Ask … and receive.

Alabama entered Saturday’s game 2-0, No. 1 in the country and a prohibitive favorite to blast visiting Colorado State.

The Tide did just that, winning 41-23, but the “how” was interesting. And it didn’t take long to address the one perceived flaw in Jalen Hurts’ game: the vertical passing game.

On Bama’s second possession, Hurts hit Calvin Ridley on a mid-range post pattern, and Ridley did the rest, racing untouched to the end zone to complete a 78-yard touchdown pass.

Ridley has only had one catch longer than that — an 81-yarder against Arkansas during his freshman year.

Hurts’ second touchdown pass was more typical of what we’ve seen: an accurate throw on a quick-hitter to Robert Foster, who caught it in stride and sprinted through the heart of the secondary for a 52-yard score.

Hurts’ two touchdown passes in the first half matched his output from the first two games. It was also the ninth time is his young career that he threw for two more more. He ended his night with a patient, from-the-pocket, 27-yard strike to DeVonta Smith on a crossing route and then handed the offense over to Tua Tagovailoa. The final numbers: 12 of 17 for 248 yards.

No one questions his running ability, and he added another highlight to the reel when he capped the Tide’s opening drive with a 27-yard touchdown run.

The scoreboard might have suggested otherwise, but the Tide weren’t perfect. The offensive line, in particular, did look so-so for much of the night. Eventually, the ground game got going, topping 200 yards for the 13th time in 16 games. Hurts overthrew Ridley and Foster on what would have been walk-in touchdowns.

And Alabama gave up 23 points, a season-high, and more than 300 total yards for the first time this season; the Rams finished with 388.

Nick Saban will fuss over such details, but big picture: Bama completed the prelims 3-0 and is relatively healthy.

SEC play starts Saturday with a trip to Vanderbilt. Shea Patterson and Ole Miss await on Sept. 30.

Go time is here. Bama might not yet look as perfect as its record indicates, but it looks ready enough.