After a fourth quarter surge, the Crimson Tide football team took a 42-16 win over the University of South Florida Saturday night. The team is now 2-0.
“It’s about having the 1-0 mentality throughout the whole game, and having an optimistic mindset,” quarterback Jalen Milroe said about getting into a rhythm in the fourth quarter.
The game started off slow for the Crimson Tide, with the Bulls taking an early lead after kicker John Cannon’s field goal with 11:26 in the first quarter.
Alabama’s next moves were slow, as the offense struggled to advance the ball. Both teams punted often and found difficulty converting drives into points.
Alabama’s first score came with five minutes left in the first quarter, as Jalen Milroe scored off a 10-yard run to make it 7-3. This would be the score at the end of the first.
Two minutes into the second quarter the Bulls scored again, making another field goal to bring the score within one point.
Receiver Kobe Prentice broke away for a 53-yard gain that would have put the Crimson Tide deep in Bulls territory, but a holding call brought it back to the Alabama 25.
While the penalty forced the Crimson Tide back to the Alabama 25, the team slowly advanced downfield before a 5-yard run by Milroe brought in the team’s second score of the night. The first half ended 14-6.
This lead didn’t last long, as the first score of the second half came from South Florida running back Ta’Ron Keith, who scored a 2-yard touchdown to bring the score to 14-13.
Once in the fourth quarter, Alabama’s offense began to shine. A 14-yard run by Milroe to the USF 20 was followed by running back Justice Haynes’ 4-yard run to the USF 16. Prentice ended the drive with a 16-yard touchdown that brought the score to 21-13.
With 6:45 to go, Cannon knocked in a field goal to bring USF to 16 and end its scoring for the evening.
Alabama did not end there. Wide receiver Ryan Williams brought in another touchdown for the Crimson Tide after a 43-yard pass from Milroe, a score that was followed three minutes later by a 56-yard run by running back Jam Miller. The team ended its fourth quarter onslaught with a 29-yard touchdown by Haynes with 1:37 left in the game.
“I think we just needed to realize that the standard is the standard,” offensive lineman Parker Brailsford said. “No matter who we put in there, we just need to go do what we’re supposed to do, which is move people and do our job.”
Head coach Kalen DeBoer said that dealing with the team’s penalty problems early in the game helped Alabama break away in the fourth quarter.
“If we just keep fighting, good things can happen.” DeBoer said. “And in the fourth quarter, just staying away from the penalties and turnovers, it’s amazing what can happen.”
The Crimson Tide will hit the road for the first time this season to take on the University of Wisconsin Sept. 14 at 11 a.m. Fans can stream the matchup on FOX.
