Ryan Williams had already made a name for himself.
Through three games, the 17-year-old freshman had scored four touchdowns and was establishing himself as one of quarterback Jalen Milroe's top options.
Then Saturday night arrived. And then came the spectacular 75-yard touchdown catch. Now, the 6-foot wideout came up with a game-changing play in a game earlier this year at Bryant-Denny Stadium, usually reserved for upperclassmen.
The play instantly went viral, with a momentum-changing touchdown that gave Alabama the lead for good in this heated showdown between superpowers, and Williams' catch-and-run that gave the Crimson Tide a 28-point lead over their rivals. Prevented us from losing the lead.
Georgia scored the go-ahead goal with 2:31 left in the game, shocking a crowd of 100,077. Then Williams instantly cheered them up. Well-covered, he turned to catch Milroe's pass on the right sideline and performed an acrobatic spin move, darting past the defender without breaking stride. It showcased Williams' incredible athletic ability.
LeBron James, Chris Paul, and Donovan Mitchell posted about this on X. On a night when Heisman Trophy-contending quarterbacks Milroe and Carson Beck combined for 813 yards and five touchdowns, a teenager was the big star in this matchup of national championship favorites. . It wasn't just this play. Williams, a native of Saraland, Alabama, caught six passes for 177 yards. In four college games, he has 16 receptions for 462 yards. This seems easy as he averages a whopping 28.9 yards per catch. He would be a dream come true to become Alabama's first true freshman receiver to reach 1,000 yards since Amari Cooper in 2012.
That's a ridiculous number for any receiver, especially a freshman who doesn't turn 18 until February. That's the scary thing about Williams. He's just getting started. he will get better. He will be more impactful, more dynamic in the open field and more accurate in route running. Williams didn't even enroll until this summer, which is slow for a freshman to contribute, and he should actually still be in high school. He graduated early and was promoted to the class of 2024.
“He's one of the most mature players I've ever recruited,” former Alabama coach Nick Saban said on ESPN before the game. Saban compared Williams to Cooper, a freshman, in good company.
It was an unforgettable night in Tuscaloosa. It was a matchup that exceeded all the hype. In a rematch of last year's SEC Championship Game, Alabama came close to landing the knockout punch early and surprisingly dominated Georgia. Beck was erratic and the usually dominant Georgia defense was unrecognizable. At one point it was 28-0, and early in the third quarter it was 30-7. The Bulldogs then fought back and briefly took the lead. Beck was on fire.
It didn't last.
Milroe found Williams and the kid did the rest. This was his coming out party and rather loud introduction to the sports world.
Years from now, we may remember this night for that very reason. He looks like Alabama's next great receiver, continuing a long tradition. But given his start and performance under the spotlight Saturday night, that may be his limit.
$100,000 question
The situation at UNLV, where quarterback Matthew Sulka left the program after three games amid controversy over name, image and likeness (NIL) compensation, will continue to be repeated until actual guidelines are in place. Whichever side you take, if you believe, as the school alleges, Sulka was trying to take advantage of the situation after his strong start, or if he was promised $100,000, , if you believe that you would have chosen to quit if that agreement was not met, then it is clear that something must be done. change. By leaving the program after three games, Sulka kept his final year of eligibility intact.
A contract is necessary to avoid such situations. That can only be achieved by making student-athletes employees, something the NCAA has opposed for years. The current free system is not sustainable, with players transferring every year and some leaving during the season due to financial conflicts. It's unhealthy. We're going to see more of this UNLV-Sluka mess in both college football and college basketball.
Must-see TV
Be sure to check out Boise State's next game, next Saturday at home against Utah State. Ashton Genty won't let you down. The junior running back is worth your time. He is a legitimate Heisman Trophy candidate and leads the nation with 845 rushing yards. He scored 13 touchdowns in four games and crushed the defenses of Oregon State and Washington State. Most impressive stat: Giunty averages a first down (10.3 yards) per carry.
