Jalen Hurts is the reigning Super Bowl star, remembered even by many college football fans for his senior season with Oklahoma. The Eagles’ champion finished second in the Heisman Trophy voting to Joe Burrow and led the Sooners to the 2019 Big 12 Championship and a spot in the College Football Playoff.
However, his run at Alabama has its own set of highlights, and one such piece resurfaced for fans’ delight.
Throwback Clip of 52–6 Beatdown With Jalen Hurts Brings Out the Best of Crimson Tide Nation
Before Hurts’ time in Oklahoma, he was an Alabama legend. Fresh out of the gate in 2016, the quarterback competed with Blake Barnett for the starting quarterback role, taking over by Week 2.
He produced a historic freshman season under head coach Nick Saban, throwing for 2,780 yards, 23 touchdowns, and nine interceptions. He added 954 yards and 13 touchdowns on the ground, breaking the Alabama single-season record for rushing yards by a quarterback.
Hurts helped lead the Crimson Tide to a 14-0 record before losing to Dabo Swinney, Deshaun Watson, and the Clemson Tigers in the 2017 College Football Playoff National Championship.
However, another game is etched deep in Alabama fans’ memories. In Week 1, a hyped USC team rocked AT&T Stadium for the Advocare Classic, before Alabama rocked them out of Arlington, Texas, 52-6. As a true freshman, Hurts threw two touchdown passes to ArDarius Stewart and ran for two more scores.
A post on X reminded fans of the moment when USC players were grappling. The caption captured the emotions, reading, “Never forget when USC came out like this against Alabama in 2016.”
😭😭😭 pic.twitter.com/fzkFFlGZqp
— Football’s Greatest Moments (@FBGreatMoments) May 17, 2025
As expected, this gave the Crimson Nation another opportunity to flex their golden period while Saban still ruled the college football conversations.
“They should have folded the [USC] program after this,” @king_louie707 said.
“California knew how to party, we knew how to win,” @m0atzart said.
“This was a glorious day,” wrote another fan.
“This never gets old LMAO…” chimed another amused fan.
However, USC fans didn’t take the beating. They came up with more responses, especially targeting their current standing.
“USC is 6-2 all time against Bama,” wrote a USC supporter.
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A more informed fan noted, “And that’s the game where Alabama started two different QBs because Saban still wasn’t set on Hurts or Blake Barnett at QB1.”
The next year, Hurts led the Tide to an 11-1 regular season record and 2018 College Football Playoff National Championship appearance, before being benched for Tua Tagovailoa after falling behind 13-0 at halftime. However, for what it’s worth, the Alabama fans hold their gritty win dearly even today.
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