Bama bottles up Fournette, LSU

Crimson Tide holds Heisman favorite to 31 yards in 30-16 win.

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. — A hard-running Derrick Henry and Alabama’s equally punishing defense stole the show and proved they belong squarely in the College Football Playoff hunt.

Henry ran for 210 yards and three touchdowns and the Crimson Tide’s unrelenting defense smothered Leonard Fournette in a 30-16 victory over Louisiana State on Saturday night.

The Crimson Tide (8-1, 5-1 Southeastern Conference) physically dismantled the previously unbeaten Tigers (7-1, 4-1) in the second half. It was a physical, no-frills performance days after some questioned the team’s No. 4 College Football Playoff ranking. LSU came in at No. 2 in the CFP ranking and in control of its own fate.

Henry led the way with 38 carries in a game where he took second billing. The nation’s leading rusher, Fournette gained only 31 yards in 19 carries. His previous season low was 154 yards against Western Kentucky.

Alabama’s SEC title chances got a boost about an hour before kickoff when Arkansas beat No. 19 Mississippi, 53-52, in overtime. The Rebels are the only team to have beaten the Tide, which got an even bigger boost from its performance.

Fournette didn’t get much help from the rest of the offense and the Tigers were outgained 434-182 in total yards. LSU came in averaging 309 yards rushing and finished with 54.

Brandon Harris, fresh from a third straight 200yard game, made a few big plays but couldn’t sustain anything. He was six for 19 passing for 128 yards with a touchdown and an interception.

By comparison, Alabama’s own first-year starter turned in a mostly pristine performance. Jake Coker was 18 for 24 for 184 yards.

Henry tracked down Fournette on the field afterward, giving him a brief hug before heading to the locker room after a performance the presumed Heisman Trophy front-runner would have been proud of. Henry has scored touchdowns in 14 consecutive games, the longest current FBS streak.

Fournette came into the game averaging 193 yards with nine straight 100-yard efforts.

John Bazemore Associated Press THE BEST BACK on the field wasn’t LSU’s Leonard Fournette but Alabama’s Derrick Henry, who ran for 210 yards and three touchdowns, including this one.