Alabama quarterback Keelon Russell overcomes halftime mistakes in victory over Kentucky

Alabama defeated Kentucky 45-17 following a second-half surge in Lexington. The Crimson Tide entered the locker room at halftime trailing 17-13 after quarterback Keelon Russell struggled early with two interceptions and a penalty. Alabama coach Kalen DeBoer publicly challenged Russell at the break to eliminate errors and secure the ball. Russell responded by leading the team to 32 unanswered points in the second half. He finished the game 16 of 23 for 188 yards and one touchdown with no additional turnovers. This result marks the first time Alabama has secured a win after trailing at halftime under DeBoer, who held a 0-7 record in such scenarios prior to this game.

• 1:21 AMYahoo Sports — Keelon Russell responds to Kalen DeBoer’s halftime statement: ‘Stay away from those big mistakes’