Alabama Run Defense Tested by No. 14 Missouri

Alabama's defense tightened after halftime vs. Vanderbilt, holding the Commodores to 20 rushing yards over the final three quarters and blanking them in the second half; the Tide have allowed just 14 second-half points across their last four games. Defensive coordinator Kane Wommack credited sideline and halftime adjustments and leadership from Tim Keenan and linebacker Justin Jefferson for the turnaround while warning early-game errors and perimeter runs remain concerns. That run-defense resurgence will be tested at No. 14 Missouri, which features ULM transfer Ahmad Hardy (730 rushing yards, nine TDs) and varied zone and gap schemes that demand gang tackling. Offensively, Ty Simpson's development and creative play-calling have boosted Alabama's passing attack, but red-zone execution faltered against Vanderbilt and forced multiple field goals despite going 5-for-5 inside the 20. Kicker Conor Talty has struggled from long range (2-of-5 from 40+ yards), and the Tide must start faster and shore up perimeter run defense if they hope to sustain their current four-game winning streak through a difficult SEC stretch.