Alabama defeats East Carolina in season opener at Bryant-Denny Stadium
Yahoo Sports • 1 min read • Latest: Sep 7, 2026, 1:20 AM
Last updated Sep 7, 2026
Alabama opened the 2026 season with a 48-10 victory over East Carolina at Bryant-Denny Stadium in Tuscaloosa. The Crimson Tide totaled 487 yards of offense while limiting the Pirates to 162 total yards. Freshman running back EJ Crowell earned the highest offensive grade from Pro Football Focus despite playing only 12 snaps and recording the first touchdown of the season. Sophomore quarterback Keelon Russell played 76 snaps in his first career start, accounting for 342 total yards and two touchdowns. Ryan Coleman-Williams led the receiving effort with 130 yards on five catches despite dropping two passes during the game. Alabama prepares for its next matchup, which will serve as the team’s first SEC conference game against Kentucky.
- •Alabama defeated East Carolina 48-10 on September 5, 2026.
- •EJ Crowell recorded a 79.3 PFF grade on 12 offensive snaps.
- •Keelon Russell finished with 256 passing yards and 86 rushing yards in his first start.
- •Ryan Coleman-Williams totaled 130 receiving yards on five receptions.
- •The Crimson Tide recorded 227 rushing yards in the victory.
- 1:20 AMYahoo Sports — PFF Grades Reveal 3 Intriguing Takeaways From Alabama’s Week 1 Win
"Alabama football opened the 2026 season with exactly the kind of performance Kalen DeBoer wanted to see.The Crimson Tide rolled past East Carolina 48-10 on Saturday at Bryant-Denny Stadium, piling up 487 yards of offense while holding the Pirates to just 162 total yards. Alabama also ran for 227 yards after finishing near the bottom of […] The post PFF Grades Reveal 3 Intriguing Takeaways From Alabama’s Week 1 Win appeared first on HEAVY.
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