The college football season is only one-third of the way complete, but thus far Alabama’s defense appears on track with some of its better ones of recent years’ past.

The 2016 defense likely won’t attain the phenomenal numbers of the 2011 defense, but that group put up historic numbers. However, it might not be a stretch to say this season’s team could be as strong as the 2012 rendition.

While the stats thus far represent a small sample size, consider the remainder of the schedule. Kentucky scored 17 points against an inexperienced South Carolina defense.

Arkansas, Tennessee and Texas A&M will be the toughest offenses for the remainder of the schedule. The Razorbacks’ Austin Allen has the highest completion percentage among starting SEC quarterbacks, while running back Rawleigh Williams III is the conference’s third-leading rusher.

The Aggies have impressive numbers from quarterback Trevor Knight and running back Trayveon Williams, but the receiving corps is probably the team’s scariest unit. Tennessee doesn’t have one especially terrifying player, but the team had a spectacular second half in a 38-28 win against Florida this past weekend.

Those three teams aside, LSU has scored 17 points or fewer in the last six meetings between the schools. Mississippi State was held to 20 points in Week 3 against LSU’s defense. Last season with Dak Prescott, the team managed just 6 points against Alabama. The last time Alabama played FCS opponent Chattanooga in 2013, the team won the game 49-0. Anything can happen in the Iron Bowl, but Auburn has not put up many points thus far in the season.

At this point in the season, Alabama is allowing just 67.5 yards rushing. Part of this is the product of three of the four teams on the schedule being pass-dominant and Kent State fell behind so fast, the team passed the ball more frequently. However, some credit is due to Alabama’s stifling defensive line. Dalvin Tomlinson, Da’Ron Payne and Jonathan Allen are outstanding against the run, and that doesn’t even consider Da’Shawn Hand, as well as tackling machines Reuben Foster and Ryan Anderson.

Again, because the teams Alabama has faced so far have been pass-friendly teams, the pass defense numbers aren’t quite as steady. The team is allowing 212.8 yards passing per game. Those numbers fall somewhere between the 2014 and 2015 team.

Sure, Chad Kelly threw for 421 yards against the Tide, but he also shredded former Alabama defensive coordinator Kirby Smart’s Georgia team this week, and he also had outstanding passing totals against Florida State. Was there some room for concern for Alabama during that game? Absolutely, as multiple busted coverages occurred. Still, Kelly has the ability to torch the best defenses in the country.

Alabama has allowed 280.3 yards per game in total defense, ranking 15th in the nation. Last season, the team allowed 276 yard per game. The Crimson Tide has a similar ranking in points allowed per game at 16th, allowing 14.8 per game. For reference, the 2015 team allowed 15.1 points per game.

Part of the defensive success is defensive coordinator Jeremy Pruitt’s ability to throw exotic blitzes at the opposition. If Reuben Foster is flushing the quarterback out of the pocket, Ryan Anderson is on him immediately for a quarterback sack. Against Ole Miss, Anderson caught Kelly by surprise, forcing a fumble. Da’Ron Payne was there to pick up the fumble after staying with the play in an effort to collapse the pocket.

Ronnie Harrison has shown weaknesses in coverage, but Pruitt has tried to mask that weakness by implementing Harrison in quarterback blitzes and run support. Meanwhile, Minkah Fitzpatrick is a sure tackler and has outstanding speed, so it wasn’t a surprise to see Fitzpatrick finish the Kent State game with 1.5 sacks, the highest total on the team for the game. Pruitt employed Fitzpatrick’s strengths to pressure the quarterback.

While Smart’s defenses seemed to focus on discipline, Pruitt’s defense so far has shown the ability to be creative. With all of the talent in the group, multiple players are coming up with sacks. Pruitt is sending a signal to opposing teams: You will have limited success running the ball against my defense, and if you try to pass, I will apply intense pressure on your quarterback.

So far, Alabama’s defense seems capable of playing to the standard of recent Tide defenses, which would keep it in line to be one of the best in the country.