Ryan Coleman-Williams sparks fast start for Alabama football in USC win
· Yahoo Sports
Ryan Coleman-Williams knew Alabama football needed a fast start.
The Crimson Tide has struggled with getting the ball rolling in 2026. It faced an early 15-point deficit vs. Florida State before storming back for a 50-36 shootout win last week, which had followed a 14-7 second-quarter deficit the week before at Kentucky.
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It's a task Alabama football has put "front and center" leading up to its matchup vs. South Carolina.
"We haven't started fast all year, so that was definitely something that we wanted to do," Coleman-Williams said after the game. "We were feeding off of each other. The energy was high, and we were just executing. (We're) continuing to still trying to get that complete 60-minute game from both sides. Still working at that, but it definitely felt great to come out fast."
It was up to Alabama's offense to get the ball down the field, and fast. Coleman-Williams took that responsibility upon himself in what turned out to be a 49-18 win over South Carolina on Saturday, Sept. 26 at Bryant-Denny Stadium
While the Crimson Tide started with a three-and-out, it responded with a single play on its second possession: a 75-yard post from quarterback Keelon Russell to Lotzeir Brooks for the first score of the game. With first-quarter action on the board, Coleman-Williams closed it with the high-energy style that the Crimson Tide craved.
A 32-yard reception-for-touchdown pushed Alabama's lead up 14-0 heading into the second quarter. But Coleman-Williams was not done yet.
Halfway through the second quarter, Coleman-Williams secured his longest reception of the night, a 42-yard touchdown pass to lead South Carolina 21-3. The second score marked his first multi-touchdown game since a 38-14 win over Wisconsin in September 2025.
"We had some good connections throughout this game, but it really wasn't any surprise," Coleman-Williams said. "Thinking about the week that we had, we were firing on all cylinders, all of the receivers, and Keelon included. Every game comes with something, but I feel like we executed at a high level."
To get a hot start in his second-half performance, too, Coleman-Williams took a punt return 17 yards downfield, ending the run with a hurdle over a South Carolina defender.
Russell saw a spark in this Alabama offense that set a new sort of tone for the Crimson Tide.
"These guys are phenomenal. They can turn a 2-yard pass and put up a touchdown," Russell said. "This offense in general, each and every one of these guys click."
Coleman-Williams ended with 113 all-purpose yards: five receptions for 98 yards and two touchdowns, two punt returns for 11 yards and one carry for 4 yards. But the junior receiver isn't expecting this to be a one-night only showing.
"I feel like this is really only the beginning," Coleman-Williams said. "If we have any weaknesses, (we'll) attack those, and keep getting better week-in and week-out."
Amelia Hurley covers high school and college sports for The Tuscaloosa News and USA TODAY Network. You can find her on X at ameliahurley_ or reach her at [email protected].
This article originally appeared on The Tuscaloosa News: Ryan Coleman-Williams sparks fast start for Alabama football in USC win