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Alabama Struggles, But Defeats Plucky Tulane

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The Associated Press

The Tampa Tribune

Published: September 7, 2008

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. - Robinson High graduate Javier Arenas returned a punt 87 yards for a touchdown and No. 13 Alabama held on Saturday for a shaky 20-6 win over Tulane, forced out of New Orleans a week ago by the threat of Hurricane Gustav.

Just one game after looking like world beaters against then-No. 9 Clemson, a listless Alabama (2-0) allowed four sacks of John Parker Wilson, fumbled once, missed two kicks and gained only 172 yards - just 38 in the first half.

Playing in its season opener after days of hotel food and worrying about friends and family back in Louisiana, Tulane kept the Tide offense off balance but managed only field goals of 35 and 21 yards by Ross Thevenot, who missed two more.

Arenas gave 'Bama all the points it needed early.

Tulane's first drive stalled on the Alabama 46, and Darren deRochemont punted. Arenas caught the ball at his own 13, broke a tackle and cut down the left sideline for a TD that had fans screaming wildly.

DeRochemont was forced to punt two drives later from the Green Wave 23, but Roy Upchurch made a diving block. Chris Rogers scooped up the ball and ran 17 yards for a score.

The special teams theatrics over, Alabama's offense sputtered badly. Scattered boos got louder after the offensive line allowed three sacks in the second quarter alone, and freshman Corey Smith, in briefly for the injured Leigh Tiffin, missed a point-after kick and a 37-yard field goal.

Alabama didn't manage an offensive touchdown until the end of the third quarter, when Mark Ingram scored on a 15-yard run to cap a 77-yard, 11-play drive that wore down the Tulane defense.

With Alabama missing injured offensive line starters Andre Smith and Marlon Davis, Wilson was under pressure all night. He completed just 11 of 23 passes for 73 yards but didn't thrown an interception.

Arenas, who set an Alabama record with 212 return yards, left injured in the third quarter after getting leveled by Jordan Ellis on a punt return. His condition wasn't immediately known.

Tulane's Thevenot was wide left on field goal attempts from 41 and 23 yards.

The Tulane team evacuated its New Orleans campus Aug. 30 as Gustav roared through the Gulf of Mexico toward a landfall. The squad spent a week in a hotel in Birmingham, alternately practicing at Samford University and watching movies and bowling to kill time.

Things could be worse next game: Tulane is supposed to play host to East Carolina on Saturday, and forecasters said Hurricane Ike is on a path that could take it to southwestern Louisiana by the weekend.

AUBURN 27,

SOUTHERN MISS 13

AUBURN, Ala. - The Auburn Tigers will go into Southeastern Conference play with a clear-cut No. 1 quarterback, after all.

Chris Todd claimed the job with an efficient 248-yard effort in his first start Saturday, giving the ninth-ranked Tigers' passing game a needed lift in a win over Southern Miss.

The junior college transfer completed 21 of 31 passes and was on target with an array of short and mid-range throws while effectively running the new spread offense.

Then he got the official proclamation from his coach regarding the Mississippi State game: "Chris did a good job and barring anything happening he'll be our starter next week," Tommy Tuberville said.

The Tigers (2-0) proved they can pass after Todd and Kodi Burns had a hard time completing anything in the opener. This time it was the runners who had problems, coughing up three fumbles.

Plus, a defense that went the first 102 minutes of the season without allowing a point gave up two touchdowns in the final 18 to keep Southern Miss alive.

Todd's performance trumped all that. He completed passes to 11 different receivers and avoided major mistakes.

"I tried to come out and lead the team, take care of the ball and be smart," he said.

NO. 2 GEORGIA 56,

CENTRAL MICHIGAN 17

ATHENS, Ga. - Led by Knowshon Moreno, Georgia responded just fine after being bounced from No. 1.

Moreno rushed for 168 yards and tied his career high with three touchdowns, while massive defensive end Demarcus Dobbs rumbled for an improbable 78-yard score after picking off a deflected pass to lead the second-ranked Bulldogs past Central Michigan 56-17 on Saturday.

Matthew Stafford got in on the fun by completing 18-of-28 for 213 yards, hooking up with Mohamed Massaquoi on a pair of touchdown passes.

Georgia started the year No. 1 and opened with a 24-point win over Georgia Southern that really wasn't that close. But the voters were more impressed with Southern California's 52-7 rout at Virginia, so they pushed the Trojans ahead of the Bulldogs.

Unfazed by the snub, Georgia (2-0) raced to a 28-0 lead over the Chippewas just before halftime, and stymied any hopes of a comeback with two big scoring plays early in the third quarter.

KENTUCKY 38,

NORFOLK STATE 3

LEXINGTON, Ky. - Freshman Randall Cobb threw for one touchdown and ran for two others in relief of Mike Hartline, and Kentucky dominated Norfolk State.

Kentucky (2-0), which had kept rival Louisville's offense off the scoreboard a week earlier, was looking to add some offensive power to the defensive excitement it displayed against the Cardinals. They got an immediate jolt from Cobb, a freshman who led his high school to two straight state titles in Tennessee.

Cobb entered late in the first quarter, generating a loud ovation from the sellout crowd. He immediately rewarded that confidence without even throwing a pass, burning the Spartans (1-1) with his speed.

MISSISSIPPI STATE 34,

SE LOUISIANA 10

STARKVILLE, Miss. - Wesley Carroll threw two touchdowns and Anthony Dixon had two rushing scores to lead Mississippi State.

Dixon led the Bulldogs (1-1) with 80 yards on 18 carries. Mississippi State rushed 46 times for 216 yards, while the Lions (1-1) gained only 33 yards on the ground.

Carroll redeemed himself with 158 yards passing after tossing three picks in Mississippi State's 22-14 loss to Louisiana Tech last weekend.

ARKANSAS 28,

LOUISIANA-MONROE 27

LITTLE ROCK, Ark. - Casey Dick threw an 8-yard touchdown pass to D.J. Williams with 1:22 remaining, and Louisiana-Monroe's Jeremy Gener missed a 45-yard field goal, enabling Arkansas to escape with a 28-27 victory Saturday night.

The Razorbacks (2-0) trailed 24-6 in the third quarter and 27-14 in the fourth, but rallied for the second straight week to avoid a major upset. On fourth-and-1 from the Louisiana-Monroe 32 with 2:03 remaining, Dick faked a handoff and lobbed a deep pass down the middle while under a heavy pass rush. Chris Gragg came down with the ball at the 7 for his first career catch.

Moments later, Dick threw the winning touchdown pass, but the Razorbacks had to withstand one final drive by the gutsy Warhawks. Kinsmon Lancaster competed passes of 27 and 12 yards to Anthony McCall, but the Warhawks eventually stalled and Gener's final kick was off the mark.

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