Golf: United States on verge of reclaiming the Ryder Cup. 8C
Sports
S U N D A Y , S E P T E M B E R 30 , 2012
SECTION C
WWW.TUSCALOOSANEWS.COM
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LATE-NIGHT PARTY Cooper has career night, McCarron sets school mark; No. 1 Alabama does just enough to beat Ole Miss
INSIDE
By Cecil Hurt Sports Editor
TUSCALOOSA | The University of Alabama football team didn’t come close to anything like a mortal wound on Saturday night — but it did look mortal at times. The No. 1-ranked Crimson Tide raised its record to 5-0 with a 33-14 win over Ole Miss but did not play to the overwhelming level it had reached in earlier wins. The Crimson Tide generated just two offensive touchdowns, the same as Ole Miss, with the difference coming on special teams, thanks to four Jeremy Shelley field goals and a dazzling Christion Jones kickoff return for a score. “I don’t think people give Ole Miss enough credit,” Crimson Tide coach Nick Saban said. “They are physical and tough to defend. But nobody listens to me until after the fact. “We need to get better without something bad happening. “Defensively, we were in some tough spots out there, although I thought we got better as the game went on.” Alabama controlled play in the fi rst quarter, but two drives stalled just short of the Ole Miss 20-yard line, resulting in a pair of 38-yard Shelley field goals. Ole Miss briefl y took the lead in the second quarter, marking the fi rst time that Alabama has trailed during regulation since the 2011 Tennessee game. The Rebels went on a 13-play, 75-yard touchdown march, capped by SEE A LABAMA | 5C
STAFF PHOTO | ROBERT SUTTON
Misfire Alabama has some big plays, but offense sluggish in second half | 5C
Quarter glance Breakdown of each quarter | 5C
PHOTO | JASON HARLESS
Getting their kicks
Tide will have to prove its mettle at some point
Kicking game comes through after red-zone drives stall for Tide | 6C
Inside the numbers Facts and figures from Alabama’s game against Ole Miss | 6C
TUSCALOOSA his might have been the perfect moment to fi nd out how AJ McCarron and the University of Alabama offense would respond to a situation they hadn’t faced all season — playing from behind. That didn’t happen. Christion Jones didn’t allow it. Special teams are, of course, an integral part of a team, so Nick Saban was probably gratified to see Jones race 99 yards with the kickoff to put Alabama back ahead of Ole Miss after the fi rst Rebel touchdown. That score had put Alabama behind in the regulation portion of a game for the fi rst time in nearly a year, since Tennessee CECIL held a brief edge in last season’s game. HURT But the Ole Miss touchdown wasn’t a fluke score, either. A pass interference call kept the drive going early on. The Rebels took advantage, though, getting their no-huddle attack into a good rhythm, driving and scoring early in the second quarter. But like a Sasquatch sighting or Tater Tots on a press box buffet, the moment vanished almost before witnesses had time to comprehend. Ole Miss was ahead, Jones touched the ball, Ole Miss was behind and the floodgates SEE HURT | 6C
T
PHOTO | JASON HARLESS
Alabama notebook Members of Tide’s 1992 national championship team honored | 8C
Breakdown Since 2008 Nick Saban is perfect in the month of September | 7C
For video and a photo gallery of Saturday’s game go to www.tidesports.com
STAFF PHOTO | DUSTY COMPTON
Alabama receiver Amari Cooper (9) reaches over Ole Miss defensive back Frank Crawford to make the 12-yard touchdown catch from quarterback AJ McCarron in the second quarter Saturday at Bryant-Denny Stadium. Cooper caught eight passes for 84 yards and also caught two touchdown passes to lead the No. 1 Crimson Tide past the Rebels, 33-14.
No. 5 Georgia holds off Vols
Tigers escape with win against West Georgia
The Associated Press
By Cameron Kiszla Special to The Tuscaloosa News
LIVINGSTON | It took a record-setting night for West Alabama to defeat West Georgia, with the Tigers edging the Wolves, 24-20. West Georgia had a chance to win late, but the Tiger defense excelled again, stopping West Georgia’s offense on fourth down with just over a minute left to play. “Well, we played phenomenal on defense,” UWA coach Will Hall said. “We kind of didn’t play well in the other PHOTO | MICHAEL CLEMENTS areas of the game, specifically turning the football over on offense and in the kicking game. You know, we gave West Alabama running back Matt Willis (15) drags a SEE T IGERS | 4C West Georgia defender during Saturday’s game.
INSIDE
ATHENS, G A . | Todd Gurley ran for three touchdowns and Keith Marshall added two as No. 5 Georgia recovered after blowing a 17-point lead to beat Tennessee 51-44 on Saturday in the highest-scoring game ever between the SEC rivals. Georgia (5-0, 3-0 SEC), which had never scored more points against the Volunteers, needed three takeaways in the fi nal six minutes stay unbeaten. Twice Sanders Commings intercepted Tyler Bray’s passes and in between the Tennessee quarterback was stripped from behind and the fumble was re-
COLLEGE FOOTBALL: Roundup of SEC games | 3C Roundup of Top 25 games | 4C
covered by Georgia’s John Jenkins. Aaron Murray threw two thirdquarter touchdown passes to Michael Bennett for the Bulldogs. Georgia led 27-10 early in the second quarter before Tennessee took the lead with 20 unanswered points. Tennessee (3-2, 0-2 SEC) took its third straight loss in the series under SEE GEORGIA | 3C
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