The Atlantic

Will the Alabama Crimson Tide Keep Rolling?

In Saturday’s game, the college-football powerhouse will either reinforce their brilliance, or suffer a historic upset. Whatever happens, it’ll be an incredible watch.
Source: Marvin Gentry / USA TODAY Sports / Reuters

Minutes into an early-October game against Texas A&M, the University of Alabama defensive end Jonathan Allen danced around his blocker and set his sights on the quarterback Trevor Knight. A running back stepped up to try to slow Allen. It was a common enough sequence, but what came next was a rarer sight. The back crouched to deliver a blow, and Allen—a 6’3”, 291-pound native Alabaman—simply leaped, went horizontal, and in one motion cleared the block and brought Knight to the ground. It was like watching an armored truck sprout wings and lift off the road. By the time the play reached YouTube, someone had to the score.

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