All the things you want to know about Alabama’s win over Ole Miss courtesy of UA with game photographs:
Alabama Football POST-GAME NOTES
ALABAMA at MISSISSIPPI
Saturday, October 10, 2009
VAUGHT-HEMINGWAY STADIUM – Oxford, Miss.
ALABAMA IMPROVES TO 23-1 UNDER SABAN WHEN LEADING AT HALFTIME
Alabama has led at the half of its last five games. The Crimson Tide is 23-1 when leading at halftime under head coach Nick Saban, including a 17-game winning streak. The only loss came against LSU during the 2007 season when UA held a 20-17 halftime lead before losing, 41-34, on Nov. 3, 2007, at Bryant-Denny Stadium. The Crimson Tide is 1-5 under Saban when trailing at halftime and 1-2 when tied at halftime. The lone win when trailing at the half came in the 34-24 win over No. 7 Virginia Tech in the 2009 season opener in Atlanta. Alabama’s lone win when tied at halftime came last year at LSU.
ROAD SUCCESS CONTINUES
Alabama won its second true road game of the 2009 season against Mississippi to give the Crimson Tide wins in six straight road games. UA was a perfect 4-0 on the road last season with wins at Arkansas (49-15), Georgia (41-30), Tennessee (29-9) and LSU (27-21 OT). Alabama’s last road loss was a 17-10 decision at Auburn on Nov. 24, 2007. During that time the Crimson Tide is 3-2 in neutral site games with wins over Colorado (2007 Independence Bowl, 30-24), Clemson (Georgia Dome, 34-10) and the 2009 season-opening win over Virginia Tech in the Georgia Dome (34-24). UA’s losses in neutral-site games were to Florida (SEC Championship Game) and Utah (Sugar Bowl).
THE ALABAMA-MISSISSIPPI SERIES
With the victory, Alabama leads the Mississippi series 46-9-2 with six straight wins while winning 23-of-25 games dating back to the 1977 season. The Crimson Tide is 13-8-1 in game played in the state of Mississippi, including a 6-3 mark in Oxford. Alabama has won on its last three trips to Oxford. Nick Saban is 7-1 in his career against the Rebels, including a 3-0 mark at Alabama. Alabama owns a six-game winning streak over Mississippi.
The 3 points allowed by Alabama against Mississippi marks the lowest point total by the Rebels against Alabama since a 37-0 Alabama victory in Tuscaloosa on October 19, 1996.
Alabama and Mississippi played the 22nd televised game in series history on Saturday. With the win, the Crimson Tide owns an 18-4 record in the 22 televised games. The 2009 season marked the sixth time CBS Sports has televised the Alabama-Mississippi game. The network also aired the Crimson Tide and Rebels in 1999, 2001, 2005, 2006 and 2008. Alabama is 6-0 against Mississippi on CBS.
GAME CAPTAINS & COIN TOSS
Alabama’s game captains today were junior quarterback Greg McElroy, senior offensive lineman Mike Johnson, junior linebacker Rolando McClain and senior cornerback Javier Arenas. The Crimson Tide won the opening coin toss and elected to receive the opening kickoff. Ole Miss chose to defend the north goal line.
NEXT GAME
Alabama returns home for a the beginning of a three-game home stand with a matchup against South Carolina on Saturday, Oct. 17. It will be Homecoming Saturday at the Capstone where the Crimson Tide boasts a 74-13-1 record, including seven straight wins. Alabama owns an 11-2 edge in the all-time series with USC, including a 7-1 mark in Tuscaloosa. UA won 37-14 in its last meeting with the Gamecocks in Columbia in 2005, but Carolina won the last meeting in Tuscaloosa, 20-3, in 2004.
ALABAMA OFFENSE
RB MARK INGRAM
Sophomore running back Mark Ingram rushed for 173 yards on 28 carries against Mississippi, his second consecutive 100-yard outing and his third of the season (he also had 150 vs. Virginia Tech on Sept. 5 and 144 at Kentucky on Oct. 3). His totals are new career single-game highs for carries and yards at Alabama. Ingram has rushed for 660 yards through six games this season.
Ingram has at least one rushing touchdown in nine of his last 10 games and one in each game in 2009. Ingram has scored at least one touchdown in 15 of his 20 games for the Tide. He has 22 career touchdowns (19 rushing, three receiving), including a freshman record 12 (all rushing) in 2008.
Ingram has not lost a fumble in 254 career rushing attempts and 24 career receptions for a total of 278 career touches. He has only put the ball on the ground one time (at LSU in 2008), which was recovered by the Tide.
RARE TURNOVER BY ALABAMA OFFENSE
Running back Trent Richardson’s lost fumble in the fourth quarter was Alabama’s first turnover in 267 plays dating back to the North Texas game on Sept. 19 when quarterback Greg McElroy fumbled on the first play of the game.
ALABAMA DEFENSE
TIDE DEFENSE DOMINANT IN FIRST HALF
Alabama controlled the ball in the first half of today’s game by virtue of a steady offense and a sturdy defense. The Alabama defense allowed on 5 total yards (4 rushing, 1 passing) as Alabama outgained Mississippi 105 to 5 in the first quarter. For the quarter, Alabama had the ball for 11:19 to Mississippi’s 3:41 and gained 6 first downs while holding the Rebels without a first down. The fewest first downs allowed in a quarter prior to today was 1, which has happened on four different occasions (Kentucky – 2nd , North Texas – 1st , FIU – 1st , FIU – 3rd). The Rebels only had the ball for 9 offensive plays in the opening period while Alabama ran 23 plays from scrimmage.
Alabama held the following statistical edges in the first half of today’s game:
UA UM
First Downs 11 1
Total Offense 235 19
Rushing Yards 117 5
Passing Yards 118 14
Time of Possession 21:03 8:57
The Alabama defense put together its best half of the season. The Crimson Tide allowed one first down and 19 yards of offense.
Top Defensive Halves in 2009
Game (Half) First Downs
Mississippi (1st) 1
North Texas (1st) 3
Virginia Tech (2nd) 4
North Texas (2nd) 4
Game (Half) Yards
Mississippi (1st) 19
North Texas (1st) 62
Virginia Tech (1st) 68
Virginia Tech (2nd) 87
FORCING TURNOVERS
After gaining a total of four turnovers in the first four games of the 2009 season, the Alabama defense has become much more opportunistic in the last two games as the Crimson Tide has forced nine turnovers over the last two games vs. Kentucky and Mississippi. For the season, the Crimson Tide has forced 13 turnovers (four fumbles and nine interceptions). In 2008, Alabama had 15 interceptions for the season.
The Crimson Tide has forced 62 turnovers in the first 33 games under head coach Nick Saban, an average of 1.8 per game. 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 28 of the 33 games under Saban. The Crimson Tide is 22-6 under Saban when they have at least one turnover. Alabama is 3-2 in games without a turnover over the last three seasons.
JACKSON’S INTERCEPTION RETURN IS 10TH-LONGEST IN ALABAMA HISTORY
Junior cornerback Kareem Jackson intercepted a Jevan Snead pass at the Alabama 5-yard line in the fourth quarter and returned it 79 yards to the Rebel 16-yard line. The return is the 10th-longest interception return in Alabama history.
SPECIAL TEAMS NOTES
TIFFIN’S 5 FIELD GOALS ADD TO IMPRESSIVE CAREER TOTALS
Senior placekicker Leigh Tiffin made five field goals against Mississippi, the second most in a single game in Alabama history. Philip Doyle holds the record with six field goals against Southwestern Louisiana on Oct. 6, 1990. Tiffin added to his impressive career totals in three statistical categories:
Field Goals Made & Attempted
The field goals give Tiffin 67 in his Alabama career, moving him ahead of Michael Proctor (65 from 1992-95) for second place on the Crimson Tide career field goals list behind Philip Doyle (78 in 105 attempts from 1987-90). Tiffin is now 67 of 92 (.728) for his career in field goals. Tiffin moved into third place in career field goal attempts with 92 attempts to move ahead of his father, Van Tiffin, who made 59 of 88 attempts from 1983-86.
Career Scoring
Tiffin scored 16 points (five field goals, one point-after touchdown kick) against Mississippi. That moved Tiffin’s career scoring total to 317 points, just past Van Tiffin who scored 312 points (59 FGs, 135 PATs) from 1983-86 and behind Philip Doyle (345 points from 1987-90) and Michael Proctor (326 points from 1992-95). For his career, Tiffin has made 67 field goals and 116 PATs.
HEAD COACH NICK SABAN
BEST COACHING STARTS IN ALABAMA HISTORY
With the win over Mississippi, Alabama head coach Nick Saban has compiled a 25-8 record in his career with the Tide and the 25 wins rank in a tie for the fourth-most for any Crimson Tide head football coach after 33 games. Xen Scott and Bill Curry also posted 25 wins through their first 33 games with the Crimson Tide. Wallace Wade holds the record for most wins after 33 games with 29 victories. Frank Thomas is second with 28 wins in 33 games while Gene Stallings ranks third with 27. Below are the most wins by Alabama head coaches after the first 33 games in their career.
Most Wins (After 33 Games)
Wallace Wade 29
Frank Thomas 28
Gene Stallings 27
Xen Scott 25
Bill Curry 25
Nick Saban 25