Auto racing: Almirola awarded Talladega pole after rain washes out qualifying | 3C
RICK RUSH ART painting america through sports
the choice of t
Sports
Ask About Our Gameday Specials! G 2701 University Blvd. 1 800 245 4734 205-792-9522 Hours: Monday-Friday 8:00-5:00 H GameDay 9:00-5:00 www.RickRushArt.com
S U N D A Y , O C T O B E R 20 , 2013
champions c h (SFFOTCPSP "WF t %PXOUPXO
752-6931
www.TheShirtShop.biz
SECTION C
WWW.TUSCALOOSANEWS.COM
52
0
HIGH ON THE HOG
No. 1 Alabama makes quick work of Razorbacks in shutout win By Cecil Hurt Sports Editor
While the rest of the Southeastern Conference exploded into chaos on Saturday, Alabama hardly seemed to notice. The No. 1 Crimson Tide thrashed Arkansas 52-0 at Bryant-Denny Stadium, the second straight victory over the Razorbacks by that score. It also marks the ďŹ rst time Alabama has shut out the same SEC team in consecutive seasons since it blanked Mississippi State in 1973 and 1974. “We knew we were going to have to control the line of scrimmage on both sides to win tonight, and I thought we did a pretty good job against the run,â€? Alabama coach Nick Saban said. “I was really pleased with how the guys came out. We had a lot of respect for Arkansas and they were able to run the ball well at times, but I thought our effort was good.â€? Perhaps the most emotion shown in the dismantling of the Razorbacks came after one of the Crimson Tide’s defensive leaders, safety Vinnie Sunseri, was injured in the ďŹ rst quarter. He returned to the ďŹ eld after halftime without his pads, and received hugs from his concerned teammates. “Vinnie had a knee injury and will have an MRI tomorrow,â€? Saban said. “It could be serious, we don’t know. We had told Ha Ha (Clinton-Dix, who missed the last two weeks awaiting an NCAA eligibility ruling) that he would only play in dime, but he was the backup at SEE A LABAMA | 4C
Alabama standing tall amid SEC craziness
N
ick Saban harps on it every week. He preaches it. He proclaims it. The Southeastern Conference is dangerous, he warns. Anything can happen. No outcome is certain. But then, like clockwork, his team wins, not every time, but almost every time, with ďŹ erce efďŹ ciency. But strange things have started happening elsewhere. In fact, weirdness happened almost everywhere else in the league this week. Maybe it was Friday’s lunar eclipse. Maybe the landscape was due for a change. Whatever the reason, the upsets were numerous. So perhaps Saban’s warnings will be heeded, even if Alabama has hardly been scared — only at Texas A&M, and that was expected — all season long. Suddenly, Tennessee looks dangerous. Auburn looks very dangerous. The CECIL SEC East, should Alabama make it to HURT Atlanta, is so unsettled that it is hard to tell if it looks dangerous or not, but maybe Missouri is a team of destiny this season. There is not a game left, at least not between here and Pasadena, in which Alabama will not be a favorite — perhaps a double-digit favorite — but that doesn’t matter. What matters is whether Alabama can maintain its focus against a closing stretch that seems to be getting tougher. There can be no missteps. The BCS, it appears, will not be forgiving of a single loss. For the past month, Alabama has had excellent focus. PHOTO | JASON HARLESS The Crimson Tide could probably have slopped around Alabama running back Kenyan Drake (17) breaks the tackle of Arkansas linebacker Otha Peters and races to the end zone SEE HURT | 5C for a 46-yard touchdown in the second quarter of Saturday’s game at Bryant-Denny Stadium. No. 1 Alabama won, 52-0.
PAGE 4C RUNNING WILD:
COOPER’S GROOVE:
For the 2nd straight game, two Tide backs top 100 yards
Tide receiver finally gets involved in Tide offense
Auburn running back Corey Grant breaks through the Texas A&M defense in the first quarter of Saturday’s game in College Station, Texas. No. 24 Auburn beat the No. 7 Aggies, 45-41. THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
PAGE 5C NOWHERE TO RUN: Alabama defense stifles Arkansas running game
NO ANSWER: Arkansas unable to stop Tide in any phase of the game
PAGE 6C
ONLINE
ANALYSIS:
NOTEBOOK:
BREAKDOWN:
FOUR DOWNS:
Five plays that had a big impact
Ha Ha Clinton-Dix makes most of his return to the lineup
A look Alabama’s explosiveness in the second quarter
Questions about the Tide’s performance answered
For video and a photo gallery of the game, go to www.tidesports.com
Auburn batters Manziel, Aggies The Associated Press
COLLEGE STATION, T EXAS | Nick Marshall accounted for four scores and No. 24 Auburn battered Johnny Manziel in a 45-41 win over No. 7 Texas A&M on Saturday. Tre Mason’s 5-yard score with less than 2 minutes to play was first placed at the 1, but it was reviewed and ruled a touchdown. A&M (5 -2, 2-2 SEC) had a last
INSIDE SEC ROUNDUP: Missouri stays unbeaten; Vols knock off South Carolina | 7C
chance, but Manziel, the Heisman Trophy winner, was sacked by Dee Ford on fourth down to secure the win. Manziel threw for 454 yards and
four touchdowns and ran for a ďŹ fth score, but was intercepted twice. He missed a series in the fourth quarter with an apparent injury to his right arm or shoulder. He returned but was constantly moving his right arm. Marshall threw for 236 yards and two touchdowns and ran for 100 yards and two more scores for Auburn (6-1, 3-1), which lost 63-21 to the Aggies last season. SEE AUBURN | 7C