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Ryan Williams was already building 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 came Saturday night. Then, came his magnificent 75-yard touchdown catch. Now, the 6-foot wideout has burst onto the scene with the kind of game-changing play in the early game of the year at Bryant-Denny Stadium that is usually reserved for upperclassmen.
The play immediately went viral, a momentum-turning touchdown that gave Alabama the lead for good in this wild showdown of superpowers, Williams’ catch and run saving the Crimson Tide from blowing a 28-point lead against their rivals. On Sunday, they became the new No. 1 team in the nation.
Georgia had just scored to go ahead with 2:31 left, stunning the huge crowd of 100,077. Williams then energized them in a flash. Covered closely, he turned back to catch a Milroe pass down the right sideline, then made an acrobatic spin move and sprinted past defenders without breaking stride. It showcased Williams’ wondrous athleticism.
LeBron James, Chris Paul and Donovan Mitchell posted about it on X. On a night when Heisman Trophy-contending quarterbacks Milroe and Carson Beck combined to throw for 813 yards and five touchdowns, a teenager was the big star of this meeting between national championship contenders. It wasn’t just this one play. Williams, a Saraland, Ala., native, caught six passes for 177 yards. In four college games, he has 462 yards receiving on 16 receptions. He’s averaging an absurd 28.9 yards per catch, making this look easy. He looks like a lock to be the first 1,000-yard true freshman receiver at Alabama since Amari Cooper in 2012.
These are silly numbers for any receiver, especially a freshman who doesn’t turn 18 until February. That’s what’s so scary about Williams. He’s just getting started. He’s going to get better. He’s going to make even more of an impact, be more dynamic in the open field and precise in his route-running. Williams didn’t even enroll until this summer, late for a contributing freshman, and actually should still be in high school. He graduated early, moving up to the 2024 class.
“He’s one of the most mature kids I’ve ever recruited,” former Alabama coach Nick Saban said on ESPN ahead of the game. Saban compared Williams to Cooper as a freshman — good company.
It was an unforgettable evening in Tuscaloosa, a top-four matchup that surpassed the considerable hype. In a rematch of last year’s SEC championship game, Alabama nearly landed an early knockout punch, surprisingly overwhelming Georgia. Beck was shaky and the usually dominant Georgia defense was unrecognizable. It was 28-0 at one point and 30-7 early in the third quarter. Then the Bulldogs came storming back, briefly taking the lead. Beck caught fire.
It didn’t last.
Milroe found Williams and the kid did the rest. This was his coming-out party, a rather loud introduction to the sports world.
Years from now, we may remember this night for that very reason. He looks like the next great Alabama receiver, following a long tradition. But, based on his start and how well he performed under the spotlight on Saturday night, that might be his floor.
The $100,000 question
The UNLV situation, in which quarterback Matthew Sluka left the program after three games amid a dispute over Name, Image and Likeness (NIL) compensation, is going to keep repeating itself until real guidelines are put in place. Whichever side you fall on, if you believe that Sluka was looking to leverage his situation after a hot start, as the school contends, or he was promised $100,000 and opted to bolt when that agreement wasn’t met, it is clear something has to change. By leaving the program after three games, Sluka kept his final year of eligibility intact.
Contracts are needed to avoid this kind of situation. That only happens by making student-athletes employees, which the NCAA has fought against for years. The current free-for-all system, in which players switch schools on a yearly basis, and now you have one leaving in-season due to a financial disagreement, isn’t sustainable. It’s unhealthy. We’re going to see more of this UNLV/Sluka mess in both college football and college basketball.
Must-see TV
Do yourself a favor, tune in to Boise State’s next game, at home against Utah State next Saturday. Ashton Jeanty will not disappoint you. The junior running back is worth the time. He’s a legitimate Heisman Trophy candidate, the nation’s leader in rushing yards with 845. He has scored 13 touchdowns in four games and obliterated the Oregon and Washington State defenses. The most impressive stat: Jeanty is averaging a first down (10.3 yards) every carry.
