Tide Travels to Baton Rouge to Take on LSU
11/1/2010 12:00:00 AM | Football
Nov. 1, 2010
| Alabama Football Preview - Game Nine | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| No. 5/5 Alabama (7-1, 4-1 SEC) at No. 12/11 LSU (7-1, 4-1 SEC) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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HEAD COACH Nick Saban: Alabama head coach Nick Saban (Kent State, 1973) is in his fourth season with the Crimson Tide. He was named the school's 27th head coach on January 3, 2007. Saban has compiled a 35-9 record (40-9 including five vacated wins in 2007) at Alabama while leading the Tide to two SEC Western Division championships, one conference title and one national championship. Saban holds a career record of 126-51-1 (131-51-1) as a collegiate head coach, while also serving at Toledo, Michigan State and LSU. Saban won his first national championship as head coach of the LSU Tigers in 2003, guiding the Tigers to a 13-1 record that season. Overall, Saban has coached four conference championship teams (1990 Mid-American, 2001 SEC, 2003 SEC and 2009 SEC) and 10 of his 13 teams have played in postseason bowl games with the Tide appearing in a bowl game each year under Saban's direction. Saban is also one of two coaches (Urban Meyer, Florida) to win two BCS National Championships and the first to accomplish the feat at two different schools.
RANKINGS: Alabama opened the 2010 season ranked first in the Associated Press and USA Today Coaches' preseason polls but checks in at No. 5 in both polls this week, a one-spot jump from last week. The Crimson Tide is also ranked sixth in the latest BCS standings. LSU is ranked 12th in the AP poll, 11th in the coaches' poll and 10th in the BCS.
LSU SERIES: The LSU/Alabama series is one of the most fiercely contested rivalries in the Southeastern Conference. The Crimson Tide leads the all-time series 45-23-5, but the Tigers had won five straight in the series before Alabama's current two-game winning streak heading into this weekend's game. Last season, UA earned its first win over LSU in Tuscaloosa since 1999 with a 24-15 triumph at Bryant-Denny Stadium. In 2008, the Crimson Tide posted a 27-21 overtime win at Tiger Stadium. The Tide holds a 25-8-2 edge in Baton Rouge with a 9-8 edge in Tuscaloosa.
NEXT GAME: The Crimson Tide returns home on Saturday, November 13, to start a season-ending three-game homestand that begins with a SEC West clash with Mississippi State. Alabama will be meeting the Bulldogs for the 95th time in school history and boasts a 72-18-3 record in the series (one forfeit and one vacated win). The Tide have won two straight in the series and seven of the last nine. Alabama has outscored MSU 63-10 in the last two meetings.
ALABAMA DEGREES: Alabama's success on the field over the past two seasons under the direction of head coach Nick Saban has coincided with the Crimson Tide's success in the classroom. After playing the 2010 BCS National Championship Game with 21 players that already had their degrees, the 2010 Crimson Tide began the 2010 season with four players that already have degrees in hand, including Earl Alexander (financial planning), Greg McElroy (business marketing), Brian Motley (general studies) and David Ross (consumer affairs). Over the past three seasons (2008-10) the Crimson Tide has seen 31 players compete for the Crimson Tide after having already graduated.
STADIUM RENOVATION: The latest expansion of Bryant-Denny Stadium raised seating capacity to 101,821, making it one of the five largest on-campus football stadiums in the nation. The expansion is the fourth expansion of the stadium since 1988 and the seventh expansion in the stadium's history. It consists of roughly 9,600 additional seats, 1,700 South Zone Club seats, two corner video boards, an upper concourse with concessions and restrooms, 36 skyboxes, the Crimson Tide Foundation offices, a Donor Hall of Recognition and an outdoor market featuring Zoe's Kitchen, Yogurt Lab and a new university admissions office welcome center. UA's first four home game crowds of 101,821 not only set a school record, but also set a new record for the most spectators to watch a football game in the state of Alabama.
McELROY NAMED A FINALIST FOR CAMPBELL TROPHY: Alabama quarterback Greg McElroy has been selected as a finalist for the 2010 William V. Campbell Trophy, which is presented by the National Football Foundation & College Hall of Fame and recognizes the best and brightest from the college gridiron. The NFF announced 16 finalists, who are recognized as part of the 2010 NFF Scholar-Athlete Class, receiving an $18,000 post-graduate scholarship. The Campbell Trophy winner, who will have his scholarship increased to $25,000 and receive a 25-pound bronze trophy, will be announced live at the NFF's Awards Dinner on December 7 at Waldorf-Astoria in New York City. In the classroom, McElroy has been named to the SEC Academic Honor Roll four times (2007-10), the President's List (4.0 GPA) twice, the Dean's List (3.5-3.99 GPA) four times and is a UA Rhodes Scholar nominee. He is currently pursuing a degree in sports management after finishing his undergraduate degree in marketing in just three years.
BEATING THE BEST: Alabama is 12-3 against the Associated Press Top 25 over the past three seasons and 8-2 against AP top 10 teams. UA had reeled off nine straight wins against top 25 teams until the loss at South Carolina. The Crimson Tide's 31-6 win over No. 7 Florida on October 2 was the Tide's second straight win over a top 10 team and third top 25 victory in the past four weeks. Alabama is 3-1 against the AP Top 25 this season.
BCS RANKINGS RELEASED: Alabama is sixth in this week's Bowl Championship Series standings released on Sunday, Oct. 31, with a .7185 average. Oregon is this week's new No. 1 in the BCS with a .9777 average with Auburn (.9599) second, TCU (.8911) third, Boise State (.8824) fourth and Utah (.7318) fifth. Below is a look at this week's top six.
REMAINING BCS SLATE: Alabama has probably the toughest remaining schedule among the BCS top 25 teams. The No. 6 Crimson Tide is the only team in the country with three teams ranked in the BCS top 25 remaining on their schedule. The Tide still has to travel to No. 10 LSU and host No. 20 Mississippi State before a visit from No. 2 Auburn to close out the regular season. Alabama's three remaining SEC opponents boast a record of 23-3. This week's BCS standings has five teams in the top 25 that are on Alabama's 2010 schedule.
TIDE AMONG NATIONAL LEADERS IN INTERCEPTIONS: With two interceptions at Tennessee the Crimson Tide ranks third nationally and second in the SEC with 15 interceptions in eight games, just one back of Florida and Toledo. Intercepting 1.88 passes per game, the Tide is tied with Miami, Ohio State and Oregon. Alabama finished second nationally with 24 interceptions last season (one behind Texas). It took the Tide 14 games during the 2008 season to equal the 15 picks it has this season heading into LSU.
SABAN AFTER A BYE: Alabama head coach Nick Saban is 11-8 during his collegiate head coaching career following a bye week. He is 3-1 during his time at the Capstone following a bye and is currently on a three-game winning streak. He lost to LSU following the bye week in 2007 but posted two wins after a bye in 2008 over Kentucky and Auburn and then defeated LSU following the bye on his way to a national championship in 2009. Saban was 2-5 following a bye at Michigan State and 6-2 after an off week at LSU. He is 9-3 following a bye as a coach in the SEC.
TOUGH SLATE: Alabama faced one of the most daunting three-game stretches in school history when it challenged No. 10 Arkansas, came home for No. 7 Florida and then traveled to No. 19 South Carolina. It was only the fourth time in school history the Tide had faced three consecutive games against top 20 competition without a bye week. It was the first time Alabama has ever faced three straight games against top 20 teams with two games coming on the road. The Crimson Tide began the three-game run with a 24-20 come-from-behind victory at No. 10 Arkansas before posting a 31-6 win over No. 7 Florida at home and then falling at South Carolina. The last time Alabama faced three straight games vs. top 20 teams without a bye came in 1997 when the Tide lost to No. 14 LSU and No. 17 Mississippi State before falling at No. 3 Auburn. It also happened in 1986, losing to No. 6 Penn State before winning at No. 17 Mississippi State and dropping a home game to No. 18 LSU. The first time it happened was in 1953 with wins over No. 5 Georgia Tech and No. 16 Auburn at home and a loss in between to No. 2 Maryland on the road.
START FAST -- FINISH STRONG: One of Alabama's priorities each week is to get off to a fast start and then win the fourth quarter. The Crimson Tide's "Start Fast -- Finish Strong" motto has been evident in 2010 with a 72-30 scoring edge in the first quarter and a 38-10 advantage in the fourth quarter. UA has also had a distinct edge in the second half, outscoring opponents by a margin of 84-30 in seven games. A season ago, Alabama outscored its opponents 121-32 in the fourth quarter, a margin of 89 points. That number grew to 201-77 in the third and fourth quarters for a margin of 124 points.
SABAN AMONG THE BEST: Head coach Nick Saban's arrival in Tuscaloosa led to the Crimson Tide's rapid rise up the national rankings. That success in such a short period of time has impacted the Tide's record book. Saban produced the largest win increase from year one to year two in school history as Alabama went from seven wins in 2007 to 12 wins in 2008. He has won 21 of his last 22 games and is coming off of his second national championship in 2009 -- his first at Alabama. Saban is one of two coaches (Bob Stoops, Oklahoma) in the Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) to have coached 10 years and never suffered through a losing season. Saban achieved more firsts in 2009 with back-to-back 10-win seasons and his first undefeated campaign. He ranks fourth in winning percentage (71.1 percent) among active coaches who have coached at least 10 years of FBS football. Saban is also one of two coaches (Urban Meyer, Florida) to win two BCS National Championships and the first to accomplish the feat at two different schools.
ALABAMA HAS MOST WINS SINCE 2008: Alabama has won 33 games dating back to the start of the 2008 season, which is tied for the most in the Football Bowl Subdivision. The Crimson Tide won 12 games in 2008, followed that with a perfect 14-0 record in 2009 and is off to a 7-1 start in 2010 after a win at Tennessee on Oct. 23. Alabama is tied with behind Boise State at 33 and has two more wins than TCU over the past three seasons.
STREAKING AT BRYANT-DENNY: Alabama has won 18 consecutive games at Bryant-Denny Stadium dating back to the home opener against Tulane in 2008. It is tied for the third-longest streak in school history at Bryant-Denny Stadium and is just two games shy of the second-place mark of 20 set from Nov. 1, 1941, to Nov. 11, 1950. The longest winning streak at Bryant-Denny Stadium is 57 games from Oct. 26, 1963, to Nov. 13, 1982. During the current streak, the Crimson Tide is 10-0 against SEC competition and 4-0 against top 25 teams.
TOUGH SLATE: Alabama once again has one of the most difficult schedules in the nation with as many as eight games against teams ranked in the USA Today Coaches' Poll Preseason Top 25. The Tide beat then-No. 18/14 Penn State on Sept. 11, then-No. 10/11 Arkansas on Sept. 25, and then-No. 7/7 Florida on Oct. 2. Alabama then suffered its first regular-season loss since 2007 at No. 19/20 South Carolina on Oct. 9. The next ranked opponent for the Tide is at No. 12/11 LSU on Nov. 6, with No. 21/21 Mississippi State on Nov. 13 and then No. 3/2 Auburn on Nov. 26.
FIRST-TIME STARTERS FOR THE CRIMSON TIDE: A total of 21 Alabama players have made their first collegiate starts this season - 16 positional starters and 5 specialists. Four first-time starters have been on offense: LG Chance Warmack, RT D.J. Fluker, RB Trent Richardson and RT Alfred McCullough. There have been 12 first-time starters were on defense: DE Damion Square, DE Luther Davis, NG Kerry Murphy, LB C.J. Mosley, Sam LB Chavis Williams, Will LB Jerrell Harris, Jack LB Ed Stinson, CB Dre Kirkpatrick, CB DeQuan Menzie, CB DeMarcus Milliner, FS Robert Lester and CB Phelon Jones. Five more have made starting debuts on special teams: deep snapper Carson Tinker, kickoff specialist and distance field goal kicker Cade Foster, punter Cody Mandell and place-kicker Jeremy Shelley. Of the 20 new starters, four are true freshmen (PK Foster, P Mandell, CB Milliner, LB Mosley).
Crimson Tide Offensive Notes
2010 OFFENSE PUTTING UP NUMBERS: Alabama returned eight starters from the 2009 offense that put together one of best seasons in school history. The Crimson Tide set a school record with 5,642 yards of total offense, including 3,011 rushing yards (11th in school history) and 2,631 passing yards (5th in school history). The Tide also scored the second-most points in the 115-year history of the program with 448 (32.1 points per game). However, the 2010 Crimson Tide offense is ahead of that pace. Alabama is averaging 440.75 yards of total offense per game to rank 23rd nationally and third in the SEC. The rushing offense is ranked 30th at 186.88 yards per game (fourth in the SEC) while the passing offense is 36th at 253.88 yards per game (fourth in the SEC). The Crimson Tide is scoring 34.25 points per game to rank third in the conference and rank 24th nationally.RETURNING HEISMAN WINNER: Running back Mark Ingram returned for his junior season after capturing the school's first Heisman Trophy on the 75th anniversary of the award in 2009. He missed Alabama's opening two games after undergoing arthroscopic knee surgery on Tuesday, August 31, but returned Sept. 18 at Duke. Ingram rushed for 1,658 yards and 20 total touchdowns in 2009 to become the first Heisman Trophy-winning running back to help his team win a national championship in the same season since Tony Dorsett in 1976. Ingram is also one of six players since 1950 to win the Heisman Trophy and a national championship in the same season and is the first Heisman-winning back to return the following season since Oklahoma's Billy Sims returned for his senior year in 1979. Sims won the 1978 Heisman Trophy, but finished second to Charles White of Southern California in 1979.
McELROY BY THE NUMBERS: Alabama quarterback Greg McElroy is quietly putting up some impressive numbers during his senior campaign. The native of Southlake, Texas, ranks eighth nationally in passing efficiency while completing 70.6 percent of his passes for 1,781 yards. He has thrown 11 touchdowns and just three interceptions in 194 attempts this season. He is averaging one interception every 64.7 attempts this season and is currently the SEC career leader in that category, throwing a pick once every 67.4 pass attempts. McElroy has attempted 121 passes since his last interception in the second quarter of the Arkansas game on September 25, which is the sixth longest streak in school history. But it is only the third-longest streak for McElroy who, during his 22 career starts, has also had consecutive passes without an interception streaks of 149 (2009-10) and 141 (2009) that rank third and fourth, respectively, in school history.
RECORD PERFORMANCE FOR Julio Jones: Junior wide receiver Julio Jones caught 12 passes for a school-record 221 yards against Tennessee. The receptions total ranks second in Alabama history behind only DJ Hall's 13-catch outing (185 yards) versus Tennessee on Oct. 20, 2007. Those totals put Jones over 100 yards receiving for the seventh time in his Alabama career (ranks 2nd in Alabama history) and the third time this season. Jones' previous single-game yardage high at Alabama was a 128-yard outing (on 7 catches) at LSU on November 8, 2008. His previous single-game high for catches was 9 (for 83 yards) at Auburn on Nov. 27, 2009.
Julio Jones MOVES UP CAREER RECEPTIONS LIST: Junior wide receiver Julio Jones caught a career-high 12 passes just under two weeks after undergoing surgery to repair a broken left hand on Sunday, Oct. 10, following the South Carolina game where he had a then-season-best eight passes for 118 yards. He is third on the Alabama career pass receptions list with 146. He moved past the 2,000-yard mark at Tennessee in career receiving yards with 2,189, becoming the third player in Alabama history to eclipse the total and now ranking second in school history. He joined DJ Hall (2,923 yards from 2004-07) and Ozzie Newsome (2,070 yards from 1974-77) in eclipsing 2,000 receiving yards in a career. On the season, Jones has caught 45 passes for 669 yards and three touchdowns in eight games in 2010, averaging 14.9 yards per catch to give the Tide a lethal threat on the outside. His 5.62 receptions per game rank fourth in the SEC and tied for 35th nationally while his 83.63 yards per game are 26th nationally and second in the conference.
MR. EVERYTHING: Running back Trent Richardson is doing a little bit of everything for the Crimson Tide this season. The sophomore ranks second nationally and first in the SEC in all-purpose yards (1,454 in eight games) at 181.8 per game average. The Alabama school record for all-purpose yards is 2,016 by Bobby Humphrey in 1986, which averaged out to 168.0 yard per game. Richardson is currently on pace for 2,181 yards in a 12-game season, 2,363 in a 13-game season and 2,545 in a 14-game season. Richardson has 606 yards rushing (75.75 per game), 244 receiving (30.5 pg) and 604 on kickoff returns (75.5 pg). He has two 100-yard rushing games, one 100-yard receiving game and three games with more than 100-yards in kickoff returns. Richardson has also eclipsed the 200-yard barrier in all-purpose yards three times (Penn State, Arkansas and Mississippi), and he has never had less than 121 all-purpose yards (Florida).
INGRAM'S HOT START: On Sept. 18 at Duke, Mark Ingram became the first Bowl Championship Subdivision player to rush for 150 yards on less than 10 carries in the last five years. Ingram, in his first action of the 2010 season, ran for 151 yards on just nine carries and scored two touchdowns. The 16.8 yards per carry was a career high and among the top 10 performances in school history. Ingram actually cracked the 100-yard barrier in the first quarter, on just his third carry after runs of 48, 3 and 50 yards. He went into halftime with 148 yards on seven carries for an average of 21.1 yards per carry.
INGRAM VS. TOP 25 OPPONENTS: Mark Ingram has consistently stepped up his production against top 25 competition during his career at the Capstone. The junior from Flint, Mich., averaged 188.8 rushing and receiving yards vs. the top 25 last season, including 156.8 rushing yards in those games and nine touchdowns. He also had 31 runs of 10 yards or more against ranked foes in 2009. In 2010, Ingram ripped off 157 yards and two touchdowns on 24 carries in a 24-20 come-from-behind victory at No. 10 Arkansas on Sept. 25. Ingram's 54-yard first-quarter touchdown burst was a showcase of his vision, speed, cut-back ability, vicious stiff-arm and uncanny balance. He then scored two touchdowns and accounted for 66 all-purpose yards in a 31-6 rout of No. 7 Florida and then had 57 all-purpose yards at South Carolina.
INGRAM 4TH ON CAREER RUSHING YARDS CHART: Mark Ingram rushed for 88 yards on 14 carries at Tennessee, which give him 2,930 rushing yards in his career to rank fourth in Crimson Tide history. Shaun Alexander (1996-99) is the Tide's career rushing yards record holder with 3,565 yards.
INGRAM SHOWS HIS TOUGHNESS: Mark Ingram became well known for his bruising-running style and tackle-breaking second efforts last season. Ingram accounted for 1,075 rushing and receiving yards after contact en route to the Heisman Trophy. Through Ingram's first five games of the 2010 season, Ingram has accounted for 544 yards rushing and 68 yards receiving on 13 catches. Of his 612 total yards, 260 (42.5 percent) of those yards have come after contact. That style seems to have also become a trademark of Crimson Tide running backs with sophomore Trent Richardson and redshirt freshman Eddie Lacy showing the same skill set early this season. Richardson has accounted for 363 yards after contact of his 850 rushing and receiving yards (42.7 percent) in 2010 while Lacy has 89 yards after contact this year.
BALL SECURITY: Mark Ingram has also developed an impressive reputation during his 34-game Alabama career as an expert at holding onto the football. The junior has only lost one fumble in 499 career rushing attempts, 52 career receptions and one kickoff return for a total of 552 career touches. He has only put the ball on the ground twice, the first of which at LSU in 2008 was recovered by the Tide and the second was a lost fumble vs. Tennessee in 2009. On average, Ingram fumbles once every 276 touches. Ingram went 332 carries into his career before losing his first fumble. Sophomore Trent Richardson has been almost as good, touching the ball 288 times and losing just one fumble while putting it on the ground five times.
RICHARDSON ECLIPSES 100 RECEIVING YARDS: Sophomore running back Trent Richardson caught 5 passes for 101 yards against Mississippi to become the first Alabama running back to eclipse the century mark in receiving yards in 12 years. Before Saturday night, the most recent Alabama back to have more than 100 yards receiving was Shaun Alexander, who caught 5 passes for 110 yards and one touchdown against Mississippi State on November 14, 1998.
RICHARDSON BACK DEEP: Sophomore Trent Richardson's 91-yard kickoff return for a touchdown on Sept. 18 at Duke did not make the Alabama all-time top-10 list for longest kickoff returns, but it did mark the first Crimson Tide kickoff return for a touchdown since a 100-yard return for a score by Tyrone Prothro on October 10, 2004. Richardson is third in the SEC and ranks 22th nationally in kickoff returns this season with a 27.45 ypr average.
RICHARDSON JOINS 1,000-YARD CLUB: With 61 rushing yards against Duke on Sept. 18, sophomore running back Trent Richardson became the 51st Crimson Tide player to rush for 1,000 career yards. Richardson now has 1,357 yards on 231 carries over the first 22 games of his Alabama career. Mark Ingram became the 50th player in school history to rush for 1,000 yards last season while Glen Coffee and Terry Grant both eclipsed 1,000 career rushing yards in 2008.
A BALANCED ATTACK: Alabama returned to the nation's elite in 2008 with a punishing ground attack that wore down defenses and took shots down the field. In 2009, the Tide brought more balance to the table on offense. UA still had an outstanding ground game and an aerial attack to match with quarterback Greg McElroy. The Tide showed good balance in their offensive numbers, averaging 215.07 rushing yards and 187.93 yards passing per game.
In 2010 Alabama has again shown to have excellent balance. The Crimson Tide has accounted for 3,526 yards of total offense (26th nationally at 440.75 ypg), including 2,031 yards (57.6 percent) in the air and 1,495 (43.0 percent) on the ground. The Tide has thrown 219 total passes (42.4 percent) -- completing 153 (69.9 percent) -- while running the ball 281 times (56.2 percent).
QUICK STRIKE OFFENSE: Alabama has displayed a quick strike capability in 2010 with 22 scoring drives of less than three minutes and 12 of less than 90 seconds. The Crimson Tide have also put together 17 scoring drives of five plays or less, including nine drives of three plays or less.
EXPLOSIVE PLAYS: In first seven games of the 2010 season, the Alabama offense has accounted for 70 plays of 15 yards or more, scoring 16 touchdowns within those 70 explosive plays. The Crimson Tide have made 50 passing plays of 15 yards or more with Julio Jones leading the way with 17 15-plus yard pass receptions. Trent Richardson also has 13 explosive plays with eight rushes of 15-plus yards and five receptions. Marquis Maze has 10 explosive receptions while Mark Ingram had seven runs and one pass reception of 15 yards or more in six games, including runs of 54, 50, 48, 42, 20, 19 and 17 yards and a 20-yard reception. The longest play of the season was a 85-yard scoring strike from Greg McElroy to Richardson against Mississippi with the second longest coming on a 65-yard scoring run by Richardson at Tennessee. That 85-yard pass play is tied for the fifth-longest scoring pass in Alabama history and is the longest pass completion of McElroy's Alabama career (previous long: 80 to Marquis Maze vs. Arkansas in 2009).
100-YARD RUSHERS AND RECEIVERS: Alabama has had 26 100-yard rushers in 25 games and 12 100-yard receivers in 12 games over the last four seasons since Nick Saban arrived in Tuscaloosa. Junior running back Mark Ingram has recorded 12 100-yard rushing games during his career while Trent Richardson has four 100-yard rushing efforts and Eddie Lacy one. Under Saban, Alabama has gone 25-1 in those 26 games with a 100-yard rusher. Junior Julio Jones (7) and Trent Richardson (1) are the only current players with a 100-yard receiving game. The Tennessee game on Oct. 23 marked the six time under Saban that Alabama has had a 100-yard rusher and receiver in the same game.
McELROY STREAK ENDS: Greg McElroy's streak of 19 consecutive wins to open a career at Alabama and 35 straight wins as a starting quarterback came to an end with the Tide's loss at South Carolina. He now has a 21-1 mark over the last two seasons as a starter at Alabama. Prior to South Carolina, McElroy's last loss as a starting quarterback was in the eighth grade against Cross Timbers Middle School in Grapevine, Texas. McElroy's 19-0 start to his career is the second best in school history. It also ranked as the second-longest streak of consecutive wins by a starting quarterback in school history. Jay Barker owns both records, winning the first 22 games of his career from 1991-93.
MILESTONES VS. DUKE: Alabama's scored 62 points vs. Duke, the most in a game since a 62-0 win over Tulane on Oct. 12, 1991, and the most in a road game since a 62-27 win over Mississippi on Oct. 7, 1989. The 49-point margin of victory is the largest for Alabama since a 52-0 win over Western Carolina on Sept. 18, 2004. Alabama amassed 626 yards of total offense (315 rushing, 311 passing) against Duke, the most since gaining 644 against LSU in Baton Rouge on Nov. 11, 1989 (257 rushing, 387 passing). The 45 points scored in the first half by Alabama was the most scored by the Crimson Tide in any half since Oct. 7, 1989, when Alabama scored 48 points in the first half of a 62-27 victory over Mississippi at Jackson, Miss.
MAZE'S PUNT RETURNS: Wide receiver Marquis Maze made a major impact as a punt return man against Mississippi, returning 6 punts for 125 yards (20.8-yard average) including returns of 37 and 20 yards. The yardage ranks third on the Alabama single-game punt returns yardage list. The 37-yard return, keyed by a devastating block that took out two Mississippi defenders by linebacker Alex Watkins, set up Alabama deep in Rebels territory midway through the second period. That set up a 19-yard field goal by Jeremy Shelly that gave Alabama a 13-0 lead. In addition to his punt return prowess, Marquis Maze also caught 3 passes for 42 yards and rushed once for 1 yard against the Rebels, giving him a game-high 168 all-purpose yards. Maze is now ninth nationally and third in the SEC averaging 16.64 yards per punt return.
Crimson Tide Defensive Notes
SCORING DEFENSE: The Alabama defense replaced nine starters from its 2009 national championship-winning defense that finished second nationally in all major defensive categories. The 2010 defense, although still far from complete, has been fairly successful to this point. The Crimson Tide ranks second nationally in scoring defense and first in the league, surrendering just 12.5 points per game or 100 total points in eight games. UA went 14 quarters at home before surrendering a touchdown at Bryant-Denny and has only allowed one touchdown at home this season, surrendering just 22 points (5.5 ppg). The secondary, which was forced to replace 3 of 4 starters and six of its top seven players, has also fared well in the national rankings with the No. 3 pass efficiency defense (94.31). The rush defense has not put up the numbers of the past two seasons, but still is just allowing just 113.38 yards per game to rank 17th nationally. The Tide's total defense is 11th nationally at 291.38 yards per game, which ranks second in the SEC.GROUND DEFENSE: Tennessee junior tailback Tauren Poole rushed for 117 yards on 14 carries against Alabama on October 23, ending a streak of 41 consecutive games in which the Crimson Tide had not allowed a 100-yard rusher, dating back to Oct. 13, 2007, when Mississippi's BenJarvus Green-Ellis went for 131 yards. That was the longest streak in the nation, 28 games longer than second-place Boston College, the new leader in the category with 14. Alabama was one of three teams not to allow a 100-yard rusher in 2009 and was the only team not to surrender a 100-yard rusher in 2008, 2009 or until that point of 2010. Over the last three seasons, the Crimson Tide has held 27 opponents to under 100 yards rushing.
GROUND DEFENSE - PART II: Keeping the opposing running back under 100 yards is nothing new for the Crimson Tide. Alabama has surrendered just nine individual 100-yard rushing games dating back to the 2005 season (69 games), a mark that third nationally behind Ohio State and Boston College (8). Since head coach Nick Saban's arrived in 2007 (49 games), Alabama has only allowed four players to rush for 100 yards in a game: Tennessee's Tauren Poole (117), Mississippi's BenJarvus Green-Ellis (131 yards), Houston's Anthony Alridge (100 yards) and Arkansas' Darren McFadden (195 yards).
TOUGH SLEDDING ON THE GROUND: Alabama has surrendered the fewest rushing touchdowns in the nation since the start of the 2005 season, giving up only 45. Ohio State is tied with the Crimson Tide, also allowing 45 during that time span. Since head coach Nick Saban arrived in 2007, the Crimson Tide has given up 27 rushing touchdowns while OSU has allowed 25. In 2010, Alabama has surrendered just four rushing touchdowns in eight games.
FORCING TURNOVERS: Alabama's ability to produce turnovers in recent years has fueled the Crimson Tide's success. The Crimson Tide is off to a decent start in 2010 with 17 turnovers and eight giveaways (plus-9) in the first eight games. UA has intercepted 15 passes and recovered two fumbles for a +1.13 turnover margin that ranks eighth nationally and first in the SEC.
Alabama has forced 97 turnovers in 49 games under head coach Nick Saban (an average of 1.98 per game) while forcing 48 turnovers over the last 22 games (2.18 per game). The Tide finished the 2009 season ranked fourth nationally in turnover margin at plus-19 (1.36 per game). The UA offense only turned the ball over 12 times (5 interceptions, 7 fumbles) in 2009. Alabama forced 24 turnovers in 2007 for a plus-4 turnover ratio and then recorded 25 turnovers and ended the season with a plus-6 turnover margin in 2008. Alabama has recorded at least one turnover in 44 of 49 games under Saban. UA is 37-7 under Saban when gaining at least one turnover. Alabama is 3-2 in games without a turnover over the last three seasons.
DEFENSE TOUGH ON THIRD DOWN: Third down defense has been crucial for Alabama over the past three seasons. The Crimson Tide is strong once again in 2010, allowing just 37 third down conversions in 114 attempts (32.46 percent) to rank 14th nationally. The Crimson Tide defense was strong on third down in 2009, ranking sixth nationally and allowing a 29.90 conversion rate (58 for 194). The Crimson Tide finished third nationally in third down conversion defense in 2008, holding opponents to a 28.14 percent (56 of 199) conversion rate.
LESTER LEADS SEC IN INTERCEPTIONS: Sophomore safety Robert Lester made two huge interceptions against Arkansas that helped the Crimson Tide complete the come-back win in Fayetteville and preserve their undefeated season. The native of Foley, Ala., now has five interceptions this season to rank tied for first in the SEC and rank tied for fourth nationally at .62 per game. Fellow sophomore Dre Kirkpatrick is close behind with three picks on the season to rank tied for 28th nationally and tied for fifth in the SEC at .38 per game. As a team, Alabama second nationally with 15 picks.
HIGHTOWER RETURNS: Sophomore linebacker Dont'a Hightower returns for his third season at the Capstone as the man in the middle of Alabama's complex defensive scheme. Hightower received a medical redshirt for the 2009 season after suffering a torn ACL in the fourth game of the season against Arkansas. An amazingly quick recovery returned him to the practice field with full contact during spring drills. Hightower has split time between the Mike and Will linebacker spots in 2010 while also seeing time with his hand in the dirt on passing downs to take advantage of his pass-rushing skills. The Lewisburg, Tenn., native has 116 career tackles with 6.5 tackles for loss and 11 quarterback hurries. Hightower has 36 tackles, two pass breakups and five quarterback hurries in 2010.
BARRON MAKING PRESENCE KNOWN: Safety Mark Barron is one of the most prominent safeties in the nation. The Mobile, Ala., native was a first-team All-SEC player a year ago, leading the league with seven interceptions while garnering third-team All-America honors. He registered 76 tackles to rank second on the Alabama defense in 2009. Barron led the SEC -- along with teammate Marquis Johnson -- in passes defended with 18 (11 PBU, 7 INT) and ranked tied for sixth nationally with 1.29 passes defended per game.
In 2010, Barron is off to a strong start as the leader of the Crimson Tide secondary. He leads the team with 52 tackles while recording two interceptions, two sacks (-15), 3.0 tackles for loss (-19), one forced fumble, two quarterback hurries and SIX pass breakups.
MOSLEY NABS A PICK 6: True freshman linebacker C.J. Mosley intercepted a Florida pass and returned it 35 yards for a touchdown in the third quarter to give Alabama a 31-6 lead over the Gators, the first interception of Mosley's Alabama career and the first interception return for a touchdown in 2010. It marked Alabama's first interception return for a touchdown since Marcell Dareus returned an interception of a Texas pass 28 yards for a score in the BCS Championship Game on January 7, 2010. Mosley, who earned his first career start at South Carolina, now has started two games, made 37 tackles on the season with a team-high six pass breakups and a quarterback hurry.
UPSHAW STUNS GATORS: Junior Jack linebacker Courtney Upshaw had an impressive outing for the Crimson Tide against Florida as he was credited with seven tackles, including four for losses, a fumble recovery and two pass breakups. Upshaw's performance keynoted a strong defensive effort by Alabama, which posted eight tackles for loss with three interceptions and one quarterback sack. Upshaw, who has battled a high-ankle sprain since the Penn State game, has now recorded 22 tackles on the season with 7.5 tackles for loss, a sack, two pass breakups, one fumblE recovery, one forced fumble and one quarterback hurry.
THREE AND OUT: Consistently forcing three-and-outs has been a trademark of Alabama's defense. A year ago, on its way to a national championship, Alabama led the nation with an average of 5.61 three-and-outs per game. In 2010, the Tide is once again among the nation's best averaging 4.13 three-and-outs per game or 33 three-and-outs in eight games. Ohio State currently leads the country in three-and-outs with 5.42 per game.
Crimson Tide Opponent Notes
THE ALABAMA-LSU SERIES: Alabama leads the all-time series with LSU 45-23-5 in a series that dates back to the 1895 season. The 2010 game will be the 74th meeting between these two long-time Southern football rivals. The Tigers won the inaugural meeting in Baton Rouge, 12-6, on Nov. 18, 1895. The two teams did not meet again until the 1902 season, with LSU prevailing once again. Alabama's first series win came on Nov. 9, 1903, in Baton Rouge as the Crimson Tide scored a 10-0 victory. From 1919-45, Alabama posted a 12-game unbeaten streak (9-0-3) against LSU. The series was resumed during the 1944 season with the Tigers gaining a slight advantage over the next nine meetings, posting a 5-3-1 record from 1946-58. Alabama went 16-2 (.889) against LSU from 1964-81, including a series-long 11-game winning streak from 1971-81. LSU also ended UA's school record 31-game (30-0-1) unbeaten streak with a 17-13 win at Bryant-Denny Stadium in 1993. The Tigers snapped a 15-game winless streak to the Crimson Tide in Tiger Stadium with a 30-28 win in Baton Rouge on Nov. 4, 2000. LSU has won eight of the last 14 meetings, dating back to 1997. Alabama snapped a five-game series skid with last year's 27-21 overtime win in Baton Rouge in 2008 and followed that with a 24-15 win in Tuscaloosa in 2009.THERE'S NO PLACE LIKE HOME: There's no place like home, unless you play in the Alabama-LSU football series. A streaky series at best, this matchup between Alabama and LSU has produced some interesting results. The Crimson Tide holds a 45-23-5 series lead over the Tigers in a series that has been dominated by the road team. The home team has compiled an 12-27-1 record since the 1970 season. The road team won every game in the Alabama-LSU series from 1981-89, with the exception of a 14-14 tie in Baton Rouge in 1985. Alabama snapped the nine-game unbeaten streak by the road team with a 24-3 win in Tuscaloosa during the 1990 season. Since 1991, the road team is 13-6 in the last 19 games, including Alabama's win in 2008 at Tiger Stadium (27-21 in overtime). Since 1971, Alabama has posted a 16-2-1 record against LSU in Baton Rouge, including a 15-game unbeatean streak from 1971-98. Alabama posted a 14-0-1 record at Tiger Stadium during that stretch. LSU won back-to-back home games with Alabama in 2004 and 2006. The only other time in series history in which LSU won two straight home games against Alabama was a 31-21 win on Nov. 9, 1946 (31-21), and a 26-6 win on Nov. 20, 1948. Since 1982, LSU owns a 10-4 record over the Crimson Tide in the state of Alabama. The Tigers won four straight road games from 1982-88 and have won the last four at Bryant-Denny Stadium (2001, 2003, 2005 & 2007).
NATIONAL CHAMPIONS: Nick Saban, Les Miles, Steve Spurrier and Urban Meyer are the four active SEC coaches to win a national championship. Saban led Alabama to the 2009 BCS National Championship and LSU to a 13-1 record and the BCS National Championship in 2003, while Miles led the Tigers to the BCS National Championship in 2007. Spurrier guided Florida to a 12-1 ledger and the school's first national title in 1996. Meyer has two national titles with the Gators in 2006 and 2008.
ALABAMA-LSU AT VARIOUS SITES: The Alabama-LSU series has been played at six different sites since the initial meeting in 1895. The city of Baton Rouge has hosted the most games in the series (35), with Alabama posting a 25-8-2 record on the LSU campus. Only one other Louisiana city has hosted this series, with Alabama and LSU playing to a 7-7 tie in New Orleans in 1921. Four Alabama cities have played host to this rivalry, including Tuscaloosa, Mobile, Montgomery and Birmingham. The Tide owns a 20-14-2 record in the state of Alabama.
ALABAMA-LSU SERIES IS A LONG ONE: The LSU series is the fifth-longest series in school history. The two teams began playing in 1895, the 15th game in Crimson Tide history, and the 2010 game marks the 74th meeting between the two teams. Only Mississippi State (92), Tennessee (92), Vanderbilt (81) and Auburn (74) have played Alabama more than LSU.
SABAN VS. LSU: Alabama head coach Nick Saban is 2-2 in his career against LSU, following last year's 24-15 win at Bryant-Denny Stadium and the Tide's 27-21 overtime win in 2008 at Tiger Stadium. Prior to that, Saban-coached teams were 0-2 against LSU, losing 46-25 to the Tigers while at Michigan State in the 1995 Independence Bowl in Shreveport and 41-34 in 2007 Tuscaloosa. Saban was the head coach at LSU from 2000-04 and compiled a 48-16 (.750) record, leading the Tigers to the 2003 BCS National Championship and two SEC Championships during his tenure. In 2003, Saban led the Tigers to a 13-1 record and a 21-14 win over Oklahoma in the BCS National Championship Game played at the Sugar Bowl in New Orleans, La.
LOUISIANA NATIVES: Alabama has five Louisiana natives on its football roster, including redshirt freshman wide receiver Kenny Bell (Rayville, La.), senior defensive lineman Luther Davis (Monroe, La.), junior defensive back player Robby Green (River Ridge, La.), redshirt freshman running back Eddie Lacy and redshirt freshman defensive lineman Darrington Sentimore.
NEIGHBORS' REUNION: There will be a reunion of sorts in Baton Rouge on Saturday between Alabama sophomore defensive back and special teams standout Wesley Neighbors and brother, Connor, a LSU freshman running back. Wesley and Connor's father, Wes, was recruited by Coach Paul Bryant and played for Ray Perkins at Alabama from 1983-86. Their grandfather, Billy, had a standout career for the Tide from 1985-61 and was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 2004.
UA-LSU COACHING TIES: Alabama defensive line coach Bo Davis was an All-SEC defensive lineman at LSU and later worked on the Tigers' staff under both Saban and current LSU head coach Les Miles. Assistant head coach and secondary coach Kirby Smart spent the 2004 season at LSU under Saban. Smart tutored two NFL first-round draft picks Corey Webster and Travis Daniels. LSU allowed 157.2 passing yards to rank second in the SEC and fifth nationally in 2004.
ALABAMA VS. LOUISIANA SCHOOLS: Alabama owns an 85-39-8 record against teams from the state of Louisiana. The Crimson Tide has played 114 of those 130 games against LSU (73) and Tulane (41).
ALABAMA SINGLE-GAME RECORDS (VS. LSU): Below is Alabama's single-game records against the LSU Tigers in the schools' 72 previous meetings.
Crimson Tide General Notes
COACHING STAFF PLAYERS OF THE WEEK: The Alabama coaching staff recognized eights players of the week following 41-10 win at Tennessee. Quarterback Greg McElroy, wide receiver Julio Jones and left tackle James Carpenter were selected on offense while defensive lineman Marcell Dareus, cornerback DeMarcus Milliner and linebacker C.J. Mosley garnered defensive accolades. Will Lowery and Brandon Gibson were the special teams players of the week.Julio Jones and Greg McElroy joined Carpenter as offensive players of the week by the Alabama coaching staff. Jones established a new Alabama single-game record with 221 receiving yards on a career-high 12 receptions. Carpenter received the top grade on the Crimson Tide offensive line. He did not surrender a sack or a pressure or get called for a penalty. McElroy connected on 21-of-32 passes for 264 yards with no interceptions as he guided an offense that accounted for 536 yards in the game.
Mosley led the Crimson Tide with nine total tackles, including four solo stops with half of a sack. Milliner added seven solo tackles while forcing a fumble and breaking up a pass. Dareus disrupted the UT quarterbacks all night, batting down two passes and making two assisted tackles behind the line of scrimmage, including half of a sack.
Special teams honors from the coaching staff went to sophomore Will Lowery and junior Brandon Gibson. Lowery recorded three solo tackles on kickoff coverage while Gibson registered one solo tackle on kick coverage.
SEC PLAYERS OF THE WEEK: Alabama has garnered six SEC Player of the Week this season. Trent Richardson's 144-yard effort in Alabama's 24-3 win over No. 18/14 Penn State earned him SEC Co-Offensive Player of the Week honors in week two. Robert Lester was then selected as the SEC Defensive Player of the Week at No. 10/11 Arkansas when he made seven tackles and intercepted Hogs quarterback Ryan Mallett twice. The Tide received two accolades after a 31-6 thrashing of Florida as Chance Warmack was selected as the SEC Offensive Lineman of the Week while Courtney Uphaws' seven-tackle, four-TFL performance earned him SEC Defensive Player of the Week. Marquis Maze was the co-Special Teams Player of the Week following his 125 yards of punt return yardage against Mississippi. James Carpenter's effort along the offensive front garnered him SEC Offensive Lineman of the Week honors following Tennessee.
TIDE TO WEAR NIKE PRO COMBAT UNIFORMS: The University of Alabama football team will take the field on November 13 for their game against Mississippi State at Bryant-Denny Stadium wearing the 2010 version of the Nike Pro Combat uniform, featuring the lightest football uniform Nike has ever created. The materials and fabrication elements, which debuted in 2009, will be incorporated into the Crimson Tide's traditional uniforms whose design will feature a Houndstooth pattern incorporated into the uniform's numbers - a tribute to legendary coach Paul "Bear" Bryant. Also, as a gesture to honor veterans of the armed services, the Alabama uniform will feature an American flag patch on the right sleeve. The flag is featured with the stars facing forward (to the right) per military protocol. Nike worked closely with coaches and administrators at Alabama to capture a look that not only is dynamic but also is true to the Crimson Tide's tradition for the uniforms.
BARRON A SEMIFINALIST FOR LOTT TROPHY: Alabama safety Mark Barron has been selected as one of 23 quarterfinalists for the annual Lott IMPACT Trophy the Pacific Club IMPACT Foundation announced as this week. Named after NFL Hall of Famer Ronnie Lott, the Lott Trophy is awarded to college football's Defensive IMPACT Player of the Year. It is the first and only college football award to equally recognize athletic performance and the personal character attributes of the player. Barron was chosen as the Lott IMPACT Player of the Week on October 5 for his performance in Alabama's 31-6 victory over Florida in which he recorded a game-high 11 tackles, including nine solo stops a sack (-9) and two pass breakups. Barron paces the Tide this season with 52 tackles, has two interceptions and six passes defended.
HIGHTOWER A SEMIFINALIST FOR BUTKUS AWARD: Alabama sophomore linebacker Dont'a Hightower was selected as one of 15 semifinalists for the 26th annual Butkus Award, which goes to the nation's top linebacker, by the Butkus Foundation. Hightower, who missed most of the 2009 season with an injured knee, is second on the team in tackles with 42 through eight games. The native of Lewisburg, Tennessee, has also broken up three passes and leads the team with seven quarterback hurries. Hightower is one of the leaders of an Alabama defense that ranks in the top 17 nationally in all defensive categories. Alabama has had two Butkus Award winners with Derrick Thomas taking home the award in 1988 and Rolando McClain this past season.
RETURNING SUCCESS: Much of the talk in the preseason was about Alabama`s high-powered offense, and the offensive side of the football is where the Crimson Tide returns the biggest portion of its players from last year's BCS National Championship team. UA features 10 total returning starters and 39 lettermen this season, but eight of those returning starters are on the offensive side of the football with two on defense. The offense returns 84 percent of the rushing yards from last season (2,526 of 3,011). Greg McElroy, who took 94 percent of the snaps at quarterback last season, returns with five of his top six receivers from 2009 (Jones, Ingram, Maze, Hanks and Richardson).
PRESEASON ACCOLADES: Ten Alabama players were named to 15 different preseason awards watch lists prior into the 2010 season. The players were recognized before the start of the 2010 season as potentially the top players at their position nationally.
Mark Barron, Marcell Dareus, Dont'a Hightower and Greg McElroy appeared on four watch lists. Barron, Dareus and Hightower were on the watch list for the Chuck Bednarik Award (best defensive player), as well as the Bronko Nagurski Award (defensive player of the year). McElroy was named to every major quarterback award watch list announced, including the Manning Award (top quarterback), Davey O'Brien Award (top quarterback) and the Unitas Golden Arm Award (top senior quarterback). McElroy was also named to the Maxwell Award (most outstanding player) watch list.
Crimson Tide offensive stars Mark Ingram and Julio Jones were prominent in watch lists as well. Jones appeared on the lists for the Biletnikoff Award (best receiver) and the Maxwell Award, while Ingram appeared on watch lists for the Walter Camp Award (player of the year), the Maxwell Award and the Doak Walker Award (best running back). Last year as a sophomore, Ingram ran for a school single season record 1,658 yards in route to winning the school's first ever Heisman Trophy.
TWO TIDE PLAYERS NAMED PLAYBOY ALL-AMERICANS: Alabama landed two players on the 2010 Playboy Magazine annual preseason College Football All-America Team. Mark Ingram was selected as a running back and Julio Jones was picked at wide receiver. Alabama has now had six Playboy All-Americans in the last three years after Andre Smith was chosen in 2008 and Rolando McClain and Javier Arenas were selected in 2009. This is Julio Jones' second straight year on the Playboy All-America team.
PRESEASON ALL-AMERICANS: The Crimson Tide had six players earn preseason All-America accolades from various publications prior to the 2010 campaign. The list includes Mark Barron, Marcell Dareus, Dont'a Hightower, Mark Ingram, Barrett Jones and Julio Jones. Both Ingram and Julio Jones were selected to the Playboy Preseason All-America Team.
McELROY WINS ANSON MOUNT: Senior quarterback Greg McElroy was selected as the winner of the Anson Mount Student-Athlete Award by Playboy when the publication named its preseason All-America team. Playboy will send a check for $5,000 to the University of Alabama's general scholarship fund in McElroy's name.
INGRAM AT&T ESPN ALL-AMERICA PLAYER OF THE WEEK: Mark Ingram's 184-yard, two-touchdown effort in the Crimson Tide's 24-20 comeback win at No. 10 Arkansas on September 25 earned him the AT&T ESPN All-America Player of the Week. Ingram rushed for 157 yards on 24 carries while scoring two touchdowns and catching two passes for 27 yards. The 2010 AT&T ESPN All-America Player of the Week and Player of the Year are chosen by the fans. Each week, four finalists are selected by ESPN analysts. The fans then decide the winner by voting online. Each weeks winners are then in the running for the All-America Player of the Year.
Robert Lester BRINGING HOME THE HARDWARE: Alabama free safety Robert Lester collected some hardware following his seven-tackle, two-interception performance in a 24-20 comeback win at Arkansas. He was named the FWAA/Bronko Nagurski National Defensive Player of the Week and the Jim Thorpe Defensive Back of the Week. Lester's second interception of the game set up the Crimson Tide's winning touchdown when he returned a Ryan Mallett pass 33 yards to the Arkansas 12-yard line late in the fourth quarter. His other interception was a second-quarter grab in the end zone to halt a Razorback drive. He was added to the 2010 Bronko Nagurski Trophy Watch List.
28 NATIONAL TV GAMES IN LAST 36 GAMES: The LSU game will be broadcast on CBS and will be the Crimson Tide's 28th nationally televised game since the start of the 2008 season. In 2010, Alabama has had three games on CBS, two games on ESPN, one game on ESPN2 and one on ABC. In 2009, UA played two games on ABC, including the BCS National Championship Game, and six games on CBS while ESPN broadcast two more Crimson Tide games. In 2008, Alabama had 10 of its 14 games broadcast nationally, including five games on CBS, three games on ESPN, one on ABC and one on FOX.
ALABAMA 35-1 UNDER SABAN WHEN LEADING AT THE HALF: The Crimson Tide is 35-1 when leading at halftime under head coach Nick Saban, including a 28-game winning streak. The only loss came against LSU in 2007 when UA held a 20-17 halftime lead before losing, 41-34, on Nov. 3, 2007, at Bryant-Denny Stadium. The Crimson Tide is 3-5 under Saban when trailing at halftime and 2-2 when tied at halftime. The three wins when trailing at the half came in a 34-24 win over No. 7 Virginia Tech on Sept. 5, 2009, in Atlanta; a 24-15 victory over No. 9 LSU on Nov. 7, 2009; and a 24-20 win at Arkansas on Sept. 25, 2010 . Alabama's two wins when tied at halftime came at LSU on Nov. 8, 2008, (a 27-21 victory) and at Auburn with a 26-21 win on Nov. 27, 2009.
DOUBLE-DIGIT DEFICIT: Alabama's 13-point deficit in the third quarter at Arkansas on Sept. 25 was the second-largest deficit overcome by Alabama under head coach Nick Saban. When Arkansas led, 17-7, at halftime, it marked the first time Alabama had trailed by at least 10 points at intermission since Utah led the Crimson Tide by 11 points, 21-10, at halftime of the 2009 Sugar Bowl in New Orleans on January 2, 2009, in an eventual 31-17 loss by the Tide. The Tide trailed Arkansas by 13 points (7-20) in the third quarter before going on a 17-0 run to end the game. Below is a summary of the largest deficits faced by Alabama since head coach Nick Saban took over the program in 2007.
OVERTIME RECORD: Alabama is 4-7 (.364) all-time in overtime games. In its last overtime game, the Crimson Tide defeated LSU, 27-21, at Tiger Stadium on Nov. 8, 2008. Alabama has lost six of its last nine overtime games. The Crimson Tide is 4-6 (.400) in overtime games against SEC teams. Alabama is 2-4 (.333) in overtime home games. The Crimson Tide is 3-4 (.429) in single-overtime games.
ALABAMA'S TV RECORD: Alabama has compiled a 177-123-4 (.589) all-time record in 304 televised games. This does not include pay-per-view, tape-delayed or closed circuit telecasts.
MICHIGAN GAME SET FOR COWBOYS STADIUM IN 2012: The Alabama football team will open the 2012 season against the Michigan Wolverines on Sept. 1, 2012, in the "Cowboys Stadium Classic" at Cowboys Stadium. The primetime kickoff will be televised by either ESPN or CBS and will mark the fourth time the schools have played. The Alabama-Michigan contest will mark the third time since 2008 that the Crimson Tide has opened the season at a neutral site in front of a prime time national television audience. Alabama opened the 2008 and 2009 seasons with victories against ACC opponents Clemson and Virginia Tech, respectively, in the Chick-fil-A Kickoff Game in Atlanta, Ga. Alabama will be the home team and the Wolverines will be the away team. The game officials will be from the Big 12 Conference.
CRIMSON CATHEDRAL: Sporting News selected its top `Saturday Shrines' in its most recent issue and Alabama's Bryant-Denny Stadium was listed at No. 1. The voting was done by 70 former coaches, current coaches and broadcasters, who voted based on each school's stadium, fans, city/surroundings, traditions and history. The latest expansion of Bryant-Denny Stadium, which raised the seating capacity to 101,821, and was called a `masterpiece of mixing history and modern updates.' The two-page Alabama spread also lists Sporting News' opinion of the `Five Biggest Moments' and `A Fan's View.'
NEW HIRES: The Alabama football staff features a new face in 2010 with the promotion of Jeremy Pruitt to assistant coach of the secondary. Pruitt joined the Alabama staff as Director of Player Development in 2007 after a successful stint as an assistant coach at Alabama high school powerhouse, Hoover. At Hoover, he served for three seasons as defensive backs coach with the final two as the defensive coordinator. He tutored a defense that helped the Bucs reach the Class 6A State Championship in 2004, 2005 and 2006, winning titles in 2004 and 2005. Pruitt served as an assistant coach under his father, Dale Pruitt, at Fort Payne High School from 2001-03.
TOP AIDES: Alabama's coaching staff has a wealth of knowledge across all levels of football. The nine-man Crimson Tide staff features a former head coaches at the Bowl Subdivision level in Bobby Williams (Michigan State). The staff also has six coaches that have spent time as assistant coaches in the NFL in Bo Davis (Dolphins), Jim McElwain (Raiders), Joe Pendry (19 years with multiple teams), Kirby Smart (Dolphins), Sal Sunseri (Panthers) and Bobby Williams (Lions and Dolphins). Alabama's coaching staff boasts 40-plus years of combined NFL coaching experience.
NICK'S KIDS: At Michigan State, head coach Nick Saban and his wife Terry started the "Nick's Kids" Foundation, which the Sabans have continued in Tuscaloosa. Since their arrival at the University of Alabama, the Sabans have helped raise over $1.5 million - including over $450,000 this year - for "Nick's Kids" and made a total of more than 140 donations to children's charities throughout the state of Alabama.
NFL DRAFT: The Crimson Tide saw seven players selected in the 2010 NFL Draft, including first-round picks Rolando McClain (eighth overall to the Oakland Raiders) and Kareem Jackson (20th overall to the Houston Texans). Alabama also had two more second-round picks in cornerback Javier Arenas (Kansas City Chiefs) and nose guard Terrence Cody (Baltimore Ravens). Offensive guard Mike Johnson went in the third round to the Atlanta Falcons while cornerback Marquis Johnson (St. Louis Rams) and Brandon Deaderick (New England Patriots) were taken in the seventh round. The Tide had eight more players sign free agent contracts, including Colin Peek (Atlanta), Eryk Anders (Cleveland), Lorenzo Washington (Dallas), Justin Woodall (Chicago), Cory Reamer (New York Jets), Leigh Tiffin (Cleveland) and P.J. Fitzgerald (New Orleans).
CRIMSON TIDE PLAYERS ON NFL ROSTERS: The Alabama football program was well represented in the NFL during the 2010 season with former players and coaches dotting league rosters. The Tide has 39 former players and coaches working in the NFL this season. Roman Harper is the only Alabama player on the defending Super Bowl Champion New Orleans Saints. The Crimson Tide has 28 current NFL players. There are 13 former UA players and/or coaches serving as assistant coaches in the NFL this season, including Sylvester Croom (St. Louis), Freddie Kitchens (Arizona) and Richard Williamson (Carolina).
FRESHMAN ACADEMICS: Alabama's 2009 freshman class did more than just excel on the football field, the Crimson Tide placed 12 rookies on the 2010 SEC Freshman Academic Honor Roll, by far the highest total in the SEC -- double the second-place team. Mississippi State was second with six while Mississippi had five and Kentucky had four. The Crimson Tide's 12 honorees equaled the total number of Arkansas (3), Tennessee (3), Florida (2), Georgia (2), Auburn (1), Vanderbilt (1) and LSU (0) combined. Alabama freshmen that made the list include: Kenny Bell, Chris Bonds, D.J. Fluker, Nico Johnson, Kendall Kelly, Eddie Lacy, A.J. McCarron, William Ming, Kevin Norwood, Trent Richardson, Chance Warmack and Kellen Williams.
