Nick Saban provides injury updates coming out of Mississippi State win

For the first time against an SEC opponent in 2023, Alabama experienced a game on the road. The Mississippi State crowd was up for the game but Nick Saban saw his team quiet them quite quickly. A dominant second half led to a smooth victory for the Crimson Tide, leaving Starkville on top 40-17.

Outside of the victory, the thing Saban will be most grateful for is his team’s health. He had no injuries to report following the game, always a positive after four quarters of physicality. Alabama will have a chance to move into next week against Texas A&M nearly at full strength.

“Nobody real banged up tonight that I know about,” Saban said during his postgame press conference.

There was one Alabama player to go down late in the game — defensive lineman Jah-Marien Latham. He entered the medical tent in the fourth quarter. Thankfully, no update from Saban means there is nothing to worry about on his end.

Next week will be another road test, with Texas A&M playing host. The last time these two teams met in Kyle Field, Jimbo Fisher found himself on the winning end with a statement win. While there was revenge in Tuscaloosa last season, Alabama will want to right their wrong in College Station.

Alabama played without Deontae Lawson, status still unknown

If Alabama is going to go into the Lone Star State and earn a win, Deontae Lawson returning to the game would be a huge boost. He suffered an ankle injury in the SEC opener against Ole Miss a week ago, keeping him on the sideline against Mississippi State.

Saban praised the play of the linebackers to step in Lawson’s place on Saturday. But he did not have any kind of update on when Lawson would return. If anything, we will hear more on his depth in the week leading up to Texas A&M.

“We’ve got some guys beat up and it hurts us a little bit,” Saban said. “Lawson, signal caller out there. Trezmen Marshall did a really good job. Jihaad (Campbell) is a little bit inexperienced. Those two guys playing together have been really good for us. I don’t know when those guys will be back… Probably won’t even know until midweek.”

Despite Lawson not being out there, Saban was happy with Alabama’s linebacker play. But if Lawson has the opportunity to play next week, there will not be a second of hesitation coming from the head coach.