Alabama football was forced to grind out a 27-24 road win versus the previously undefeated Missouri Tigers without one of its key offensive players. Jam Miller helped the Crimson Tide stay on an upward trajectory, but he suffered a head injury in the process. After securing a pivotal 10-yard reception on fourth-and-1 with 10:23 left in the fourth quarter, the senior running back sustained a scary hit to the helmet. He got up to his feet but was helped to the locker room.
Miller did not return to the game, and head coach Kalen DeBoer later confirmed that he has a concussion, per AL.com's Nick Kelly. The Tyler, Texas native did leave a mark on the outcome, however. Besides rushing for 20 carries for 85 yards, Miller ultimately shaved vital time off the clock before he got injured.
The fourth-down conversion did not lead to points — Bama missed a 49-yard field goal at the end of the drive — but the visiting team held possession for an additional minute-plus because of it. Perhaps Missouri would have operated with a bit more composure on its final drive if there were a few extra ticks on the clock, but instead, quarterback Beau Pribula threw a pass right into the arms of defensive back Dijon Lee Jr. to effectively end the game.
DeBoer and the No. 8-ranked Crimson Tide leave Mizzou with their fifth straight win (third against ranked opponents) and hand the No. 14 Tigers their first loss of the campaign. Since a distressing performance against Florida State in the season opener, Alabama has looked like one of the best teams in the country. The program has achieved such status without being whole on offense.
Jam Miller missed the Tide's first few games before returning versus Georgia. He exploded against Vanderbilt last Saturday, registering 22 carries for 136 yards and a touchdown. He should be an important component of DeBoer's offense as long as he is healthy.
Hopefully, Miller is going to be alright after what was a brutal moment for those who watched it in real time. His status will obviously be worth monitoring ahead of an Oct. 18 meeting with Tennessee.
