Bo Wallace during the Alabama game Saturday. DM Photo | Cady Herring
The stat sheet may not have been eye-popping, but senior quarterback Bo Wallace may have played the best game of his career in the upset over then 3rd-ranked Alabama.
Wallace led the upset by going 18-31 through the air with three touchdowns. The key takeaway from the game for Wallace is no turnovers. The key for the Rebels was to keep possession of the football and play a clean game. The Rebels put the Magnolia State on the map by not turning the ball over.
Many players have expressed during the week that they have moved on to Texas A&M, but putting the Alabama game behind them is hard to do.
Not for Wallace.
“It’s not difficult. We’re right in the thick of things. At this point, we control our own destiny. We can be one of the top teams in the country,” Wallace said. “We now know what we thought we already knew. We know that we can compete with any team in the country. Now, it’s just getting to work and making sure we take every day as an opportunity to get better.”
Wallace was also a big part of the running game for the Rebels against Alabama. Wallace ran the ball 11 times for 32 yards. Some of his runs came on third down to move the chains on big drives. The success of running the ball for Wallace has been crucial for the offense but, at the same time, keeping his body healthy has been key also.
“I’ve definitely tried to protect myself more this year. I don’t think that’s kept me from keeping a zone read or anything like that,” Wallace said. “We have a chance to do something special. I’m going to have to be smart but also put my body on the line.”
The offensive line in the fourth quarter gave Wallace the right amount of time to lead two touchdown-scoring drives to seal the upset. The offensive line has made drastic improvements, especially against the talented front that Alabama has.
“They definitely gave me time to throw; it’s one of the best jobs they’ve done since I’ve been here,” Wallace said.
The last two games against Texas A&M have both resulted in heartbreaking losses for the Rebels. With both losses coming at home, going to Kyle Field at College Station provides a new task for the Rebels in their first true road game of the season.
“It’s going to be a huge challenge going there. They have one of the most hostile environments in college football,” Wallace said. “At the end of the day, this is what it’s all about. Going on the road to a hostile environment is why you go to school here.”
The offense had no problems going against the Aggies at home the past two seasons, but the defense struggled. Former Aggie quarterback Johnny Manziel led the offense to two late game-winning drives to rip the hearts out of the Rebels.
Wallace reflected on the past two games.
“Just the disappointment of driving the ball down and scoring and end up getting beat – you definitely remember that,” Wallace said. “We’re a different team. We’re a different offense and defense. We’ll get to work on them, and hopefully, we can come out and play well.”
