Tagovailoa has hand in 6 TDs as Tide rolls on
TUSCALOOSA, Ala. — Tua Tagovailoa threw five touchdown passes and ran for a score to lead No. 1 Alabama to a 52-21 victory over rival Auburn on Saturday.
Tagovailoa and the Crimson Tide (12-0, 8-0 Southeastern Conference) took over with an explosive third quarter when the Heisman Trophy contender threw three long touchdown passes. He is the first Alabama player to have a hand in six TDs in a game and matched the school record with the five scoring passes.
Now, Alabama heads to the SEC championship game against No. 5 Georgia with a guaranteed playoff spot on the line.
With the Crimson Tide leading 17-14 at halftime, Tagovailoa launched Alabama into another SEC blowout. He was 11-of-12 passing for 208 yards and four touchdowns in the second half despite only playing one series in the fourth quarter.
Tagovailoa finished 25of-32 for 324 yards and ran for 26 yards, including a 7yard touchdown and a 21yard third-down conversion on runs.
“I thought Tua was into it,” Crimson Tide coach Nick Saban said. “His leadership was really important for our offense. Don't ask me why but it doesn't seem like we had the right kind of energy in the first half.”
The second-half numbers included touchdowns of 46 yards to Jerry Jeudy, 33 to Josh Jacobs, 40 to DeVonta Smith and 22 to Henry Ruggs III — all accurate strikes downfield.
The game was close until Tagovailoa threw a pair of long TD passes in a threeminute span of the third quarter. The first hit Jeudy down the left sideline and the second went to Jacobs, who shook off a few defenders on his way to the end zone.
The Tigers (7-5, 3-5) had used creative calls to keep it within three at 17-14 at halftime.
Wide receiver Anthony Schwartz ran for a 9-yard touchdown, and fellow receiver Ryan Davis took a lateral and launched a 23-yard touchdown pass to Malik Miller. That came with four minutes left before the half after freshman Smoke Monday blocked a punt.
Auburn also had Shaun Shivers' 75-yard touchdown run called back after a holding penalty, and Tigers coach Gus Malzahn drew an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty for his protest of the call.
Auburn was stopped short on a fake field-goal attempt in the third quarter when backup quarterback Malik Willis threw it to kicker Anders Carlson. The potential three points briefly loomed larger after Jarrett Stidham's 52-yard touchdown pass to Darius Slayton made it 31-21.
It was a runaway from there.