College football: West Alabama wins in a rout. 9C
Sports
S U N D A Y , S E P T E M B E R 2 , 2012
OPEN LABOR DAY! FURNITURE CORNER 556-0059
UNION FURNITURE 758-3693 SECTION C
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BACK IN THE SADDLE Alabama explodes for 21 first-quarter points, coasts to victory over Wolverines in Texas
INSIDE
By Cecil Hurt Sports Editor
ARLINGTON, T EXAS | It would have been impossible for the University of Alabama football team to pick up precisely where it left off in New Orleans last season — but it looked like it for 20 minutes of football. The No. 2 Crimson Tide looked as dominant as it did in winning the BCS championship in scoring 31 unanswered points against Michigan, coasting to a 41-14 victory over the Wolverines in the Cowboys Classic. It was the Crimson Tide’s 11 straight season opening win, and its 15th straight win against non-SEC opposition.
STAFF PHOTO | ROBERT SUTTON
Denying Denard Bama defense holds versatile Michigan QB in check | 5C
Scoring summary Complete game statistics | 5C
“We ran the ball effectively and I thought AJ did a good job of getting us in the right plays and also made a few throws. We still need more explosive plays in the passing game.” STAFF PHOTO | ROBERT SUTTON
Alabama coach Nick Saban
Pushed around Michigan defense no match for Alabama’s offensive line | 6C
Inside the numbers A numerical look at the game | 6C
Quarter glance Breakdown of each quarter | 6C
STAFF PHOTO | MICHELLE LEPIANKA CARTER
University of Alabama freshman running back T.J. Yeldon rushed for 111 yards on just 11 carries against Michigan on Saturday in the Crimson Tide’s season opener at Cowboys Stadium. Alabama won, 41-14.
“I thought we did a good job of competing and played with a lot of energy and toughness,” Crimson Tide head coach Nick Saban said. “But there is not one player that can sit in the locker room and say that there isn’t something they need to improve on.” Freshman running back T.J. Yeldon was the star of the Crimson Tide’s balanced offense with 111 yards and a touchdown on 11 carries, the first 100yard rushing game by a true (as opposed to a redshirt) Alabama back in his debut. Meanwhile quarterback AJ McCarron was a solid 11 for 21 for 199 yards and two touchdowns. “We ran the ball effectively and I thought AJ did a good job of getting us in the right plays and also made a few throws,” Saban said. “We still need more explosive plays in the passing game.” SEE A LABAMA | 5C
STAFF PHOTO | MICHELLE LEPIANKA CARTER
Analysis Chase Goodbread breaks down the Crimson Tide’s offense | 8C
Notebook Dee Milliner makes big plays in the secondary, and one mistake | 8C
Four downs How the Tide answered four questions The Tuscaloosa News asked earlier in the week | 8C
For video and a photo gallery of Saturday’s game go to www.tidesports.com
Different realities for Alabama, Michigan
aren’t back, not from a full-rosARLINGTON, Texas ometimes, particularly among those colter standpoint, and Alabama, lege football teams with a long history of which has been there since success, it is hard to recognize the differ2008, showed them in stark ence in “getting better” and “being there.” At terms what that level really least until you get a cold slap in the face to relooks like. mind you. Michigan coach Brady Hoke Michigan got that cold slap on Saturday night understood when he said that — the only thing that was remotely cold in the his team was “on the short end CECIL sizzling Dallas area — as Alabama almost offof the measuring stick” against HURT handedly doled out a 41-14 beating. Alabama. Michigan had higher hopes. The Wolverines The Wolverines, he said, won 11 games last year and had an exciting quardidn’t play “Michigan football” terback and a fan base, not so very different from but what he meant, or at least what his fans hear, the Alabama fan base, that wants more than any- when he says “Michigan football” is something STAFF PHOTO | ROBERT SUTTON thing to proclaim themselves “back” at the elite from the past that hasn’t been re-established yet. Alabama coach Nick Saban, right, is congratulated level of college football. But the Wolverines SEE HURT | 6C by Michigan coach Brady Hoke after the Tide’s win.
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NO. 14 CLEMSON 26, AUBURN 19
Auburn defensive lineman Gabe Wright (90) can’t catch Clemson quarterback Tajh Boyd in the first half at the Georgia Dome in Atlanta. Boyd passed for 208 yards to lead Clemson to a 2619 victory.
THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
Ellington runs for 231 yards, Clemson edges Auburn By Paul Newberry The Associated Press
INSIDE SEC FOOTBALL:
ATLANTA | Andre Ellington rushed for 231 yards, DeAndre Hopkins set a school record with 13 receptions and No. 14 Clemson opened the season with 26-19 victory over Auburn on Saturday night. Playing before a 50-50 crowd at the Georgia Dome — basically halfway between the two campuses — Clemson shook off any hangover from last season’s embarrassing 70-33 loss to
Roundup from Saturday’s SEC games | 4C
West Virginia in the Orange Bowl and showed plenty of offense against Auburn (0-1) even without star receiver Sammy Watkins, who was suspended for the fi rst two games after an offseason drug arrest. The second half was a battle of field
goals before Tajh Boyd lofted a 4-yard touchdown pass to Hopkins, who made a brilliant, twisting catch in the corner of the end zone with 9:17 remaining. Ellington broke off a couple of long runs to set up a chip-shot field goal with just over a minute remaining for the final margin. Auburn got the ball back one more time, but with only one timeout. The Southeastern Conference team didn’t even get it across midfield, the game ending on a desperate heave by new quarterback Kiehl Frazier. SEE AUBURN | 4C