Alabama-Kentucky preview notes

Want to know a few storylines headed into the Alabama-Kentucky game? UA released the game notes, and here they are for your reading pleasure. There are some interesting bits of trivia included below for those interested in these types of things. Again, notes are courtesy of UA. Enjoy.

GAME 5: Alabama (4-0, 1-0 SEC) vs. Kentucky (2-1, 0-1 SEC)
Saturday, Oct. 3 • 11:21 a.m. • SEC Network
Commonwealth Stadium (67,942) • Lexington, Ky.

Game information
Opponent: Kentucky Wlidcats
Site: Commonwealth Stadium (67,942)
Series: Alabama leads, 34-2-1
TV: SEC Network Dave Neal, Andre Ware & Cara Capuano
Radio: Crimson Tide Sports Network WFFN-FM (95.3) – Tuscaloosa Eli Gold, Phil Savage & Barry Krauss
Satellite Radio: Channels: XM – 199; SIRIUS – 214
National Radio: Westwood One
Internet: www.RollTide.com
Up Next: Kentucky (TV: TBD)
Oct. 10 – Time: TBA • Vaught-Hemingway Stadium (60,580)

THE GAME: The University of Alabama football team goes on the road in Southeastern Conference play for the first this season with a trip to the commonwealth of Kentucky for a clash with the Wildcats, on Saturday, Sept. 26, at Commonwealth Stadium in Lexington. It is the first true road game of the season after three straight home games and a neutral-site tilt with Virginia Tech in the Georgia Dome. The game is scheduled to kick off at 11:21 a.m. on the SEC Network with Dave Neal, Andre Ware and Cara Capuano calling the action. Eli Gold and Phil Savage and Barry Krauss will have the radio call on the Crimson Tide Sports Network.

HEAD COACH NICK SABAN: Alabama head coach Nick Saban (Kent State, 1973) is in his third season with the Crimson Tide. He was named the school’s 27th head coach on January 3, 2007. Saban has compiled a 114-50-1 (.694) record as a collegiate head coach with a 23-8 (.742) mark at Alabama that includes 4-0 record this year. He captured his 100th career win and coached his 150th game as a collegiate head coach during the 2008 campaign. In 2003, Saban led LSU to a 13-1 record and the BCS National Championship. Overall, Saban has coached three conference championship teams (1990 Mid-American, 2001 SEC and 2003 SEC) and nine of his 12 teams have played in post-season bowl games with Tide appearing in the 2009 Sugar Bowl. Saban is one of two (Bob Stoops) current Football Bowl Subdivision coaches to coach for at least 10 years and not suffer a losing season.

RANKINGS: Alabama was ranked fifth in both the Associated Press and USA Today Coaches’ preseason polls. It was the highest preseason ranking for the Tide since the 2000 season when they opened at No. 3. Since the preseason poll the Tide has moved up to No. 3 after an Oklahoma loss on the opening weekend and a week three loss for Southern California. The Crimson Tide remained No. 3 in both polls this week. UA also garnered four first-place votes in the AP poll.

KENTUCKY SERIES: Alabama leads the Kentucky series 34-2-1, including a 14-2 mark in the state of Kentucky. Alabama owns a 13-2 record in Lexington and also posted a 60-19 win over the Wildcats in Louisville during the 1945 season. Alabama has not played in Lexington since a 45-17 win at Commonwealth Stadium in 2004. UK’s last win in the series was a 40-34 overtime win in Lexington in 1997. UA has won three straight in the series.

NEXT GAME: Alabama continues a two-game road swing through the SEC with a trip to No. 21 Mississippi on Saturday, Oct. 10. The Crimson Tide visit the Rebel’s Vaught-Hemingway Stadium with a 45-9-2 edge in the all-time series. The kickoff time and television network has not been determined. The Tide has won five straight over the Rebels, including a 24-20 in Tuscaloosa last season. The Tide’s last trip to Oxford resulted in a tight 27-24 win. The last four games in the series – all Alabama wins – have been decided by four points or less. UA is 5-3 all-time in Oxford and 12-8-1 in Mississippi, including games in Jackson, Columbus and Greenville.

ALABAMA DEGREES: Alabama’s success on the field over the past two seasons under the direction of head coach Nick Saban has also coincided with success in the classroom. An impressive total of 13 Crimson Tide players are playing this season with degrees already in hand, including Eryk Anders (Health Studies), Drew Davis (marketing), P.J. Fitzgerald (management), Mike Johnson (consumer affairs), Tyrone King (Health Studies), Greg McElroy (business marketing), Cory Reamer (finance), Chris Rogers (consumer affairs), Brian Selman (business marketing), Ali Sharrief (human environmental science), Travis Sikes (consumer affairs), Heath Thomas and Lorenzo Washington (human environmental science). McElroy finished his undergraduate degree in just three years with a 3.86 grade point average while graduating magna cum laude. Additionally, another 10 players are on track to graduate in December of 2009. In 2008, Alabama had six players with degrees already in hand.

TIDE LEADS NATION IN GRADUATES: Alabama’s 13 graduates on the 2009 roster are the most of any school in the Bowl Championship Subdivision. The Crimson Tide is five graduates ahead of any other SEC school with Auburn checking in fifth with eight graduates. Boston College and Virginia Tech (the Tide’s season-opening opponent) are tied for second with 10 graduates while Penn State is fourth with nine (see sidebar for complete list).

BEATING THE BEST: Alabama is 4-2 against the Associated Press Top 25 over the 2008 and 2009 seasons. The Crimson Tide’s 34-24 win over Virginia Tech in the season opener was the Tide’s third win over a top-10 team dating back to the start of the 2008 season.

Alabama vs. Top 25 Opponents (since 2008)
Date Team Rank Result
Aug. 30, 2008 vs. Clemson 9 W, 34-10
Sept. 27, 2008 at Georgia 3 W, 41-30
Nov. 8, 2008 at LSU 15 W, 27-21 (OT)
Dec. 6, 2008 vs. Florida 2 L, 31-20
Jan. 2, 2009 vs. Utah 7 L, 31-17
Sept. 5, 3009 vs. Virginia Tech 7 W, 34-24

PRESEASON ALL-AMERICANS: The Crimson Tide had five players earn preseason first-team All-America honors prior to the 2009 campaign. Javier Arenas, Terrence Cody, Mike Johnson, Julio Jones and Rolando McClain have garnered at least one first-team designation. McClain leads the way with six first-team honors (a complete list of preseason All-Americans in the sidebar).

SABAN AMONG THE BEST: Head coach Nick Saban’s arrival in Tuscaloosa has seen his Crimson Tide vault up the national rankings. That success in such a short period of time has quickly 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 is one of two coaches (Bob Stoops, Oklahoma) in the Football Bowl Subdivision football to have coached 10 years and never suffered through a losing season. He also ranks fourth in winning percentage (69.4 percent) among active coaches who have coached at least 10 years of Division I-A football.

FAST-STARTING TIDE: Alabama has scored on eight of its 13 first quarter possessions this season, resulting in five field goals and three touchdowns. The Crimson Tide has run 83 first quarter plays this season and totaled 480 yards against Virginia Tech, Florida International, North Texas and Arkansas. Alabama scored on three of four possessions against Virginia Tech in the season opener and scored on all three first quarter drives against FIU. The Tide then overcame a fumble on their first snap of the game against North Texas and quickly found the end zone on the next two drives. UA failed to score on any of its three first-quarter possessions vs. Arkansas.

STATISTICAL DOMINANCE: Alabama’s dominance on the field in the first four games of the 2009 season has translated in the national statistical rankings. The Crimson Tide is among the top 15 in 11 different team statistics and in the top 10 in seven different categories. Alabama ranks second nationally in rushing defense (47.25 ypg), second in total defense (202.5 ypg), fifth in offensive pass efficiency (169.03), eighth in total offense (490.5 ypg), ninth in scoring offense (40.5 ppg), 10th in rushing offense (234.25 ypg) and 10th in tackles for loss (8.00 pg). UA also leads the Southeastern Conference in rushing defense, total defense, punt returns (11th nationally at 18.81 ypg) and tackles for loss. UA ranks third in the SEC each offensive category, including rushing offense, passing offense, total offense and scoring offense. Alabama ranks in the top 25 in 13-of-17 NCAA category rankings.

Category UA Rank UA Actual NCAA Leader Actual SEC Rank SEC Leader Actual
Rushing Offense 10 234.25 Air Force 319 3 Florida 307.5
Passing Offense 33 256.25 Hawaii 423.33 3 Arkansas 348.67
Total Offense 8 490.5 Texas A&M 574.33 3 Auburn 526.25
Scoring Offense 9 40.5 Texas 49.5 3 Florida 45.5
Rushing Offense 2 47.25 Oklahoma 40.67 1 Alabama 47.25
Pass Efficiency Off. 18 95.99 Florida 75.31 5 Florida 75.31
Total Defense 2 202.5 N.C. State 201.25 1 Alabama 202.5
Scoring Defense 13 13 Oklahoma 4.67 3 Florida 7.25
Punt Returns 11 18.81 La. Tech 45.5 1 Alabama 18.81
Pass Defense 15 155.25 E. Michigan 78 5 Vanderbilt 106.25
Passing Efficiency 5 169.03 Hawaii 180.65 2 Florida 173.93
Sacks 11 3.25 Texas A&M 4.67 2 S. Carolina 3.5
Tackles For Loss 10 8 Oklahoma 11.33 1 Alabama 8
Sacks Allowed t24 1 Pittsburgh 0.5 3 Auburn 0.5

A BALANCED ATTACK: Alabama made its name a season ago with a punishing ground attack that wore down defenses and took shots down the field to Julio Jones. In 2009, the Crimson Tide has brought a little more balance to the table. Although the Tide still has an outstanding ground game, the aerial attack of new quarterback Greg McElroy and a more seasoned crop of wide receivers, tight ends and running backs has given the Tide a little more offensive punch. The Tide has shown tremendous balance in their offensive numbers, averaging 234.25 rushing yards and 256.25 yards passing per game, which gives UA the eighth-ranked total offense in the nation. On the ground, Alabama is rushing the ball an average of 44.25 times per game for a 5.30 yards per rush. The passing game is averaging 26.5 pass attempts per contest for an average of 9.67 yards per attempt. In the end, those numbers are meaning more points on the scoreboard. Alabama averaged 30.1 points per game last season and is averaging 40.5 points per game in 2009 to rank ninth nationally.

McELROY ON THE MARK: Greg McElroy has been impressive in his first four games as the Crimson Tide’s starting quarterback, completing 67.7 percent (63 of 93) of his passes for 938 yards and seven touchdowns with only one interception. The junior boasts a 175.15 passing efficiency rating, which ranks third nationally. He has now won his last 20 starts at quarterback, going 16-0 as a high school senior in 2005 and 4-0 for the Tide in 2009. In his collegiate starting debut against Virginia Tech, the Southlake, Texas, native threw for 230 yards on 15-of-30 passing with one touchdown and one interception in leading the Crimson Tide to a win over the No. 7 team in the country. The 230 yards ranks as the fourth-highest total by a quarterback in his UA debut behind Brodie Croyle (285), Andrew Zow (272) and John Parker Wilson (253). McElroy followed up that outing with a deadly precise performance against Florida International, completing 18-of-24 attempts for 241 yards and one touchdown without throwing an interception. In just a half of play against North Texas, McElroy continued to find is mark with 176 yards on 13-of-15 passing and two touchdowns. He showed that starting SEC play would not have an effect either, going 17-of-24 for a career-high 291 yards and three touchdowns. He completed 14-of-17 passes for 275 yards and all three touchdowns in the final three quarters against the Razorbacks.

McELROY STREAKING: Greg McElory has strung together some pretty impressive passing numbers during his first four starts at quarterback for the Tide. Since halftime of the season opener against No. 7 Virginia Tech, McElroy has completed 57-of-75 passes for 844 yards, seven touchdowns and no interceptions. That computes to a 76.0 completion percentage, a 205.81 collegiate passer rating and a 145.64 NFL passer rating over those 14 quarters of play. He set a new Alabama record for consecutive completions against FIU by connecting on 14 straight passes. Then against North Texas, he tied the school mark for highest completion percentage with a minimum of 10 completions, going 13 for 15 (86.7 percent). McElroy has not thrown an interception in 81 pass attempts, dating back to a second-quarter pick against Virginia Tech in the opener. He was 9 for 9 in the second half against Arkansas for 188 yards and two touchdowns. McElroy has completed 10 consecutive passes entering the Kentucky game.

INGRAM OFF TO THE RACES: Sophomore running back Mark Ingram is off to an excellent start in 2009. One week after he showed a national television audience why he was named to the watch list for the Doak Walker Award by rushing for 150 yards and a touchdown against No. 7 Virginia Tech, he had another explosive outing off the bench (due to flu-like symptoms) against Florida International. In the FIU game, he accounted for 103 all-purpose yards (56 yards rushing and 47 receiving) and two touchdowns (one rushing, one receiving). He followed that with a 91-yard day with a touchdown on just eight carries (11.4 yards per rush) against North Texas. He accounted for 129 total yards vs. the Mean Green with three receptions for 38 yards and a touchdown. Against Arkansas, he ran for 50 yards and a touchdown while catching three passes for 21 yards and a score. In addition to rushing for 347 yards through four games this season to rank 36th nationally in rushing, Ingram has added 13 receptions for 141 yard and three scores.

INGRAM FINIDING THE END ZONE: Mark Ingram has shown the ability to find the end zone just about anyway he can during his Alabama career. The sophomore has at least one rushing touchdown in seven of his last eight games and one in each game in 2009. he also has a receiving touchdown in 3-of-4 games this season. Overall, Ingram has scored at least one touchdown in 13 of his 18 games for the Tide. He had 19 career touchdowns (three receiving), including a freshman record 12 (all rushing) in 2008. Ingram leads the SEC in scoring at 10.50 points per game while ranking tied for 15th nationally.

BALL SECURITY: Mark Ingram has also developed another impressive reputation during his 18-game Alabama career as the Flint, Mich., native is an expert at holding onto the football. The sophomore has not lost a fumble in 204 career rushing attempts and 20 career receptions for a total of 224 career touches. He has only put the ball on the ground one time (at LSU in 2008), which was recovered by the Tide. He has 1,075 rushing yards in those 18 games with 16 rushing touchdowns while also catching 20 passes for 198 yards and three scores.

RICHARDSON HAS IMPRESSIVE DEBUT: True freshman running back Trent Richardson has enjoyed an impressive debut in his first four games with the Crimson Tide at Bryant-Denny Stadium. He rushed for 118 yards and two touchdowns on 15 carries against FIU and followed that up with 87 yards on 11 carries (7.9 ypc) against North Texas and 65 yards and a score vs. Arkansas. Richardson scored on runs of nine and 35 yards in the second half vs. FIU, plunged in from one-yard out against North Texas and then broke five tackles en route to a 52-yard touchdown vs. Arkansas.

MULTIPLE OPTIONS CREATE DIVERSE OFFENSIVE ATTACK: One of the keys for the Tide’s high-powered offense in 2009 has been its ability to find playmakers all over the field. UA quarterbacks, led by starter Greg McElroy, have completed 67.9 percent of their passes to an impressive 14 different receivers in the first four games of the 2009 season. That includes the SEC opener against Arkansas where McElroy spread out 17 completions to nine different receiving targets. The UA receiving numbers are headed by running back Mark Ingram, who has caught 13 passes for 141 yards and three touchdowns. Behind him is a duo of wide receivers, including sophomore Marquis Maze (8 catches, 194 yards & 2 TD) and senior Mike McCoy (8 catches, 138 yard & 1 TD). Senior tight end Colin Peek also has eight catches for 95 yards with seven of his eight grabs going for first downs. Junior Darius Hanks (7 catches for 126 yards) and sophomore Julio Jones (seven catches for 120 yards and 1 TD) are next. Jones missed most of the FIU game and all of the North Texas with a bruised knee. In all, the Tide has 35 receptions from its wide receivers, 24 from backs and 13 from tight ends.

ARENAS NEARING SEC & NCAA PUNT RETURN YARDAGE RECORD: Senior cornerback and return specialist Javier Arenas is quickly sneaking up on the all-time great punt returners in college football history. He has already broken all of the Crimson Tide punt return records, and now has his sights set on the SEC and NCAA records as well. He is the NCAA active leader in career punt returns, yards, touchdowns, returns per game and yards per game. After returning four punts for 59 yards last week against Arkansas, Arenas is just 165 punt return yards away from breaking Lee Nalley’s long-standing SEC record of 1,472 (102 returns for a 14.4 ypr average). Nalley set that record from 1947-1949 and it stood for 54 years as the NCAA record until Texas Tech’s Wes Welker broke it in 2003. Welker finished his Tech career with 1,761 punt return yards and Arenas needs 231 yard to break his record and become the NCAA’s all-time leader in punt return yards.

Arenas’ Career Punt Returns: By the Numbers
Year No. Yards Avg. TD LP
2006 31 286 9.2 2 86
2007 21 323 15.4 1 69
2008 41 650 15.9 3 87
2009 15 285 19.0 0 46
TOTAL 108 1544 14.3 6 87

ARENAS’ PUNT RETURN CAREER HIGHS
Punt Returns: 6 vs. Arkansas, 2007
Yards: 153 vs. Mississippi State, 2008
Touchdowns: 1 (6 Times) Last vs. Utah, 2008 (2009 Sugar Bowl)
Long Play: 87 vs. Tulane, 2008

UA HARASSES NATION’S TOP PASSER: Arkansas quarterback Ryan Mallett entered Bryant-Denny Stadium last week as the nation’s top-rated passer with a 193.49 rating. He left with a loss, a 12-of-35 performance (34.3 percent) with one touchdown and one interception for a 76.40 passer rating. The Tide sacked him three times, broke up eight passes and notched eight more quarterback hurries. Arkansas was held 284 yards under their season average for total offense and 236.5 yards below their season average through the air.

PASS RUSH IMPORTANT FOR BAMA DEFENSE: The Alabama defense will be looking to get a lot of pressure on Kentucky quarterback Mike Hartline in an effort to slow down a dangerous UK passing attack. The Crimson Tide defense exploded for five sacks in each of their first two games of the 2009 season and have 13 on the season after only recording 26 during the entire 2008 season. UA ranks tied for 11th nationally in sacks with 3.25 per game and is 10th in tackles for loss with 8.00 per contest. The Wildcats have allowed an average of one sack per game coming in. Defensive end Marcell Dareus has led the way for the Tide with 3.5 sacks (-25) to rank tied for 23rd in the NCAA and fourth in the SEC. Cornerback Javier Arenas is second on the team with 3.0 sacks for a loss of 31 yards to rank tied for fifth in the SEC. Middle linebacker Rolando McClain is next with two sacks for a loss of 19 yards.

The Tide is also 10th nationally in tackles for loss, averaging 8.0 per game. That mark also leads the Southeastern Conference and accounts for 160 lost yards by UA opponents. McClain, Eryk Anders and Dareus all have 4.5 TFL to lead Alabama.

DOMINANT ‘D’: Alabama returned nine starters from a 2008 defense that finished third nationally in total defense, allowing just 263.5 yards per game. The 2009 unit is out to an outstanding start, as well, allowing a total of 202.5 yards per game in the first four outings of 2009 to rank second nationally. Alabama followed up an impressive debut against Virginia Tech with a stellar performances against FIU, North Texas and Arkansas. Alabama held Tech to 155 total yards (64 rushing, 91 passing) and 11 first downs while limiting Tech to 2-of-12 on third down conversions and racking up five sacks. Against FIU, Alabama held the Panthers to 214 total yards, including only one yard rushing (1 rushing, 213 passing) and 13 first downs while North Texas could only manage 187 yards of offense and 61 yards rushing. Arkansas was able to gain 254 yards, but only managed 63 on the ground and held the Hogs to 2 for 14 on third down. In 2008, Alabama finished second nationally in rushing defense, surrendering 74.14 yards per game. Alabama ranks second through four games this season, allowing 47.25 yards per game.

STIFLING DEFENSE PUTTING UP IMPRESSIVE NUMBERS: Alabama’s defense over the past 18 games – or two seasons – has developed a reputation for its toughness and talent. That reputation has been verified by the stat sheet. The Crimson Tide has held 16 teams under 100 yards rushing over the past 18 games as only LSU and Florida in 2008 were able to crack the 100-yard barrier as a team. In 2009, no team has had more that 64 yards rushing. The Tide has surrendered just 1,227 yards on the ground in the last 18 games, an average of 68.2 yards per game. Also, no individual running back has cracked the 100-yard mark since Mississippi’s BenJarvus Green-Ellis went for 131 on Oct. 13, 2007, a span of 23 games.

The Alabama defense has also held opponents under 200 yards of total offense in eight of the last 18 games, including a 155-yard effort by Virginia Tech and a 187-yard showing by North Texas in 2009. The sub-200-yard games in that span: Clemson (188); Western Kentucky (158); Tennessee (173); Arkansas State (158); Mississippi State (167); Auburn (170); Virginia Tech (155); North Texas (187).

DEFENSE TOUGH ON THIRD DOWN: The Crimson Tide defense has been strong on third down through four games in 2009, holding Virginia Tech to just two conversions on 12 third down attempts (16.7 percent). Florida International was just 7 for 17 (41.1%) on third down while North Texas could only muster a success rate of 28.5 percent (4 for 14). The Tide opened SEC play by limiting Arkansas to 2 for 14 on third down (14.3 percent). That continues a trend for the Crimson Tide after UA finished third nationally in third down conversion defense in 2008, holding opponents to a 28.14 percent (56 of 199) conversion rate. In 2009, the Crimson Tide is currently 10th nationally at 26.32 percent (15 for 57).

FORCING TURNOVERS: Alabama has forced 53 turnovers in the first 31 games under head coach Nick Saban, an average of 1.71 per game. The Crimson Tide has forced four turnovers in the first four games this season, after forcing eight turnovers at this time last year. Alabama forced 24 turnovers in 2007 for a plus-4 turnover ratio. Last year, Alabama recorded 25 turnovers and ended the season with a plus-6 turnover margin. Alabama has recorded at least one turnover in 26 of the 31 games under Saban. The Crimson Tide is 20-6 under Saban when they have at least one turnover. Alabama is 3-2 in games without a turnover over the last three seasons.

DAREUS MAKES A NAME FOR HIMSELF: Following an exceptional fall camp, sophomore defensive lineman Marcell Dareus has started the 2009 season in dominant fashion. He had a breakout game in the season opener against Virginia Tech and then another excellent performance against Florida International. Against Tech, Dareus had two total tackles, including 1.5 sacks, as he harassed Tech signal-caller Tyrod Taylor into 9-of-20 passing for just 91 yards. He followed that up with a four-tackle outing against FIU during which he posted 2 sacks for 17 yards in losses. Dareus added one tackle in a blowout win over North Texas and two solo stops vs. Arkansas with a tackle for loss (-1). He has nine tackles, 4.5 tackles for loss, 3.5 sacks and three quarterback hurries this season.

TIDE PLAYERS EARN EARLY ACCOLADES: Eight Alabama players were named to 11 different preseason awards watch lists prior to the 2009 season. The players were recognized as potentially the top players at their position nationally.

Both Rolando McClain and Terrence Cody appeared on five watch lists. McClain is on the watch list for the Chuck Bednarik Award (best defensive player), Dick Butkus Award (top linebacker), Lombardi Trophy (top lineman or linebacker), Lott Trophy (best defensive player) and Nagurski Trophy (defensive player of the year). As a sophomore, McClain led the Tide with 95 tackles and 12 tackles for loss. Cody is also up for the Bednarik Award, Lombardi Trophy, Lott Trophy, Nagurski Award and Outland Trophy. Last year as a junior, Cody recorded 24 tackles, 4 ½ tackles for loss and recovered two fumbles for the Tide. Other defensive players on preseason awards lists included Arenas (Nagurski and Thorpe) and Hightower (Butkus and Lombardi).

The Crimson Tide offense was represented by Mark Ingram, Mike Johnson and Julio Jones. Jones appears on the Biletnikoff Award (best receiver) and Maxwell Trophy (player of the year), while Johnson is on both the Lombardi and Outland watch lists for outstanding linemen. Ingram appears on the Doak Walker Award list, presented the nation’s top running back. Last year as a freshman, Ingram ran for 712 yards and a freshman record 12 touchdowns. Senior Leigh Tiffin was named to the Lou Groza Award list, which is given to the nation’s top place kicker.

FRESHMAN ACADEMICS: Alabama’s heralded 2008 freshman class did more than just excel on the football field, the Crimson Tide placed 12 rookies on the 2009 SEC Freshman Academic Honor Roll, by far the highest total in the SEC with Georgia coming in second with seven honorees. The Tide’s freshmen academic honorees were Undra Billingsley, John Michael Boswell, Jerrell Harris, Mark Ingram, Barrett Jones, Chris Jordan, Tyler Love, Wesley Neighbors, Brad Smelley, Corey Smith, Damion Square and Michael Williams. Each student-athlete must have a cumulative GPA of 3.00 or above and be on scholarship or a letter winner. They also must completed 24 semester hours of non-remedial credit at the nominating institution and have been a member of the varsity team for the sport’s entire NCAA Championship segment.

UA COACHES PLAYERS OF THE WEEK: The Alabama coaching staff recognized seven players of the week following the Crimson Tide’s 35-7 win over Arkansas on Saturday. Running back Trent Richardson and wide receiver Marquis Maze were the offensive players of the week, while Rolando McClain and Javier Arenas were the defensive players of the week. Chris Rogers, Tyrone King and Lorenzo Washington were tabbed with the special teams honors.

Richardson led the Crimson Tide with 65 yards on just nine carries, averaging 7.2 yards per carry. He broke free for Alabama’s first score on an impressive 52 yard run where he broke five tackles before sprinting away from the Razorback defense. Maze caught two passes for 88 yards, including an 80-yard touchdown grab that is tied for the sixth-longest reception in school history.

McClain won his third player of the week award after contributing five tackles and a TFL in the 35-7 win over the Razorbacks. McClain registered four solo tackles as the Hogs could only muster 63 rushing yards. Arenas spent most of Saturday in the Arkansas backfield with three tackles for loss (-25), including a career-high two sacks (-21). He finished with four total tackles.

Washington received special teams honors for his third-quarter blocked punt that led to another Tide touchdown. King and Rogers are stalwarts for Alabama on special teams. Rogers made three special teams’ tackles and King added an assisted tackle while excelling in his assignments.

TIME OF POSSESSION: An Alabama trademark over the past two seasons has been its ability to control the line of scrimmage offensively and, consequently, control the tempo of the game. This has played out with an impressive advantage in time of possession. A year ago the Crimson Tide finished 11th nationally with an average time of possession of 32:08. In 2009, the Crimson Tide is off to another great start in that category, ranking 11th nationally at 33:15. The Tide held the ball for 37:02 in the opener against Virginia Tech, 31:38 against FIU, 30:43 vs. North Texas and 33:36 against Arkansas. The Crimson Tide has won the time of possession battle in 13 of the last 18 games overall and all four contests in 2009.

TIDE GETTING OFFENSIVE: Alabama’s offense is off to a solid start under first-year quarterback Greg McElroy. The Crimson Tide has piled up 1,962 yards of total offense this season (490.5 ypg) in wins over Virginia Tech, Florida International, North Texas and Arkansas. The 1,039 yards combined vs. FIU and North Texas are the most by Alabama in back-to-back games since compiling 1,104 yards in consecutive games against South Carolina (516) and UTEP (588) during the 2001 season. Alabama had its best offensive output of the season vs. North Texas, and its third- and fourth-best offensive showings in the Saban era against FIU and UNT. The Crimson Tide had 263 passing yards and 260 rushing yards vs. North Texas after rushing for 275 yards and throwing for 241 yards against FIU. In the season opener, Alabama racked up 498 yards of total offense, the sixth-best offensive day under Saban, in 34-24 win over No. 7 Virginia Tech.

Top Offensive Games (Saban Era)
575 vs. Western Carolina (313 rushing/262 passing) – Sept. 1, 2007
557 vs. Western Kentucky (281 rushing/276 passing) – Sept. 13, 2008
523 vs. North Texas (260 rushing/263 passing) – Sept. 26, 2009
516 vs. FIU (275 rushing/241 passing) – Sept. 12, 2009
510 vs. Tennessee (147 rushing/363 passing) – Oct. 20, 2007
498 vs. Virginia Tech (268 rushing/230 passing) – Sept. 5, 2008

Most-Total Offense in Consecutive Games (Since 2000)
1,104 vs. South Carolina (516) and UTEP (588) in 2001
1,039 vs. Florida International (516) and North Texas (523) in 2009
1,014 vs. Virginia Tech (498) and Florida International (516) in 2009
959 vs. Western Kentucky (557) and Arkansas (402) in 2008
950 vs. Mississippi State (401) and Auburn (549) in 2001
951 vs. UTEP (588) and Ole Miss (363) in 2001

THE ALABAMA-KENTUCKY SERIES: Alabama leads the series with Kentucky, 34-2-1. The two teams first met on Nov. 17, 1917, with Thomas Kelley’s Crimson Tide squad posting a 27-0 win in Lexington. Alabama has met Kentucky the fewest times of any of its SEC football foes, meeting only 37 times in history. UA and UK met every year from 1922-47, with the exception of 1943 when the Tide did not field a team due to World War II. Since then, the Tide and Cats have met just 11 times. Alabama holds a 14-2 series lead in games played in the state of Kentucky. Alabama is 13-2 in games played in Lexington and also posted win over the Wildcats in Louisville in 1945. Alabama and Kentucky are meeting in Lexington for the first time since the Tide’s 45-17 win on Oct. 4, 2004. UK has not beaten the Tide since Tim Couch led the Cats to a 40-34 overtime win in 1997. Alabama’s winning percentage over Kentucky (.932) is the second-highest against any Tide opponent with at least 20 games played. Alabama and Kentucky have met at five different sites, including Birmingham, Lexington, Louisville, Montgomery and Tuscaloosa. The Crimson Tide is 20-0-1 all-time against the Wildcats in the state of Alabama, including a 9-0 record in Tuscaloosa following last year’s 17-14 win on Oct. 4, 2008 at Bryant-Denny Stadium.

UA PLAYERS FROM KENTUCKY: Junior defensive end Brandon Deaderick (Elizabethtown, Ky.) is the only Kentucky native on the UA football roster.

SABAN VERSUS KENTUCKY: Alabama head coach Nick Saban is 4-0 in his career against Kentucky and owns a 2-0 mark against the Wildcats in Lexington, including a 29-25 win in the “Bluegrass Miracle” on Nov. 9, 2002. Marcus Randall heaved a desperation pass and Devery Henderson hauled in it for a 76-yard score to give Saban’s Tigers the improbable win.

Date Results of Game
Oct. 14, 2000 LSU 34, Kentucky 0 (Baton Rouge)
Oct. 13, 2001 LSU 29, Kentucky 25 (Lexington)
Nov. 9, 2002 LSU 33, Kentucky 30 (Lexington
Oct. 4, 2008 Alabama 17, Kentucky 14 (Tuscaloosa)

ALABAMA/KENTUCKY CONNECTIONS: There have been eight former Alabama players to serve as assistant coaches at Kentucky and there have been seven former Kentucky players to serve as assistant coaches at Alabama.
Alabama Players UK Years Kentucky Players UA Years
Vic Bradford (‘39) 1951 Charlie Bradshaw (‘49) 1959-61
Leon Fuller (‘60) 1966-68 Jerry Claiborne (‘49) 1958-60
Carney Laslie (‘33) 1946-51 Phil Cutchin (‘46) 1959
Walter Lewis (‘84) 1990-91 Ralph Genito (‘49) 1965
Tommy Limbaugh (‘67) 1990-94 Dude Hennessey (‘54) 1960-76
Bud Moore (‘61) 1962-64 Pat James (‘50) 1958-64
Frank Moseley (‘33) 1946-51 Howard Schnellenberger (‘55) 1961-65
Charley Pell (‘63) 1965-68

80-YARD TOUCHDOWN TIES FOR 6TH-LONGEST PASS IN UA HISTORY: Sophomore receiver Marquis Maze hauled in a Greg McElroy pass for an 80-yard touchdown play last week against Arkansas, a career-long pass catch for Maze and a career-long pass play for McElroy. The play ties for the sixth-longest touchdown pass in Alabama history and the longest since 2003.

Longest Touchdown Passes in UA History
94 Freddie Kitchens to Michael Vaughn vs. Florida 1996
90 Jeff Dunn to Pierre Goode vs. Tennessee 1987
87 Albert Elmore to Bobby Luna vs. Tulsa 1954
87 Brodie Croyle to Zach Fletcher vs. Mississippi State 2003
85 Gary Rutledge to Joe Dale Harris vs. California 1973
81 Ken Coley to Joey Jones vs. Vanderbilt 1981
80 Greg McElroy to Marquis Maze vs. Arkansas 2009
80 Gary Rutledge to Wayne Wheeler vs. Tennessee 1973
80 Walter Lewis to Jesse Bendross vs. Mississippi 1982

BAMA SCORES ON BIG PLAYS: Alabama’s first three touchdowns against Arkansas occurred on plays of longer than 50 yards – a 52-yard run by Trent Richardson, a 50-yard pass from Greg McElroy to Julio Jones, and a 80-yard pass from McElroy to Marquis Maze. Those plays accounted for 182 of Alabama’s 287 total yards through the midway point of the third quarter.

On the year, the Alabama offense has 22 plays of 20 yard or more with eight of those plays going for touchdowns. The Tide also has 10 plays of 35 yards or more with five of those going to scores.

ARENAS GETS 2 SACKS: Senior cornerback Javier Arenas produced two quarterback sacks for 21 yards in losses, both in the first half against Arkansas, marking his first multi-sack game at Alabama. Arenas’ first three tackles of the game each yielded losses for a total of 25 yards. He has three sacks on the season to rank tied for fifth in the SEC.

JONES BACK IN THE LINEUP – CATCHES TD PASS: Sophomore receiver Julio Jones returned to action last weekend vs. Arkansas after missing the North Texas game due to an injury and caught two passes for 65 yards and a touchdown. Jones extended Alabama’s lead to 14-0 in the second quarter on a 50-yard pass from Greg McElroy, Jones’ first scoring catch of the season. The play began with Alabama in the “Wildcat” formation with a direct snap to running back Mark Ingram, who handed the ball to running back Terry Grant on a reverse. Grant then pitched the ball back to McElroy who fired the pass down the middle of the field to a wide-open Jones. It is Jones’ first touchdown reception in 12 games dating back to the Georgia game in 2008.

ALABAMA’S 53 POINTS: The Crimson Tide’s 53 points in its win over North Texas last Saturday were the most during head coach Nick Saban’s tenure at the Capstone. The previous high of 52 came on Sept. 1, 2007, against Western Carolina in his first game at Alabama. Additionally, the 53 are the most scored by Alabama since beating UTEP, 56-7, on Oct. 6, 2001, at Legion Field in Birmingham. The 53 points are the most at Bryant-Denny Stadium since a 62-0 win over Tulane on Oct. 12, 1991.

TIFFIN MOVES PAST DAD ON UA’S CAREER FIELD GOALS LIST: Senior place-kicker Leigh Tiffin converted both field goal attempts (35, 20) against North Texas to give him 61 career field goals, third all-time at Alabama. He surpassed his father, Van Tiffin (59 from 1983-86), on the Alabama career field goals list with the 35-yard attempt to end the first half. He trails only Philip Doyle (78 from 1987-90) and Michael Proctor (65 from 1992-95).

TIFFIN NAMED LOU GROZA “STAR OF THE WEEK”: Senior place-kicker Leigh Tiffin was named a Lou Groza Award “Star of the Week” on Sept. 8 after converting 4-of-5 field goal attempts against Virginia Tech, making good on attempts from 49, 34, 43 and 20 yards. That matched his single-game best at Alabama previously achieved three times (vs. Tennessee, Oct. 20, 2007; Mississippi State on Nov. 10, 2007; Clemson on Aug. 30, 2008) and ranks second in Alabama history (6 by Philip Doyle vs. Southwestern Louisiana on Oct. 6, 1990).

DEADERICK UNDAUNTED: Senior defensive tackle Brandon Deaderick completed a miraculous return to the playing field with an appearance in the Crimson Tide’s win over Virginia Tech, just 5 days after being shot by an unknown assailant on Monday night, August 31, in Tuscaloosa. Deaderick, who suffered non-life threatening injuries to his left forearm and hip in the incident, was cleared for action by team doctors. He saw his first action on special teams with 6:35 left to play in the first quarter on Virginia Tech’s point-after conversion following a 98-yard kickoff return for a touchdown that tied the game at 6-6. Deaderick saw action on defense with 3:00 left in the first quarter. He finished with one solo tackle vs. the Hokies. He has played in all four games this season and has accounted for five tackles.

FIRST-TIME STARTERS: Thirteen Alabama players (9 on offense, 4 on defense) have made their first career starts for the Crimson Tide this season. On defense, senior linebacker Eryk Anders, sophomore defensive back Mark Barron and sophomore defensive lineman Marcell Dareus were first-time starters against Virginia Tech before sophomore free safety Robby Green made his first career start as the Tide employed five defensive backs on the first play of scrimmage against FIU. On offense, junior left tackle James Carpenter, sophomore center William Vlachos, sophomore right guard Barrett Jones, senior tight end Colin Peek, sophomore tight end/H-back Brad Smelley and junior quarterback Greg McElroy made their first starts against Tech. Against FIU, senior running back Roy Upchurch made his first start for the Crimson Tide and Darius Hanks started his first game vs. North Texas.

TIDE CAPTURES 800TH WIN: The storied Alabama football program captured the program’s 800th win on Sept. 5 in Atlanta with a 34-24 win over No. 7 Virginia Tech. Alabama is the seventh school in the Football Bowl Subdivision to reach the 800-win plateau. The Crimson Tide holds an 803-316-43 all-time record for a .710 winning percentage that ranks sixth in FBS history. The other six programs to record 800 wins: Michigan (876); Texas (836); Notre Dame (834); Nebraska (820); Ohio State (810); Penn State (803).

12 NATIONAL TV GAMES IN TIDE’S LAST 18 GAMES: The Arkansas game was the Crimson Tide’s 12th national television game since the start of the 2008 season. UA opened the season with a national ABC broadcast against Virginia Tech. 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. The 10 nationally broadcast games last year were tied with Notre Dame for the most in the nation.

TOUGH SLATE: Alabama once again have one of the most difficult schedules in the nation with three games against teams ranked in the USA Today Coaches’ Poll Preeason Top 10. The Tide faced No. 7 Virginia Tech in the opener and will travel to No. 10 Mississippi on October 10. The final preseason top-10 foe is LSU, which visits Tuscaloosa on November 7.

BEST COACHING STARTS: Nick Saban has compiled a 23-8 (.742) record in his career with the Tide and the 23 wins rank in a tie for the fourth-most for any Crimson Tide head football coach after 31 games. Xen Scott and Bill Curry also posted 22 wins through their first 30 games with the Crimson Tide. Wallace Wade holds the record for most wins after 30 games with 26 victories. Frank Thomas is second with 25 wins in 30 games while Gene Stallings third with 24. Below are the most wins by Alabama coaches after the first 30 and 31 games in their career.

Most Wins (After 31 Games)
Wallace Wade 27
Frank Thomas 26
Gene Stallings 25
Nick Saban 23
Xen Scott 23
Bill Curry 23

Most Wins (After 32 Games)
Wallace Wade 28
Frank Thomas 27
Gene Stallings 26
Xen Scott 24
Bill Curry 24

SPORTING NEWS CHRONICLES MIKE JOHNSON: Like his fellow offensive lineman Antoine Caldwell did a season ago, Alabama senior left guard Mike Johnson is writing a regular diary for the Sporting News in 2009. Johnson provides a look at all aspects of life as a college football player at one of the nation’s most high-profile programs.

SOPHOMORE SENSATIONS: Julio Jones and Mark Ingram return for their sophomore seasons and give the Alabama offense a big-play threat both inside and outside. The duo turned in some of the best rookie seasons in school history in 2008. Jones set school freshman marks for receptions (58), yards (924) and touchdowns (4), while Ingram rushed for 728 yards and a UA rookie record 12 scores.

The pair is off to another fast start in 2009. Ingram has rushed for 347 yards and four touchdowns while catching 13 passes for 141 yards and three scores. Jones has caught seven passes for 120 yards and a touchdown through three games in 2009 after missing the North Texas game with a bruised knee.

NFL DRAFT: The Crimson Tide saw four players selected in the 2009 NFL Draft, including first-round pick Andre Smith, who went to the Cincinnati Bengals with the No. 6 overall pick. Glen Coffee (San Francisco), Antoine Caldwell (Houston) and Rashad Johnson (Arizona) all went off the board in the third round. The four picks were the most for the Tide since five players were taken in 2005.

RETURNING SUCCESS: Much of the talk in the preseason was about Alabama‘s vaunted defense, and the defensive side of the football is where the Crimson Tide returned the biggest portion of its players from last year’s Sugar Bowl team. UA features 15 total returning starters and 55 lettermen this season, but eight of those returning starters are on the defensive side of the football with four on offense and both specialists. The Tide returned 90 percent of its lettermen on defense and 73 percent on offense. The defense returns 84 percent of the tackles (728 of 866) from 2008. The special teams returned almost completely intact with place-kicker Leigh Tiffin, punter P.J. Fitzgerald, snapper Brian Selman and return specialist Javier Arenas.

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 million – including over $300,000 this year – for “Nick’s Kids” and made a total of more than 160 donations to children’s charities throughout the state of Alabama.

STADIUM RENOVATION: The newest expansion project for Bryant-Denny Stadium will see an increase in seating capacity to approximately 101,000, keeping it among the largest on-campus football stadiums in the nation. The expansion, which is expected to be complete for the beginning of the 2010 season, will be the fourth expansion of this magnificent edifice since 1988 and the seventh expansion in the stadium’s history. This renovation will mirror north end zone project that was completed in 2006. It will consist of roughly 8,500 additional seats, 1,700 South Zone Club seats, two corner video boards, an upper concourse with concessions and restrooms, 36 skyboxes, offices Donors Hall of Fame and an outdoor market for food and merchandise.

NEW HIRES: The Alabama football staff features two new faces in 2009, including linebackers’ coaches Sal Sunseri and James Willis. Sunseri joins the staff spending the last seven seasons as the defensive line coach for the NFL’s Carolina Panthers where he coached the likes of Pro Bowl players Julius Peppers, Mike Rucker and Kris Jenkins. Willis joined Saban’s staff after spending three years with Auburn where he worked with former Saban assistant Will Muschamp. He spent seven seasons in the NFL prior to beginning his coaching career.

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 coach 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.

COACH OF THE YEAR: Saban’s success and quick turnaround in 2008 was not lost on the nation. He garnered six national coach of the year awards, including the Home Depot Coach of the year, the FWAA/Eddie Robinson, Associated Press, Sporting News, Walter Camp and Liberty Mutual. In 2003, Saban was also selected National Coach of the Year by the Associated Press and captured the Paul W. “Bear” Bryant National Coach of the Year Award.

LIGHTS, CAMERA, ACTION: Coach Saban also spent a little time behind the camera during the offseason. He flew out to Los Angeles to film an ESPN College GameDay commercial with Kirk Herbstreit and Chris Fowler. Saban also filmed scenes for the movie Blindside, which chronicles the life of former Mississippi offensive tackle Michael Oher.

THREE TIDE PLAYERS NAMED PLAYBOY ALL-AMERICANS: Alabama landed three players on the 2009 Playboy Magazine annual preseason College Football All-America Team. Rolando McClain was selected as a linebacker while Julio Jones was picked at wide receiver and Javier Arenas was the return specialist. Alabama has now had four Playboy All-Americans in the last two years after Andre Smith was chosen in 2008.

ARENAS A COMMUNITY SERVICE LEADER: Senior cornerback and return specialist Javier Arenas is a nominee for the 2009 Allstate AFCA Good Works Team, which recognizes college football players who make outstanding contributions in the area of volunteerism and civic involvement. Arenas, a native of Tampa, Fla., is one of 52 Division I-A student-athletes across college football nominated for their efforts away from the gridiron. These athletes are being honored for their selfless efforts in the surrounding communities. Arenas has volunteered more than 50 hours of community service throughout the Tuscaloosa community. He has spent time in the local school systems, speaking to children about the dangers of bullying and the positive effects of team work. He has also attended birthday parties of physically challenged children and reached out with phone calls to children battling cancer.

ARENAS FINALIST FOR LOWE’S SENIOR CLASS AWARD: Alabama defensive back Javier Arenas has been selected as one of 30 finalists for the Lowe’s Senior CLASS Award. The Tampa, Fla. native is a preseason first-team Playboy All-American, but his accomplishments in the classroom and in the community are bringing him accolades off the field as well. CLASS, an acronym for Celebrating Loyalty and Achievement for Staying in School, the award focuses on the total student-athlete and encourages students to use their platform in athletics to make a positive impact as leaders in their communities.

CRIMSON TIDE PLAYERS ON NFL ROSTERS: The Alabama football program was well represented throughout the National Football League with the opening of the 2009 season with former players and coaches dotting league rosters. The Crimson Tide has 36 former players and coaches working in the NFL this season. The Crimson Tide is also represented on 17 of the league’s 30 teams. Four former Alabama players and coaches are with the defending Super Bowl Champion Pittsburgh Steelers, including defensive back DeShea Townsend and assistant coaches John Mitchell (assistant head coach/DL), Bruce Arians (offensive coordinator/QBs) and Amos Jones (special teams). The Crimson Tide has 21 current NFL players, including 18 on active rosters and two more on practice squads or injured reserve. 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).

2009 NFL OPENING DAY ROSTERS
NFL Players:
Player Pos. Team
Mark Anderson DE Chicago Bears
Antoine Caldwell C Houston Texans
Glen Coffee RB San Francisco 49ers
Brodie Croyle QB Kansas City Chiefs
Kenneth Darby RB St. Louis Rams
Wallace Gilberry DL Kansas City Chiefs
Cornelius Griffin DL Washington Redskins
Roman Harper DB New Orleans Saints
Jarret Johnson LB Baltimore Ravens
Rashad Johnson DB Arizona Cardinals
Evan Matthis OL Cincinnati Bengals
LeRon McClain FB Baltimore Ravens
Antwan Odom DL Cincinnati Bengals
DeMeco Ryans LB Houston Texans
Chris Samuels OL Washington Redskins
Justin Smiley OL Miami Dolphins
Deshea Townsend DB Pittsburgh Steelers
Andre Smith OL Cincinnati Bengals (Injured Reserve)
John Parker Wilson QB Atlanta Falcons
Anthony Bryant DL New York Giants (Practice Squad)
Bobby Greenwood DL Kansas City Chiefs (Practice Squad)

BURNS and Cochran honored: Associate head coach and running backs coach Burton Burns along with head strength and conditioning coach Scott Cochran were named the nation’s best at their respective fields in 2008. Burns was named college football’s 2008 FootballScoop Running Backs Coach of the Year, while Cochran was tabbed as the 2008 Samson Strength & Conditioning Coach of the Year for his work with the Crimson Tide in the weight room.

ALABAMA’S TV RECORD: Alabama has compiled a 180-115-5 (.608) all-time record in 300 televised games. This does not include pay-per-view, tape-delayed or closed circuit telecasts. The Crimson Tide owns a 155-96-3 (.616) record in 254 regular-season televised games.

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.

A-DAY SUCCESS: Alabama has led the SEC in spring football game attendance each of the last three seasons, averaging 84,769 fans for Coach Nick Saban’s three A-Day football games at Bryant-Denny Stadium. Alabama dew a then-NCAA record 92,138 fans for Saban’s first spring football game on April 21, 2007. In 2008, Alabama led the SEC again with 78,200 fans for it’s A-Day game on April 12. The Tide again set the pace in the SEC with 84,050 fans on April 17, 2009.

2008 SEC Spring Game Att. 2009 SEC Spring Game Att.
Alabama 78,200 Alabama 84,050
Florida 61,000 Florida 65,000
Arkansas 40,200 Tennessee 51,488
Auburn 35,000 Auburn 45,381
LSU 33,624 Georgia 42,458
South Carolina 31,125 Mississippi State 31,606
Tennessee 28,898 LSU 30,532
Mississippi 28,311 Arkansas 30,000
Georgia 19,874 Mississippi 28,357
Kentucky 8,500 South Carolina 25,157
Mississippi State 6,000 Kentucky 20,200
Vanderbilt 2,500 Vanderbilt 1,000