylor, but Russell outplayed Taylor in this one, and he only helped his Heisman chances following Week 5.
Keelon Russell keeps making his Heisman case harder to ignore
In the win over the Bulldogs, Russell went 16-of-22 for 285 passing yards and three touchdowns. He also added a rushing touchdown to the board. For the third consecutive week, Russell has compiled 300-plus scrimmage yards, three-plus passing touchdowns, and at least one score on the ground.
Alabama has won each of those matchups by at least 14 points. The most impressive part is that during the stretch, the margin of victory increased from 14 to 31 to 33. Russell is playing lights out, and his team is continuing to elevate their play at the same time.
For all the praise Taylor was deservedly getting, Russell has been one of the top and most electric signal callers in the nation. Entering the game, he was completing 70 percent of his throws for 1,129 yards and eight passing touchdowns. He also had 168 rushing yards and another three scores.
He already went into this game with momentum, and his confidence has only risen after this outing. He is stacking these stellar outings in consecutive games while also doing them both at home and on the road.
Thus far into the season, Russell has answered the call and been one of the best players in the country. Going into Week 5, Ohio State's Jeremiah Smith, Florida's Jadan Baugh, Miami's Malachi Toney, Ole Miss's Trinidad Chambliss, Notre Dame's CJ Carr, and Ohio State's Julian Sayin have been some names labeled as Heisman candidates and favorites.
After this week, Russell's stock in that race has to rise. When on the field, there's no denying he's playing some of the best ball in the nation. If the season ended now, he would likely be one of the finalists.
Of course, that's not how things work, and Alabama has seven games left on its regular season schedule. Alabama has to play Georgia, Tennessee, Texas A&M, and LSU over their next four games, and this stretch will play a big role in Russell's Heisman sweepstakes.
If he can keep playing at this level while helping Alabama come away with more wins, it'll help his case for the Heisman. The college football season is long, so players' seasons can ebb and flow. That's what makes things like the Heisman race interesting. This is Russell's first season as the full-time starter, and he's taken full advantage.
His play is helping Alabama regain some of the form they have lacked over the past few years. Time will tell how the rest of the season will pan out, but it's clear he's been one of the best college football players in 2026.
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