HIGHLIGHTS: Video and Postgame Notes of Alabama 40 FAU 7

(via UA Media Relations) ALABAMA FOOTBALL POSTGAME NOTES – ALABAMA vs. FLORIDA ATLANTIC SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 22, 2012 • BRYANT-DENNY STADIUM • TUSCALOOSA, Ala.

GENERAL NOTES
ALABAMA UNDER SABAN IN SEPTEMBER: Alabama has been very successful in the opening month of the season under head coach Nick Saban. Now in his sixth season at Alabama, the Crimson Tide sports a 24-2 record in September following the win against Florida Atlantic. Since 2008, Alabama is a perfect 21-0 in September games.

AGAINST NONCONFERENCE OPPONENTS UNDER SABAN: With the victory over Florida Atlantic, Alabama improved to 24-3 against nonconference opponents under head coach Nick Saban. Alabama has now won 17 in a row against out of league opposition. Over the Saban tenure, the Tide has outscored those opponents, 1,019-309.

TIDE 53-3 UNDER SABAN WHEN LEADING AT THE HALF: Alabama defeated Florida Atlantic on Saturday after taking a 30-0 lead into halftime. With the victory, the Crimson Tide is 53-3 when leading at halftime under head coach Nick Saban.

OUT IN FRONT: Alabama has made a habit of getting out early and playing with the lead. The Crimson Tide has not trailed after the first quarter in its last 18 games, starting with the 2011 Capital One Bowl against Michigan State. During those 18 games, or 1,080 minutes of game action, UA has trailed for only 25 minutes and 12 seconds, which means the Tide has held the lead or been tied for 1,054 minutes and 48 seconds. UA’s only loss during that stretch was to LSU last season in overtime of a game that Alabama had led or been tied until overtime. In fact, Alabama has not trailed in regulation since a 3-0 deficit at the 2:26 mark of the first quarter against Tennessee last season. That streak spans parts of 10 games, which totals 587 minutes and 26 seconds.

WINNING BIG: When Alabama wins it usually does so in impressive fashion. Over its last 17 wins, dating back to the 49-7 victory over Michigan State at the Capital One Bowl, the Crimson Tide has defeated its opponent by 21 points or more in 15 of those contests. Over that span the Tide has downed nine of those opponents by more than 30 points and posted more than a 40-point margin of victory five times.

OFFENSIVE NOTES
RUSHING TOUCHDOWNS: With the Kenyon Drake’s rushing touchdown against Florida Atlantic, Alabama has scored a rushing touchdown in 22 of its last 23 games. Alabama has found the endzone on the ground in all four games this season, in 12 of the 13 games in 2011 and the final six contests in 2010.

MCCARRON PASSES WITHOUT AN INTERCEPTION: AJ McCarron passed Jay Barker for the second-most consecutive passes without an interception in UA history. McCarron improved his total number of consecutive passes without an interception to 176 with his 25 attempts against FAU. Brodie Croyle’s mark of 190 consecutive attempts without an interception remains an Alabama record.

FIRST HALF SCORING: Alabama has helped its own cause over the last few seasons by not trailing while entering the locker room at the half. The Tide has either held a lead or been tied entering the intermission in 24 straight games. Over that span UA has outscored the opposition 462-90. The last time the Tide trailed at the half was at South Carolina on Oct. 9, 2010.

SCORING STREAK CONTINUES: With its first touchdown of the game at the 13:18 mark of the opening quarter against FAU, Alabama raised its current total of games in which it scored to 146. The 146 straight games mark the longest streak in program history.

CONSECUTIVE SCORING QUARTERS: After putting up points in all four quarters against FAU, Alabama has now scored in 31 consecutive quarters. The last time the Crimson Tide failed to put up a point in a quarter was the opening frame against Mississippi State on (9.12.11).

QUICK STRIKE: On the fourth play of the game, AJ McCarron connected with Kenny Bell for an 85-yard touchdown, which is the sixth longest touchdown pass in school history. The 85-yard strike was also career highs for both McCarron and Bell. The touchdown, just 1:42 into the contest was the quickest to start a game for Alabama since a Darius Hanks touchdown grab at Duke on Sept. 18, 2010, just 1:19 in the game. UA scored in 1:53 to open the game against Western Kentucky on Sept. 8.

LACY RACES FOR 100 YARDS: Junior running back Eddie Lacy tallied 106 yards on 15 carries in the first half against FAU to record his third career 100 yard game. The last time Lacy eclipsed 100 yards was against North Texas (9.17.11) when he tallied 161 yards on nine carries. In his first career game in a Crimson Tide uniform, Lacy ran for 111 yards on 13 carries in the 2010 season opener against San Jose State (9.4.10).

DEFENSIVE NOTES
SCORELESS STREAK: Alabama continued to hold its opponents off the scoreboard until FAU scored with 2:49 left in the game. The streak spanned from when Michigan found the endzone with 14 seconds left in the third quarter in the season opener until the late touchdown by the Owls. The span of shutout football reached 192:25 minutes or just under 13 quarters.

GROUND DEFENSE: Limiting opposing running backs to less than 100 yards is nothing new for the Crimson Tide. Alabama has surrendered only 10 individual 100-yard rushing games dating back to the 2005 season, a mark that leads the nation. Since head coach Nick Saban’s arrival, the Tide has allowed just five players to rush for more than 100 yards in a game.

FIRST HALF DEFENSE: The Crimson Tide has allowed seven points or less in 20 of its last 21 first halves of play against opponents from the Football Bowl Subdivision. Over that span, Alabama surrendered just three points or less on 12 occasions, including nine shutouts.

10 POINTS OR LESS: Under head coach Nick Saban, the Crimson Tide has held opponents to 10 points or less 37 times since the start of the 2007 season. Alabama was successful in holding opponents under 10 in nine games in 2011. In 2010, the Tide held opponents to 10 points or less eight times and limited opponents to that mark seven times in 2008 and 2009. In 2007, Alabama posted two games in which it held opponents to that mark. Alabama has shutout the opposition eight times during the Saban tenure.

HOLDING OPPONENTS UNDER 200: During head coach Nick Saban’s last 57 games at the Capstone, the Crimson Tide defense has held the opposing offense to less than 200 yards of total offense 23 times. Alabama accomplished the feat eight times in 2011, limiting Kent State to 90 total yards, North Texas to 169 total yards, Vanderbilt to 190 total yards, Mississippi to 141 yards, Tennessee to 155 yards, Mississippi State to 131 yards, Auburn to 140 yards and LSU to 92 yards. The 90 yards against Kent State and the 92 yards vs. LSU in the championship game also marked the second and third times a Saban defense has limited its opponent to less than 100 yards of total offense. Alabama’s best came in 2009 when they held Chattanooga to 84 yards of total offense. The Tide held opponents under 200 yards three times in 2010, four times in 2009 and six times in 2008.

SPECIAL TEAMS NOTES
FOSTER DIALS IN FROM DEEP: With his career-long 52-yard field goal in the start of the second quarter, Cade Foster became the first Alabama kicker since Neal Thomas in 2000 to connect on three 50-plus yard field goals in the same season. His 52-yard strike was the longest by a Tide kicker since Leigh Tiffin hit from 52 yards against Utah in the Sugar Bowl (1.2.09).

NEXT GAME: Alabama will remain at home when it hosts its Southeastern Conference home opener against Mississippi. The game is scheduled for Saturday, Sept. 29, with kickoff slated for 8:15 p.m. CT. The game will air on the ESPN family of networks.