| Alabama Spoils Spartans' Football Opener | ||||||||
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Tuscaloosa, Ala.-----The University of Alabama spoiled the debut of San Jose State University head coach Mike MacIntyre with a 48-3 win in front of a largely-partisan crowd of 101,821 in newly-expanded Bryant-Denny Stadium. The Crimson Tide (1-0) showed its national championship form and re-enforced its number-one ranking in the country with scores on five of its eight first-half possessions. Alabama quarterback Greg McElroy was on target completing 13 of 15 for 218 yards. His 48-yard touchdown pass off a play-action fake to wide receiver Marquis Maze put the Crimson Tide ahead, 14-3, with 5:02 left in the first quarter. San Jose State (0-1) trailed, 7-0, after tailback Trent Richardson, subbing for Heisman Trophy winner Mark Ingram, scored the first of his two touchdowns on a 4-yard run at 11:38 in the first quarter. Richardson’s run off right tackle, quick cutback to the middle of the field and race to the near left corner of the end zone at the start of the second quarter covered 39 yards to put Alabama ahead, 21-3. The Spartans’ score came on their first possession of 2010. A 67-yard, eight-play drive culminated with a Harrison Waid 31-yard field goal. A 32-yard Brandon Rutley run that included a 15-yard Alabama face mask penalty at the end of the jaunt put San Jose State in scoring position. Rutley was the Spartans’ leading rusher with 52 yards on 13 carries as San Jose State stuck with its intention of establishing a ground attack. The Spartans gained 89 yards on 29 carries. In comparison, when San Jose State lost the 2009 opener at USC, 56-3, the Spartans rushed for just nine yards on 31 carries. The Spartans had one other good scoring opportunity in the second quarter when Jordan La Secla hooked up with wide receiver Noel Grigsby on a 49-yard play, the longest play from scrimmage in the game. San Jose State’s drive stalled at the Alabama 24-yard line and Waid’s 41-yard field goal attempt was no good. La Secla started at quarterback for the Spartans and completed 7-of-14 with an interception for 85 yards. Matt Faulkner saw action in one first-half series and in the fourth quarter. Faulkner was 1-of-5 for one yard. Alabama outgained San Jose State, 591-175. The Crimson Tide finished with 257 rushing yards. Number-three tailback Eddie Lacy, who fumbled into the end zone in the first half, led all players with 111 yards on 13 carries and scored on runs of 37 yards in the third quarter and 10 in the fourth. San Jose State returns to action, Saturday, September 11, at Wisconsin. |
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