Matt Corral praised by Alabama coach Nick Saban

Arguably the most exciting matchup on the slate for Week 5 in college football is No. 1 Alabama vs. No. 12 Ole Miss. The Rebels are 3-0 on the season and were on a bye during Week 4. Alabama is 4-0 on the year. Alabama head coach Nick Saban praised Ole Miss quarterback Matt Corral ahead of the matchup.

Corral has put up terrific numbers so far this season. On the year, Corral has thrown for 997 yards and nine touchdowns with 158 yards and five scores on the ground. The last time Ole Miss took the field, Corral put on a historic performance. In Ole Miss’ 61-21 victory over Tulane in Week 3, Corral threw for three touchdowns and had four more on the ground. He became the first player in SEC history to do that.

Saban is very aware of the challenge ahead of Alabama’s defense in facing Corral.

“He played really well against us last year,” Saban said of Corral to reporters on Monday. “The guy is very elusive. He can extend plays, very accurate passer. Executes their offense extremely well. He can make plays with his feet, he does pull the ball every now and then. They do have a quarterback run here and there. Not a lot, but just enough to make you defend it on defense.

“The combination of things they do in the running game and passing game is difficult to defend. He is about as talented as a guy we’ve seen run and pass for a long time.”

Saban: Ole Miss has a great offense

Ole Miss has one of the best offenses in all of college football. The Rebels lead the nation in yards per game, and they also lead the country with 52.7 points per game. Coach Saban said that Ole Miss is undoubtedly one of the best offenses in college football, largely due to Corral.

“Ole Miss has an outstanding team,” Saban said. “I think they’ve got like 17 starters back from a team that won eight games last year. Lane does an outstanding job with their offense, their overall team is improved in every category. On defense, on special teams. They really are playing extremely well. This is one of the best offensive teams in the country, no doubt.

“They’ve got really good running backs. They’ve got lots of speed. The offensive line is returning in tact. So, a lot of good players that are really well coached. Their whole fast-ball system is something that’s always a challenge for the defense to get lined up with poise and focus on doing your job. So it’s a real challenge for us from that standpoint.”