TUSCALOOSA, Ala – Alabama’s offense made some magic happen in Saturday’s 49-18 win over South Carolina, but one play stood out head and shoulders above the rest.
Tight end Josh Ford announced his presence in the Tide’s passing attack with one of the best one-handed catches you’ll ever see. No, seriously. It was that good.
The Oklahoma State transfer has been a staple of Alabama’s rushing attack for the first quarter of the season, providing blocking which has led to the Tide’s ground game improving vastly from a season ago, but Ford finally got the opportunity to get his hands (or hand, I guess) on the ball, and immediately broke the internet.
“It’s sick,” quarterback Keelon Russell said. “The guys are showing me pictures of the grab like he was Spider-Man…I mean it was an amazing catch.”
When asked about his catch, Ford first started out by pointing to the “source” of what helped him make the play.
“That was unbelievable, I am so thankful,” Ford said. “First of all, I want to start, I’ve been talking to the Lord, you know, and we had a lot of sermons this week about where our sources are coming from, and it was solely from him man. I’m just so thankful every play.”
Even as the play was unfolding in real time, Ford leaned on his faith to help him.
“I remember going down and I was like, ‘Lord, let me make this play,” he said.
While the three-yard grab was Ford’s only snag of the night, he thinks the play, which we’ll likely see on SportsCenter, proved that he can provide a spark in the pass game.
“I know when I first got here, they needed me to help with the run game,” he said. “But no, I can do it all.”
Ford’s gone relatively unnoticed by the public since the season started, but he also caught attention Saturday night when South Carolina edge rusher Dylan Stewart was seen throwing a punch in his direction.
Ford poked fun at his multiple run-ins with Stewart after the game.
“Man, he’s a great player,” Ford said. “We had a lot of fun today. I think he punched me three times.”
When asked what he said to Stewart during the altercation(s), Ford reliped with what appeared to be some slight sarcasm.
“I was just like, ‘Man, you’re good. You’re a great, great guy.’”
While Ford dominated social media Saturday, his counterparts in the tight end room caught fire in the passing attack, showing a side of this team we hadn’t seen in 2026.
Prior to Saturday’s game, Alabama tight ends combined for 101 total receiving yards. That number has now doubled after just 60 minutes of football, thanks to 60 yards on two catches from Marshall Pritchett, and 44 yards on four catches from Kaleb Edwards.
“When you’re running routes and getting tight ends involved that far down the field, usually you think of receivers running some of those routes, that shows the confidence and ability level that those guys have, and that we have in them,” Alabama head coach Kalen DeBoer said postgame.
When Ford was asked about his position’s explosion, he expressed excitement in what it means for opposing defenses.
“Everybody’s making plays,” Ford said. “And it’s just hard to defend all these different types of personnel groups.”
As for the future of the tight ends and the passing game, Ford is looking forward for his team’s test next weekend at Mississippi State.
“We’re getting more dangerous,” he said. “I’m excited to test what we’ve got on the road now.”
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