Alabama wins West with tough win over Tigers

2009 Alabama Crimson Tide ... Head Coach: Nick Saban

2009 Schedule
CFN Prediction: 10-2
2009 Record: 9-0

9/5 Va Tech (Atl) W 34-24
9/12 FIU W 40-14
9/19 North Texas W 53-7
9/26 Arkansas W 35-7
10/3 at Kentucky W 38-20
10/10 at Ole Miss W 22-3
10/17 South Carolina W 20-6
10/24 Tennessee W 12-10
10/31 OPEN DATE
11/7 LSU W 24-15
11/14 at Miss State
11/21 Chattanooga
11/28 at Auburn

2008 Schedule
CFN Prediction: 8-4
2008 Record: 12-2

8/30 Clemson W 34-10
9/6 Tulane W 20-6
9/13 West Kentucky W 41-7
9/20 at Arkansas W 49-14
9/27 at Georgia W 41-30
10/4 Kentucky W 17-14
10/11 OPEN DATE
10/18 Ole Miss W 24-20
10/25 at Tennessee W 29-9
11/1 Arkansas State W 35-0
11/8 at LSU W 27-21 OT
11/15 Miss State W 32-7
11/22 OPEN DATE 
11/29 Auburn W 36-0
12/6 SEC Championship
Florida L 31-20
Sugar Bowl
Jan. 2 Utah L 31-17

Alabama Crimson Tide

Oct. 7
at Alabama 24 … LSU 15
Julio Jones took a pass 73 yards for a touchdown and Leigh Tiffin hit three field goals as Alabama survived a battle to earn the West title and a date with Florida. LSU took the early lead on a 12-yard touchdown catch from DeAngelo Peterson, and took a 15-10 lead going into the fourth quarter with a eight-yard dash from Stevan Ridley. But LSU decided to go for two and missed. Bama scored 14 unanswered points, helped by an apparent missed call on a Patrick Patterson interception that would’ve given the ball to the Tigers down six. Instead, the Tide got a 40-yard field goal from Tiffin to put the game away.
Player of the Game: Alabama RB Mark Ingram ran 22 times for 144 yards and caught five passes for 30 yards.
LSU: Passing: Jordan Jefferson, 10-17, 114 yds, 1 TD
Rushing: Charles Scott, 13-83, Receiving: Terrence Tolliver, 4-46
Western Michigan: Passing: Greg McElroy, 19-34, 276 yds, 2 TD, 1 INT
Rushing: Mark Ingram, 22-144, Receiving: Marquis Maze, 6-88
What It All Means: Alabama got the yards, helped by the 73-yard touchdown from Julio Jones and the tough running from Mark Ingram, but it was struggle to put the game away because drives keep finishing with field goals instead of touchdowns. Greg McElroy wasn’t bad, completing 19-of-34 passes, but he missed on some key early throws, including one to a wide open Jones that would’ve been for a touchdown. The defense held firm once LSU QB Jordan Jefferson was knocked out with an ankle injury, and while this might not have been pretty, it was the win to clinch the West. The key now will be to not let down against a rested Mississippi State.

Oct. 24
at Alabama 12 … Tennessee 10
Terrence Cody blocked two field goals, including a Daniel Lincoln 44-yard attempt on the game’s final play for the win. The Tide managed just four Leigh Tiffin field goals, including a 50-yarder in the second quarter, and had control of the game late after a 49-yarder to go up 12-3 with 6:31 to play. But Tennessee went 43 yards in eight plays with Gerald Jones catching an 11-yard touchdown pass, the Vols recovered the onside kick, and the offense got in a position for the win before Cody’s heroics. Javier Arenas made 13 tackles with 3.5 tackles for loss and a sack for the Tide.
Player of the Game: Alabama DT Terrence Cody made two tackles and blocked two kicks.
Tennessee: Passing: Jonathan Crompton, 21-36, 265 yds, 1 TD, 1 INT
Rushing: Montario Hardesty, 18-48, Receiving: Gerald Jones, 7-72. 1 TD
Alabama: Passing: Greg McElroy, 18-29, 120 yds
Rushing: Mark Ingram, 18-99, Receiving: Julio Jones, 7-54
What It All Means: The Tide got the win, but it took a huge special teams play to overcome the conservative offense. The formula sort of worked. The running game was fine, the defense did its job until the final minutes, and the team appeared to be on the way to the win late with a 12-3 lead. But the problem with playing without any downfield passes and without going for the throat is that it allowed the other team to stay alive. Alabama almost got tagged this week, and it’s going to pay against LSU or Auburn if it doesn’t sharpen up the passing attack. 

Oct. 17
at Alabama 20 … South Carolina 6
The Alabama defense came up with a 77-yard Mark Barron interception return for a touchdown in the first 1:02, and it held firm the rest of the way allowing just two Spencer Lanning field goals and holding the Gamecocks out of the end zone on a late drive. The passing game struggled, but the Tide got a brilliant day from Mark Ingram, who set a career high with 246 rushing yards with a four-yard touchdown to put the game away in the fourth. The Tide outgained the Gamecocks 356 yards to 278.
Player of the Game: Alabama RB Mark Ingram ran 24 times for 246 yards and a score, and led the team with 23 yards on two catches.
South Carolina : Passing: Stephen Garcia, 20-46, 214 yds, 1 INT
Rushing: Kenny Miles, 15-40, Receiving: Jason Barnes, 6-46
Alabama: Passing: Greg McElroy, 10-20, 92 yds, 2 INT
Rushing: Mark Ingram, 24-246, 1 TD, Receiving: Mark Ingram, 2-23
What It All Means: Mark Ingram was able to carry the offense, but Roy Upchurch also ran well when he got his chances. Ingram averaged a whopping 10.2 yards per carry against the normally stout Gamecock D, but the production from the running game didn’t help ease the passing game. All of a sudden, Greg McElroy is struggling a bit, completing half his passes for just 92 yards with two interceptions, and he wasn’t able to get the ball to Julio Jones. On defense and Ingram, this might be the No. 1 team in America, but McElroy needs to get going if the Tide is going to have an easier time with Tennessee and LSU in the next two games. 

Oct. 10
Alabama 22 … at Ole Miss 3
Alabama picked off Jevan Snead four times and got five Leigh Tiffin field goals in the easy win. Mark Ingram ran for 172 yards and a 36-yard touchdown, but it was the Tide defense that controlled the game allowing just 212 yards of Ole Miss offense and gave up just a 25-yard Joshua Shene field goal. Tiffin connected from 25, 21, 22, 21, and 31 yards away.
Player of the Game: Alabama RB Mark Ingram ran 28 times for 172 yards and a score, and he caught three passes for 16 yards
Ole Miss: Passing: Jevan Snead, 11-34, 140 yds, 4 INT
Rushing: Jevan Snead, 4-44, Receiving: Brandon Bolden, 4-76
Alabama: Passing: Greg McElroy, 15-34, 147 yds
Rushing: Mark Ingram, 28-172, 1 TD, Receiving: Marquis Maze, 4-48
What It All Means: Alabama should’ve won this game by 40 with the way the defense dominated and with the running game steamrolling over the Ole Miss defense, but the five short field goals were enough. For the first time, QB Greg McElroy was average, but the Rebels can actually play a little bit of D and there was decent pressure into the backfield. With Mark Ingram’s running, the lockdown run defense, and the solid special teams, the momentum keeps going now that the team is past a big hurdle. South Carolina, Tennessee and LSU are at home, and while they won't be easy, there's no reason for a Bama team playing this well to not keep rolling towards the SEC title game.

Oct. 3
Alabama 38 … at Kentucky 20
Alabama forced four turnovers with Courtney Upshaw taking a fumble 45 yards for a touchdown, and Greg McElroy threw two short touchdown passes in an easy win. Kentucky stayed alive into the second quarter on two 49-yard Lones Seiber field goals, but a 24-point Tide run, helped by Mark Ingram’s second touchdown run of the day on a 32-yard dash, put the game away. Randall Cobb took a pass 45 yards for a touchdown for UK late in the fourth.
Player of the Game: Alabama RB Mark Ingram ran 22 times for 140 yards and two touchdowns.
Kentucky: Passing: Mike Hartline, 17-31, 168 yds, 1 TD, 3 INT
Rushing: Derrick Locke, 20-75, Receiving: Derrick Locke, 6-63
Alabama: Passing: Greg McElroy, 15-26, 148 yds, 2 TD
Rushing: Mark Ingram, 22-140, 2 TD, Receiving: Colin Peek, 6-65, 1 TD
What It All Means: Alabama all but went through the motions and was able to win an SEC game on the road. The defense was fantastic when the game was still in question with LB Rolondo McClain coming up with a 12-tackle, one interception, one forced fumble game that should cement him as an All-SEC lock, while the offensive balance was nearly perfect with Greg McElroy coming up with yet another nice game. As long as Bama isn’t giving the ball away, and it was +4 in turnover margin, there aren’t going to be any upset concerns. At the moment, the team is playing as well across the board as anyone in America. Everything is clicking going into the key road game at Ole Miss.

Sept. 26
at Alabama 35 … Arkansas 7
Alabama dismantled Arkansas with the passing game as Greg McElroy had a career-high 291 passing yards with three touchdown passes connecting with Julio Jones from 50 yards out, Marquis Maze from 80 yards away, and Mark Ingram from 14 yards out. Ingram also ran for a two-yard scoring dash while Trent Richardson opened up the scoring with a 52-yard touchdown. Arkansas was held in check all game with just 254 yard of total offense with the lone score on a 18-yard Greg Childs catch in the third quarter.
Player of the Game: Alabama QB Greg McElroy completed 17-of-24 passes for 291 yards and three touchdowns
Arkansas: Passing: Ryan Mallett, 12-35, 160 yds, 1 TD, 1 INT
Rushing: Michael Smith, 12-61, Receiving: Joe Adams, 6-81
Alabama: Passing: Greg McElroy, 17-24, 291 yds, 3 TD
Rushing: Trent Richardson, 9-65, 1 TD, Receiving: Roy Upchurch, 3-30
What It All Means: Alabama showed it could run the ball and defend the run over the first three games, and now it showed the pass defense and the passing attack to be an even more complete team than originally believed. The positive was Greg McElroy’s near-flawless performance, spreading the ball around well and making the big throws to put the game away, but the defense suffered a crippling blow with the loss of LB Dont’a Hightower to a knee injury. The defense has a game against Kentucky to make sure the linebacking corps is solid before dealing with Ole Miss. 

Sept. 19
at Alabama 53 ... Arkansas 7
Alabama got up early and didn't have to breathe hard scoring the first 44 points of the game before North Texas finally got on the board on a 34-yard Lance Dunbar catch in the third quarter. Bama QB Greg McElroy started out the scoring with a two-yard touchdown run and followed it up with a 34-yard touchdown pass to Marquis Maze and a 29-yard touchdown play to Trent Richardson. Terry Grant added two short touchdown runs in the second half. North Texas only managed seven first downs.
Player of the Game: Alabama QB Greg McElroy completed 13-of-15 passes for 176 yards and two touchdowns. He also ran for a score.
Alabama: Passing: Greg McElroy, 13-15, 176 yds, 2 TD
Rushing: Mark Ingram, 8-91, 1 TD, Receiving: Marquis Maze, 4-49, 1 TD
North Texas: Passing: Nathan Tune, 16-23, 126 yds, 1 TD
Rushing: J. Hamilton, 7-31, Receiving: Darius Carey, 5-34
What It All Means: The Tide showed nearly perfect offensive balance with 260 rushing yards and 263 passing with Greg McElroy picking apart North Texas. The key to the easy win was McElroy on third downs, helping the Tide convert 10-of-14 chances. He had the time to work, and he was terrific just when the team needed to show something different. Everyone knows Bama can run, but now Arkansas has to prepare more for the short to midrange passing game.

Sept. 12
at Alabama 40 ... FIU 14
FIU answered a 24-yard Mike McCoy touchdown catch with a 96-yard T.Y. Hilton kickoff return for a score, and held a 14-13 lead with a nine-yard Greg Ellingson touchdown catch early in the second quarter. And then it was all Alabama with Mark Ingram running for a two yard score and Trent Richardson scoring from nine and 35 yards out as part of a run of 27 unanswered points. FIU was held to one rushing yard and was outgained 516 yards to 214.
Player of the Game: Alabama RB Trent Richardson ran 15 times for 118 yards and two scores and caught two passes for 23 yards.
Alabama: Passing: Greg McElroy, 18-24, 241 yds, 1 TD
Rushing: Trent Richardson, 15-118, 2 TD, Receiving: Mike McCoy, 5-100, 1 TD
FIU: Passing: Paul McCall, 16-32, 189 yds, 1 TD
Rushing: Darria Mallary, 3-13, Receiving: Greg Ellingson, 5-92, 1 TD
What It All Means: Alabama has enough rushing weapons to come up with a killer rotation. Last week it was Mark Ingram; this week it was Trent Richardson. The Bama backs averaged 6.5 yards per carry against FIU, and while it took a little while for the offense to wake up, the pounding of the ground game and the defensive pressure, with five sacks and limiting FIU to just one yard, led to the blowout. Next week against North Texas the passing game has to get Julio Jones more involved. Quiet so far, he needs to develop a rapport with Greg McElroy in game action.

Sept. 5
Alabama 34 … Virginia Tech 24
Alabama dominated the Hokies with a punishing ground game and a tough run defense, but it took a while to put the game away. Ryan Williams tore off a 32-yard scoring dash to pull Tech within three with 9:22 to play, but the Tide went 74 yards in five plays finishing with an 18-yard Mark Ingram touchdown run to put the game away. Bama moved the ball well in the first half, but only managed three of Leigh Tiffin’s four field goals early on and suffered a 98-yard kickoff return for a touchdown by Dyrell Roberts after a 34-yard Tiffin boot. Ingram, who finished with two scores, and a 19-yard Roy Upchurch touchdown dash allowed Bama control the game in the second half. The Tide outgained Tech 498 yards to 155.
Player of the Game: Alabama RB Mark Ingram ran 26 times for 150 yards and a score.
Virginia Tech: Passing: Tyrod Taylor, 9-20, 91 yds
Rushing: Ryan Williams, 13-71, 2 TD, Receiving: Jarrett Boykin, 3-19
Alabama: Passing: Greg McElroy, 15-30, 230 yds, 1 TD< 1 INT
Rushing: Mark Ingram, 26-150, 1 TD, Receiving: Julio Jones, 4-46
What It All Means: The running game destroyed a Hokie run defense that’ll end up being among the best in the ACC. Mark Ingram was punishing, while Roy Upchurch added some nice dash. But everyone know Bama wanted to run the ball. It was Greg McElroy who came up big with his legs (outgaining Tyrod Taylor 28 yards to -26 on the ground) and an efficient, effective day with his arm. There were too many penalties and too many lapses that kept the Hokies in the game, but if the Tide can tighten up, this is a national title-good squad.