Alabama center Ryan Kelly left the game late in second quarter and didn’t return.
“Ryan Kelly has a stretched MCL,” Crimson Tide coach Nick Saban said. “He will probably be out for a couple of weeks, maybe even three. I don’t know for sure, but he will be out for a couple of weeks.”
Kelly was replaced by junior Chad Lindsay. Along with right guard Anthony Steen, Lindsay made the key block on T.J. Yeldon’s 68-yard touchdown run.
“We have a lot of confidence in Chad,” Saban said. “He did a really good job when he went in there. Made all of the line calls. He played solid, and we got good movement.”
Jackson starts: Freshman Eddie Jackson made his second start at cornerback. He picked off Bo Wallace's pass at the Alabama 27-yard line for the first interception of his career.
“I think Eddie did a good job,” Saban said. “Sometimes he played a little soft. Sometimes he played a little deep, but he did a good job of jamming people.”
Jackson was flagged for targeting in the third quarter and ejected. The ejection was overturned, and Jackson was able to return.
“I don’t think it was a good choice or decision for him to make when he got the penalty on the hit,” Saban said. “The ball was gone. The guy had already missed the ball. It was an unprotected player. I don’t think he hit him with his head, and he didn’t launch. He hit him with his shoulder.
“So I think they made the right call, and I think the review was right.”
Added safety HaHa Clinton-Dix, “I just told him to keep his head up because I almost lost it when I had a targeting foul.”
Jackson had four total tackles, including a tackle for loss. The Tide have four interceptions thus far this season, with one in the season opener against Virginia Tech and two at Texas A&M.
Stepping up: Alabama had three fourth-down stops on its side of the field. Ole Miss was stopped at the Alabama 29, 7 and 18 on three attempts.
Saban praised the fans for their noise that affected the Rebels’ communication.
“I think the team responded great, but I think our fans responded great,” Saban said. “Our fans were great in this game. On all of those four down stops in the red zone, it was tough for them to operate. I know our players as well as myself and all the coaches really appreciate that.”
Etc.: Alabama honored its 1973 team before kickoff. The 1973 team won a national championship and an SEC championship under Bear Bryant. Gary Rutledge and Wayne Wheeler were honorary captains for Alabama. Both were stars on the 1973 team. … For the fifth time in its past eight games, Alabama has held its opponent scoreless in the first half. In addition to Saturday's game, the Crimson Tide shut out Colorado State (Sept. 21), Notre Dame (Jan. 7), Auburn (Nov. 24) and Western Carolina (Nov. 17) during the first two quarters of play. … Senior kicker Cade Foster drilled a career-long 53-yard bomb through the uprights. His previous best of 52 yards came on Sept. 22, 2012, against Florida Atlantic. Foster made three field goals, first from 28 yards, then from 53 yards and another just as the half ended from 42 yards, to set a new career high in field goals made in a game.
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