Alabama Football vs. Western Carolina Postgame Notes
11/22/2014 12:00:00 AM | Football
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GAME CAPTAINS: Alabama's captains for today's game against Western Carolina are Brian Vogler, Nick Perry and Christion Jones. Western Carolina won the coin toss and elected to receive the opening kickoff, with Alabama choosing to defend the north end zone.
SERIES HISTORY: After today's 48-14 win, Alabama remains undefeated in four contests against Western Carolina. In those four games, Alabama has outscored the Catamounts 201-20.
FRIENDLY CONFINES OF BRYANT-DENNY STADIUM: Following today's 48-14 victory over Western Carolina, Alabama owns a 15-game home winning streak. The Crimson Tide has not lost a game at home since falling to Texas A&M in 2012. Coming into today's contest, Alabama was tied for the longest active home winning streak in the Football Bowl Subdivision with Baylor. The Bears face off with Oklahoma State this evening in Waco at 6:30 p.m. CT.
10-WIN SEASONS: With today's win over Western Carolina, Alabama reached the 10-win milestone for the seventh consecutive season. The seven straight years with 10 wins extends the school record that was set by the Tide last season. Prior to finishing 2013 with 11 wins, the previous total for most consecutive 10-win seasons was five, set by coach Paul "Bear" Bryant's teams from 1971-75. In 119 seasons, the Tide has won 10 or more games 34 times, one back of Oklahoma (35) for the most 10-win seasons in college football history.
COLLINS LEADS DEFENSE: Junior safety Landon Collins was credited with 11 tackles to lead Alabama for the day. Collins has now recorded seven or more tackles in nine of the last 13 games.
TIDE LIMITS WCU TO NEGATIVE RUSHING YARDS: Alabama held Western Carolina to minus-8 rushing yards on the night. The last time Alabama held an opponent to negative rushing totals was Sept. 3, 2011, when Alabama limited Kent State to minus-9 rushing yards. It marked the 17th time in Alabama history that the Crimson Tide defense has held an opponent to negative yards rushing.
HOLDING OPPONENTS UNDER 300: Western Carolina was held to 213 total yards by the Alabama defense today. In head coach Nick Saban's 105-game tenure at Alabama, the Crimson Tide has limited opponents to under 300 yards of total offense 67 times. UA has held six of 11 opponents below 300 yards in 2014.
GETTING TO THE QUARTERBACK: The Crimson Tide defense has recorded a quarterback sack in all but one game this season (Florida) and added to its total with two sacks today against Western Carolina. Alabama now has 27 sacks on the season for an average of 2.46 per game. UA entered the game tied for 40th nationally and fifth in the SEC in sacks.
SIMS MOVES UP IN THE RECORD BOOKS: Blake Sims finished the day 17-of-25 for 222 yards passing and two touchdowns. The 222 yards through the air moved him up to sixth all-time in in career passing yards with 2,676. His two scores placed him in a tie for third all-time for touchdowns in a season with 20. In total, Sims accumulated 221 yards of offense (-1 rushing yards), to set him at 2,955 (2,676 pass, 279 rush) for his career which ranks fourth all-time in Alabama annals.
SIMS PICKED FOR THE FIRST TIME IN 158 ATTEMPTS: Senior quarterback Blake Sims threw his first interception in 158 attempts on the Tide's third drive of the day against Western Carolina. The 158 consecutive attempts without an interception ranks third all-time at Alabama behind Brodie Croyle (190) and AJ McCarron (291).
COOPER EXTENDS CAREER RECEIVING YARDS MARK: Amari Cooper entered the game as the career leader in receiving yards with 3,039 yards. After accumulating 46 yards today, Cooper now sits at 3,085 yards during his time at Alabama.
COOPER TIES CAREER RECEPTIONS TOTAL: Junior wideout Amari Cooper accumulated three receptions for 46 yards in the first half to set him at 194 career catches. The 194 receptions ties DJ Hall for the most receptions all-time at Alabama.
HENRY ECLIPSES 1,000-YARD MARK: Sophomore Derrick Henry's three-yard run to end the first quarter pushed him over the 1,000 yards mark for his career. Henry became the 55th player in Alabama history to eclipse the 1,000 yard career mark. With 92 yards rushing against Western Carolina (all in the first half), Henry has 1,064 career rushing yards.
HENRY SETS CAREER HIGH FOR TOUCHDOWNS IN A GAME: With his 9-yard touchdown reception from Blake Sims at the end of the second quarter, Derrick Henry accounted for three total touchdowns on the day, including two on the ground and one through the air. The three total touchdowns in a game are a career high for Henry.
JONES SETS CAREER RUSHING HIGHS: Freshman Tyren Jones finished this afternoon's contest with 75 yards on 11 carries with a touchdown. The yardage and carries are both career-highs for Jones, while the touchdown matched his previous career high. Entering tonight, Jones' previous career-high marks were nine rushes (vs. Texas A&M), 57 yards and one touchdown (vs. Southern Mississippi).
BLACK LEADS TIDE IN RECEPTIONS: Sophomore wideout Chris Black recorded a team-high and career-high six receptions for 101 yards against Western Carolina. Black matched his single-game best for receptions in a game and his previous high for receiving yardage was 54, both accomplished against Georgia State last season.
Cam Sims SCORES FIRST CAREER TOUCHDOWN: With Cam Sims' four-yard touchdown reception, the freshman wideout recorded the first score of his young career. A highly touted recruit out of Monroe, La., Sims entered the game with four catches for 29 yards through nine games played.
NYSEWANDER FINDS THE END ZONE: Senior tight end Michael Nysewander recorded his first career receiving touchdown thanks to a 12-yard touchdown pass from Jake Coker. Nysewander entered the evening with one catch for nine yards in five games of action.
ALABAMA ECLIPSES 500+ YARDS OF OFFENSE: The Alabama offense accumulated 612 total yards versus the Catamounts, the sixth time this season that milestone has been reached. Alabama previously recorded 500-plus yards of total offense in five contests, eclipsing the 500-yard mark in its first four games (WVU, FAU, USM, Florida) and a fifth time against Texas A&M.
TIDE SETS RECORD FOR FIRST DOWNS: Alabama accumulated 36 first downs against Western Carolina, an all-time high for a Tide offense. The previous high was 35 in 2013 against Kentucky and also in 2007 against Western Carolina.
ALABAMA SCORES IN FIRST HALF FOR 100th CONSECUTIVE GAME: With Blake Sims' 4-yard touchdown pass to freshman Cam Sims, Alabama has now scored in 100 straight games, the longest active streak in the nation.
SCORING STREAK CONTINUES: With Cam Sims' 4-yard touchdown reception in the first quarter, Alabama has scored in 180 consecutive games - the longest streak in program history.
RABORN MAKES DEBUT: Freshman placekicker Gunnar Raborn made his Crimson Tide debut today when he kicked through the extra point attempt following the Tide's first touchdown at the 7:51 mark of the first quarter. Raborn earned the first field goal of his career to end Alabama's second scoring drive when he made a 20-yard chip shot with 4:08 left to play in the first quarter. He finished the evening with two field goals and a perfect 6-of-6 on extra points.
