Thursday, September 30, 2010

Why is Alabama called the Crimson Tide?


Until the year 1906, the sports team of the University of Alabama was named the "varsity" or "White Crimson", referring to the school colors; then in 1906, Hugh Roberts uses the phrase "Crimson Tide" when he was describing a game against Auburn Birmingham played in red mud. Auburn was favored to win, but Alabama played a great game, and the beginning of its name. However, was the editor of former sports news from Birmingham, Zipp Newman, who was responsible for popularizing the name.

When you think "tide", think of any body of water or the sea. I don't really think of it as a name of a college athletic teams.In addition, your pet is an elephant. how came about that now are known as Alabama Crimson Tide.?

By the tide

Newspaper accounts from the beginning of 1900 in Alabama football referred to the team of the University of Alabama, as the "varsity" or the "White Crimson", a nod to the colors of the escuela.después for awhile, referred to as the "thin red line".This was a nickname that stuck until 1906.

The arrival of the tide

In the Bowl of 1907 iron, Alabama faced Auburn in Birmingham.Este game is also notable as the last contest between the two schools until 1948, when resumed the Iron Bowl.

This game has been played in a sea of red mud and Auburn was heavily favored win; but "Thin red line" apparently played a good game and retained the game to tie 6-6.Tras reporting about the game, Hugh Roberts, former Birmingham age Herald sports editor, the "Crimson Tide" phrase used to describe the equipo.Y since then, the name pasted.

It should be also noted that although Hugh Roberts is credited with coining the phrase was Zipp Newman (former sports Birmingham News editor), among so many other writers, who popularized the name when referring to the computer.








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Red tide starts work Florida not. 7

27 September 2010

TUSCALOOSA, wing-.No. 1 ranked football returned to fields Alabama practiced Monday afternoon for a 90 minutes in the Centre of Thomas-Drew practice session to begin preparations for the game on Saturday against No. 7 Florida at Bryant-Denny Stadium. 

 "After the victory of coming from behind last week's Arkansas coach Nick Saban seeks his players improve this week before his opponent consecutive top-10 second confronts the Crimson Tide." I think it is a real credit to the competitive nature of our team in the situation being in circumstances that were playing, but I think these things are opportunities to learn, "Saban said in Monday's press conference." "The larger than one, better bring you is A-juego every time you play in this League, regardless of where you are jugando.Hay a lot of good players and lots of good football the equipos.Sin doubt we must be ready to play and hitting on all cylinders every time you play.""With the focus now directly on the Gators, Saban anticipates another tough battle against an opponent's premier sec." "Florida is an outstanding team, said Saban." Likely to have a domain registration, rather than any team in our League, on what they have done in recent years in Urban Meyer, who is an outstanding coach and does a great job with them."This will be a very difficult game for us and very difficult preparation for us compared to what they do, but certainly the type of game that our players should be willing to".Security Junior Robert Lester and sophomore running back Trent Richardson received recognition on Monday by his performances against Arkansas.Lester was named the defensive player of the week for his seven-tackle, interception of two against the Razorbacks game sec while Richardson was recognized by Paul Hornung sports of Louisville as one of the eight players to earn more Commission versatile program of the week after posting Paul Hornung 227 yards all-purpose against Arkansas.La tide practised again on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday before making a tutorial viernes.Juego Saturday is scheduled for a kickoff of 7 pm and will be televised nationally on CBS.


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No. 1 Alabama Host No. 7 Florida Saturday

Sept. 27, 2010
TUSCALOOSA, Ala. Top-ranked Alabama returns home to open the home portion of its Southeastern Conference schedule with a visit from the No. 7/7 Florida Gators at 7 p.m. (CDT) on Saturday, Oct. 2, at Bryant-Denny Stadium. It will be the 36th meeting between the two schools and 12th trip to Tuscaloosa for the Gators and the first since 2005. UF is 4-0 on the season and 2-0 in the SEC after a 48-14 win over Kentucky last Saturday. The game will be televised on CBS with Verne Lundquist calling the action, Gary Danielson as the color analyst and Tracy Wolfson reporting from the sideline. Eli Gold and Phil Savage will handle the radio call on the Crimson Tide Sports Network with Barry Krauss on the sidelines.
HEAD COACH Nick Saban: Alabama head coach Nick Saban (Kent State, 1973) is in his fourth season with the Crimson Tide. He was named the school's 27th head coach on Jan. 3, 2007. Saban has compiled a 32-8 record (37-8 before five vacated wins in 2007) at Alabama while leading the Tide to two SEC Western Division championships, one conference title and one national championship. Saban holds a career record of 123-50-1 (128-50-1) as a collegiate head coach, while also serving at Toledo, Michigan State and LSU. Saban won his first national championship as head coach of the LSU Tigers in 2003, guiding the Tigers to a 13-1 record that season. Overall, Saban has coached four conference championship teams (1990 Mid-American, 2001 SEC, 2003 SEC and 2009 SEC) and 10 of his 13 teams have played in postseason bowl games with the Tide appearing in a bowl game each year under Saban's direction. Saban is also one of two coaches (Urban Meyer, Florida) to win two BCS National Championships and the first to accomplish the feat at two different schools.
RANKINGS: Alabama opened the 2010 season ranked first in the Associated Press and USA Today Coaches' preseason polls and have maintained that ranking through the first three polls of the season. The preseason No. 1 ranking was just the third such honor in school history (1966, 1978 & 2010). Florida enters this Saturday's contest ranked seventh in the Associated Press poll and USA Today Coaches rankings.
FLORIDA SERIES: Alabama and Florida will be meeting for the 36th time this Saturday with the Crimson Tide holding a 20-14 (21-14 without NCAA vacation in 2005) edge in the series. Alabama and Florida are meeting in the regular season for the first time since 2006 and for the first time in Tuscaloosa since 2005. However, the Crimson Tide and Gators have squared off in the past two SEC Championships Games with UF winning in 2008 en route to a national championship and Alabama returning the favor with a 32-13 victory last season in Atlanta before polishing off Texas in the BCS National Championship Game.
NEXT GAME: Alabama plays its third road game in four weeks with a visit to the No. 19/22 South Carolina Gamecocks on Saturday, Oct. 9. It will be the Crimson Tide's first visit to Williams-Brice Stadium since a 34-14 victory on Sept. 17, 2005, a game the Tide was later forced to vacate by the NCAA. Alabama boasts an 11-2 record (without the 2005 game) against South Carolina, including an actual record of 3-1 in Columbia. UA's only loss in Columbia was a 37-36 setback in 2001. Alabama defeated then-No. 22 USC 20-6 at Bryant-Denny Stadium last season behind a career-best 246 yards from 2009 Heisman Trophy winner Mark Ingram.
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 the Crimson Tide's success in the classroom. After playing the 2010 BCS National Championship Game with 21 players that already had their degrees, the 2010 Crimson Tide begins the season with four players that already have degrees in hand, including Earl Alexander (financial planning), Greg McElroy (business marketing), Brian Motley (general studies) and David Ross (consumer affairs). Over the past three seasons (2008-10) the Crimson Tide has seen 31 players compete for the Crimson Tide after having already graduated.
STADIUM RENOVATION: The latest expansion project for Bryant-Denny Stadium raised seating capacity to 101,821, making it one of the five largest on-campus football stadiums in the nation. The expansion is the fourth expansion of the stadium since 1988 and the seventh expansion in the stadium's history. It consists of roughly 9,600 additional seats, 1,700 South Zone Club seats, two corner video boards, an upper concourse with concessions and restrooms, 36 skyboxes, the Crimson Tide Foundation offices, a Donor Hall of Recognition and an outdoor market featuring Zoe's Kitchen, Yogart Lab and a new university admissions office welcome center. UA's season-opening crowd of 101,821 set a new record for the school and was the most to ever watch a football game in the state of Alabama.
BEATING THE BEST: Alabama is 11-2 against the Associated Press Top 25 over the past three seasons and 6-2 against AP top-five teams. UA has now reeled off eight straight wins against top-25 teams. The Crimson Tide's 24-20 win at No. 10 Arkansas was the Tide's seventh win over a top-10 team dating back to the start of the 2008 season. Alabama is 2-0 against the AP Top 25 this season.
STREAKING AT BRYANT-DENNY: Alabama has won 16 consecutive games at Bryant-Denny Stadium dating back to the home opener against Tulane in 2008. It is tied for the fourth-longest streak in school history at Bryant-Denny Stadium and is just two shy of the third-place streak. The longest winning streak at Bryant-Denny Stadium is 57 games from Oct. 26, 1963, to Nov. 13, 1982. During the current streak, the Crimson Tide is 8-0 against SEC competition and 3-0 against top-25 teams.
28 STRAIGHT REGULAR-SEASON WINS FOR TIDE: With the win over Arkansas, Alabama has reeled off 28 consecutive regular-season victories. The win streak dates back to the 2008 season opener against Clemson. UA's last regular-season loss came at Auburn on Nov. 24, 2007. During that stretch, the Crimson Tide boasts a 30-2 overall record with its only losses coming to Florida in the 2008 SEC Championship Game and Utah in the 2009 Allstate Sugar Bowl. The Tide is also a perfect 17-0 in SEC play over the last two-plus years, becoming just the second team (Florida - 1995 & 1996) in conference history to post back-to-back undefeated 8-0 records since the league split into a divisional format in 1992.
NO. 1 ROLLS ON: With the Crimson Tide's 24-3 win over then-No. 18/14 Penn State, in the last 15 years the Associated Press's No. 1-ranked team is 27-0 on its home field against a ranked opponent. That streak dates back to a 36-33 Auburn win at No. 1 Florida in 1994.
TOUGH SLATE: Alabama once again has one of the most difficult schedules in the nation with five games against teams ranked in the USA Today Coaches' Poll Preseason Top 25. The Tide beat then-No. 18/14 Penn State on Sept. 11 and then-No. 10/11 Arkansas on Sept. 25. Alabama welcomes No. 7/7 Florida to Tuscaloosa this Saturday and then travels to No. 19/22 South Carolina on Oct. 9.
START FAST, FINISH STRONG: One of Alabama's foci each week is to get off to a fast start and then win the fourth quarter. The Crimson Tide's "Start Fast, Finish Strong" motto is evident in 2010 with a 56-16 edge in the first quarter and a 31-3 advantage in the fourth quarter. UA has also had a distinct edge in the second half, outscoring opponents by a margin of 58-6 in four games. A season ago, Alabama outscored its opponents 121-32 in the fourth quarter, a margin of 89 points. That number grew to 201-77 in the third and fourth quarters for a margin of 124 points.
ALABAMA TIED FOR MOST WINS SINCE 2008: Alabama has won 30 games dating back to the start of the 2008 season, which is tied for the most in the Football Bowl Subdivision. The Crimson Tide won 12 games in 2008, followed that with a perfect 14-0 record in 2009 and is off to a 4-0 start in 2010 after a win at Arkansas. Alabama is joined by Florida with 30 wins over the past two-plus years with Boise State one game back with 29 wins.
DOUBLE-DIGIT DEFICIT: Alabama's 13-point deficit in the third quarter at Arkansas on Sept. 25 was the second-largest deficit overcome by Alabama under head coach Nick Saban. When Arkansas led 17-7, at halftime, it marked the first time Alabama has trailed by at least 10 points at intermission since Utah led the Crimson Tide by 11 points, 21-10, at halftime of the 2009 Sugar Bowl in New Orleans on Jan. 2, 2009, in an eventual 31-17 loss by the Tide to the Utes. The Tide trailed Arkansas by 13 points (7-20) in the third quarter before going on a 17-0 run to end the game. Below is a summary of the largest deficits faced by Alabama since head coach Nick Saban took over the program in 2007.
SABAN AMONG THE BEST: Head coach Nick Saban's arrival in Tuscaloosa led to the Crimson Tide's rapid rise up the national rankings. That success in such a short period of time has 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 now has won 17 straight games with the Tide. Saban is one of two coaches (Bob Stoops, Oklahoma) in the Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) to have coached 10 years and never suffered through a losing season. Saban achieved more firsts in 2009 with back-to-back 10-win seasons and his first undefeated campaign. He ranks fourth in winning percentage (70.8 percent) among active coaches who have coached at least 10 years of FBS football. Saban is also one of two coaches (Urban Meyer, Florida) to win two BCS National Championships and the first to accomplish the feat at two different schools.
2010 OFFENSE PUTTING UP NUMBERS: Alabama returned eight starters from the 2009 offense that put together one of best seasons in school history. The Crimson Tide set a school-record with 5,642 yards of total offense, including 3,011 rushing yards (11th in school history) and 2,631 passing yards (5th in school history). The Tide also scored the second-most points in the 115-year history of the program with 448 (32.1 points per game).
However, the 2010 Crimson Tide offense is off to an even better start. Alabama is averaging 511.75 yards of total offense per game to rank sixth nationally and first in the SEC. The rushing offense is ranked 13th at 244.75 yards per game (2nd in the SEC) while the passing offense is 28th at 267.00 yards per game (also 2nd in the SEC). The Crimson Tide is scoring 39.5 points per game to lead the conference and rank 15th nationally.
RETURNING HEISMAN WINNER: Alabama running back Mark Ingram returned for his junior season after capturing the school's first Heisman Trophy on the 75th anniversary of the award in 2009. He missed the Crimson Tide's opening two games after undergoing arthroscopic knee surgery on Tuesday, Aug. 31, just prior to UA's season opener but returned Sept. 18 at Duke. Ingram rushed for 1,658 yards and 20 total touchdowns in 2009 to become the first Heisman Trophy winning running back to also help his team win the national championship in the same season since Tony Dorsett in 1976. Ingram is also one of just six players to win the Heisman Trophy and a national championship in the same season since 1950. He is also the first Heisman Trophy winning running back to return the following season since Oklahoma's Billy Sims returned for his senior year in 1979. Sims won the 1978 Heisman Trophy, but finished second to Charles White of Southern California in 1979.
INGRAM OFF TO A HOT START: Mark Ingram, the 2009 Heisman Trophy winner, became the first Bowl Championship Subdivision player to rush for 150 yards on less than 10 carries in the last five years. Ingram, in his first action of the 2010 season, ran for 151 yards on just nine carries and scored two touchdowns. The 16.8 yards per carry was a career high and among the top-10 performances in school history. Ingram actually cracked the 100-yard barrier in the first quarter, on just his third carry after runs of 48, 3 and 50 yards. He went into halftime with 148 yards on seven carries for an average of 21.1 yards per carry.
HEISMAN WINNER VS. THE TOP 25: Mark Ingram has been known to step up his play against top-25 competition during his career at the Capstone. The junior from Flint, Mich., averaged 188.8 rushing and receiving yards vs. the top 25 last season, including 156.8 rushing yards in those games and nine touchdowns. He also had 31 runs of 10 yards or more against ranked foes in 2009. In 2010, Ingram ripped off 157 yards and two touchdowns on 24 carries in a 24-20 come-from-behind victory at No. 10 Arkansas on Sept. 25. Ingram's 54-yard first-quarter touchdown burst was one of the best runs you see using his vision, speed, cut-back ability, a couple of vicious stiff-arms and uncanny balanced as he tight-roped the sideline the final 7-8 yards with his momentum carrying him out of bounds.
INGRAM FIFTH ON CAREER RUSHING YARDS CHART: Junior running back Mark Ingram rushed for 157 yards on 24 carries against Arkansas, moving him up the Alabama career rushing yards chart into fifth place with 2,694 yards in his career. Shaun Alexander (1996-99) is the Tide's career rushing yards record holder with 3,565 yards. Ingram's two rushing touchdowns at Arkansas gives him 33 rushing touchdowns in his career at UA, which is tied for third in school history.
INGRAM OVER 100: Mark Ingram's 157 rushing yards against Arkansas gives him 12 100-yard rushing performances in his Alabama career, ranking him tied for third in Alabama history. Shaun Alexander (15 from 1996-99) and Bobby Humphrey (15 from 1985-88) hold the record.
INGRAM EXPLOSIVE: Junior running back Mark Ingram erased an early Arkansas lead with a 54-yard run for a touchdown with 6:21 left in the first quarter. That big play continued a trend of explosive runs in early action for Ingram in 2010 as it marked the Heisman winner's fifth rush of more than 20 yards in only his first dozen carries of the season. Last week at Duke, Ingram had carries of 50, 48 and 20 yards while gaining 151 yards on only nine attempts.
JONES MOVES UP CAREER RECEPTIONS LIST: Junior wide receiver Julio Jones caught five passes for 55 yards against Arkansas, moving him up to fourth on the Alabama career pass receptions list with 121 for 1,823 yards. Jones has caught 20 passes for 303 yards and two touchdowns in four games in 2010, averaging 15.1 yards per catch to give the Tide a lethal threat on the outside. His 5.0 receptions per game rank third in the SEC (50th nationally) while his 75.8 yards per game are fourth in the conference and 48th nationally.
McELROY EXTENDS STREAK: Greg McElroy has yet to lose a game as a starting quarterback at the University of Alabama. With the win over Arkansas, the Southlake, Texas, native has a perfect 18-0 mark over the last two seasons as a starter. In fact, dating back to his senior year at Southlake Carroll High School, McElroy has started 34 consecutive games and walked off the field as a winner each time. McElroy's last loss as a starting quarterback was in the eighth grade. McElroy's 18-0 start to his career is the second best in school history and he is currently the only Alabama quarterback to have never lost during his career as a starter (minimum 10 starts). It also ranks as the second-longest streak of consecutive wins by a starting quarterback in school history. Jay Barker owns both records, winning the first 22 games of his career from 1991-93.
McELROY'S SENIOR SEASON STARTING RIGHT: Senior quarterback Greg McElroy has gotten off to a great start in 2010, showing a commanding presence as both a leader and playmaker for the Crimson Tide. The Southlake, Texas, native has completed 70.9 percent of his passes for 899 yards and seven touchdowns and three interceptions while ranking seventh nationally in passing efficiency at 178.62.
INGRAM SHOWS HIS TOUGHNESS: Mark Ingram became well known for his bruising-running style and tackle-breaking second efforts last season. Ingram accounted for 1,075 rushing and receiving yards after contact en route to the Heisman Trophy. Through two games of the 2010 season, Ingram has accounted for 308 yards rushing and 27 yards receiving on two catches. Of his 335 total yards, 144 (43 percent) of those yards have come after contact. That style seems to have also become a trademark of Crimson Tide running backs with sophomore Trent Richardson and redshirt freshman Eddie Lacy showing the same skill set early this season. Richardson has accounted for 174 yards after contact of his 482 rushing and receiving yards in 2010 while Lacy has 82 yards after contact this year.
BALL SECURITY: Mark Ingram has developed an impressive reputation during his 30-game Alabama career as an expert at holding on to the football. The junior has only lost one fumble in 447 career rushing attempts, 41 career receptions and one kickoff return for a total of 489 career touches. He has only put the ball on the ground twice, the first of which at LSU in 2008 was recovered by the Tide and the second was a lost fumble vs. Tennessee in 2009. Ingram went 332 carries into his career before losing his first fumble. His backfield mate Trent Richardson has 227 career touches and has lost just one fumble as well (Mississippi, 2009). Combined the two Alabama running backs have touched the ball 716 times during their careers and lost just two fumbles, an average of just one lost fumble every 358 touches.
RICHARDSON JOINS 1,000-YARD CLUB: With 61 rushing yards against Duke, sophomore running back Trent Richardson became the 51st Crimson Tide player to rush for 1,000 career yards. Richardson now has 1,107 yards on 192 carries over the first 18 games of his Alabama career. Mark Ingram became the 50th player in school history to rush for 1,000 yards last season while Glen Coffee and Terry Grant both eclipsed 1,000 career rushing yards in 2008.
RICHARDSON RETURNS KICKOFF 91 YARDS FOR TOUCHDOWN: Sophomore Trent Richardson's 91-yard kickoff return for a touchdown on Sept. 18 at Duke did not make the Alabama all-time top-10 list for longest kickoff returns, but it does mark the first Crimson Tide kickoff return for a touchdown since a 100-yard return for a score by Tyrone Prothro on Oct. 10, 2004. Richardson leads the SEC and ranks fifth nationally in kickoff returns this season with a 35.25 ypr average. He also ranks fourth nationally in all-purpose yards 764 in four games for a 191.0 per game average. The Alabama school record for all-purpose yards is 2,016 by Bobby Humphrey in 1986, which averaged out to 168.0 yard per game.
A BALANCED ATTACK: Alabama returned to the nation's elite in 2008 with a punishing ground attack that wore down defenses and took shots down the field. In 2009, the Tide brought more balance to the table on offense. UA still had an outstanding ground game and an aerial attack to match with quarterback Greg McElroy. The Tide showed good balance in their offensive numbers, averaging 215.07 rushing yards and 187.93 yards passing per game.
In 2010 Alabama might just possess the best combination of explosiveness and balance in the country. The Crimson Tide has accounted for 2,047 yards of total offense (6th nationally at 511.75 ypg), including 1,068 yards in the air and 979 on the ground. The Tide has thrown 106 total passes (41.4 percent) - completing 73 (68.9 percent) - while running the ball 150 times (58.6 percent).
QUICK-STRIKE OFFENSE: Alabama has developed a quick-strike capability in 2010 with 14 scoring drives of less than three minutes and eight of less than 90 seconds. The Crimson Tide have also put together 11 scoring drives of five plays or less, including six drives of three plays or less.
EXPLOSIVE PLAYS: In first three games of the 2010 season, the Alabama offense has accounted for 46 plays of 15 yards or more, scoring 11 touchdowns within those 46 explosive plays. The Crimson Tide have made 31 passing plays of 15 yards or more with Julio Jones leading the way with nine 15-plus yard pass receptions. Trent Richardson also has nine explosive plays with five rushes of 15-plus yards and four receptions. Marquis Maze has five explosive receptions while Mark Ingram had six runs and one pass reception of 15 yards or more in two games, including runs of 54, 50, 48, 20, 19 and 17 yards and a 20-yard reception.
100-YARD RUSHERS AND RECEIVERS: Alabama has had 25 100-yard rushers and nine 100-yard receivers over the last three-plus seasons since Nick Saban arrived in Tuscaloosa. Junior running back Mark Ingram has recorded 12 100-yard rushing games during his career while Trent Richardson has three 100-yard rushing efforts and Eddie Lacy one. Junior Julio Jones, with five, is the only current player on the roster with a 100-yard receiving game. Under Saban, Alabama has gone 24-1 in those 25 games. The Duke game on Sept. 18, 2010, marked the fifth time under Saban that Alabama has had a 100-yard rusher and receiver in the same game.
MILESTONES - POINTS, VICTORY MARGIN & TOTAL YARDS: Alabama's 62 points scored vs. Duke is the most in a game since a 62-0 win over Tulane on Oct. 12, 1991, and the most in a road game since a 62-27 win over Mississippi on Oct. 7, 1989. The 49-point margin of victory is the largest for Alabama since a 52-0 win over Western Carolina on Sept. 18, 2004. Alabama amassed 626 yards of total offense (315 rushing, 311 passing) against Duke, the most since gaining 644 against LSU in Baton Rouge on Nov. 11, 1989 (257 rushing, 387 passing). The 45 points scored in the first half by Alabama was the most scored by the Crimson Tide in any half since Sept. 15, 1973, when Alabama scored 45 points in the second half of a 66-0 victory over California at Legion Field in Birmingham, Ala.
SCORING DEFENSE: The Alabama defense replaced nine starters from its 2009 national championship-winning defense that finished second nationally in all major defensive categories. The process, although still far from complete, has been a success to this point. The Crimson Tide leads the nation in scoring defense, surrendering just 9.75 points per game or 39 total points in four games. The secondary, which was forced to replace three of four starters and six of its top seven players, has also fared well in the national rankings with the No. 5 pass efficiency defense (92.35) even after Arkansas' Rayn Mallett threw for 357 yards. The rush defense has not put up the numbers of the past two seasons, but still is just allowing 106.5 yards per game to rank tied for 27th nationally. The Tide's total defense is 24th nationally at 295.25 yards per game, which ranks second in the SEC.
GROUND DEFENSE: The Crimson Tide has not allowed a 100-yard rusher in an astonishing 38 games, dating back to Oct. 13, 2007, when Mississippi's BenJarvus Green-Ellis went for 131 yards. That is the longest streak in the nation, 11 games more than second-place Ohio State (27 games). Alabama was one of three teams not to allow a 100-yard rusher in 2009 and is the only team not to surrender a 100-yard rusher in 2008, 2009 or 2010. Over the last three seasons, the Crimson Tide held 26 opponents to under 100-yards rushing.
FORCING TURNOVERS: Alabama's ability to produce turnovers in recent years has fueled the Crimson Tide's success. The Crimson Tide is off to a decent start in 2010 with nine turnovers and six giveaways in the first four games. UA has intercepted eight passes and recovered on fumble for a +0.75 turnover margin that ranks tied for 26th nationally. Alabama has forced 89 turnovers in 45 games under head coach Nick Saban (an average of 1.98 per game) while forcing 40 turnovers over the last 18 games (2.22 per game). The Tide finished the 2009 season ranked fourth nationally in turnover margin at plus-19 (1.36 per game). The UA offense only turned the ball over 12 times (five interceptions, seven fumbles) in 2009. Alabama forced 24 turnovers in 2007 for a plus-four turnover ratio and then recorded 25 turnovers and ended the season with a plus-six turnover margin in 2008. Alabama has recorded at least one turnover in 40 of 45 games under Saban. UA is 34-6 under Saban when gaining at least one turnover. Alabama is 3-2 in games without a turnover over the last three seasons.
DEFENSE TOUGH ON THIRD DOWN: Third down defense has been crucial for Alabama over the past three seasons. The Crimson Tide is strong once again in 2010, allowing just 15 third down conversions in 56 attempts (26.79 percent) to rank 15th nationally. UA allowed just two third-down conversions in 10 attempts at Arkansas. The Crimson Tide defense was strong on third down in 2009, ranking sixth nationally and allowing a 29.90 conversion rate (58 for 194). The Crimson Tide finished third nationally in third down conversion defense in 2008, holding opponents to a 28.14 percent (56 of 199) conversion rate.
LESTER LEADS SEC IN INTERCEPTIONS: Sophomore safety Robert Lester made two huge interceptions against Arkansas that helped the Crimson Tide complete the comeback win in Fayetteville and preserve their undefeated season. The native of Foley, Ala., now has four interceptions this season to lead the SEC and rank tied for second nationally at 1.00 per game. As a team, Alabama is second in the SEC with eight interceptions while this week's opponent, the Florida Gators, are first with 12 picks in 2010.
POINTS HARD TO COME BY AGAINST TIDE: Alabama has surrendered only three touchdowns in 2010 and a total of 39 points in 16 quarters this season (four games). The Tide allowed a field goal to both San Jose State in the opener and to Penn State on Sept. 11 before giving up 13 points (all in the second quarter) at Duke and surrendering 20 points at Arkansas (the Razorbacks were averaging over 35 points per game enter the contest). The Crimson Tide leads the nation in scoring defense at 9.75 points per game in 2010 after finishing second in scoring defense last season at 11.7 points per game. Over the last 32 games (start of the 2008 season), UA has allowed just 403 points or 12.59 points per game.
HIGHTOWER RETURNS: Sophomore linebacker Dont'a Hightower returns for his third season at the Capstone as the man in the middle of Alabama's complex defensive scheme. Hightower received a medical redshirt for the 2009 season after suffering a torn ACL in the fourth game of the season against Arkansas. An amazingly quick recovery returned him to the practice field with full contact during spring drills. Hightower, who played will linebacker during his first two years at UA, has moved over to fill the mike linebacker role left by the departed Buktus Award winner Rolando McClain, who was the eighth overall pick of the 2010 NFL Draft. Hightower should also see time with his hand in the dirt on passing downs to take advantage of his pass-rushing skills. The Lewisburg, Tenn., native has 100 career tackles with 6.5 tackles for loss and nine quarterback hurries. Hightower has a team-high 16 tackles, a pass breakup and one quarterback hurry in 2010.
BARRON MAKING PRESENCE KNOWN: Safety Mark Barron is one of the most prominent safeties in the nation. The Mobile, Ala., native was a first-team All-SEC player a year ago, leading the league with seven interceptions while garnering third-team All-America honors. He registered 76 tackles to rank second on the Alabama defense in 2009. Barron led the SEC - along with teammate Marquis Johnson - in passes defended with 18 (11 PBU, 7 INT) and ranked tied for sixth nationally with 1.29 passes defended per game.
In 2010, Barron is off to a strong start as the leader of the Crimson Tide secondary. He is tied for the team lead with 20 tackles while recording one interception, one sack (-7), one forced fumble, one quarterback hurry and two pass breakups.
ALABAMA-FLORIDA SERIES: Alabama holds a 20-14 (21-14 without NCAA rulings) series lead over Florida in a series that dates back in the Alabama record books to the 1916 season. The Crimson Tide and Gators will be meeting for the 36th time in the 2009 SEC Championship Game. Alabama and Florida are meeting in the regular season for the first time since 2006 and for the first time in Tuscaloosa since 2005. However, the Crimson Tide and Gators have squared off in the past two SEC Championships Games with UF winning in 2008 en route to a national championship and Alabama returning the favor with a 32-13 victory last season in Atlanta before polishing off Texas in the BCS National Championship Game. Alabama has earned SEC Championships with wins over Florida in 1992, 1999 and 2009. Florida beat Alabama in 1993, 1994, 1996 and 2008 for the SEC Championship. The last regular-season meeting between the Tide and Gators was in the 2006 season when Florida posted a 28-13 win at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium in Gainesville.
SERIES RECORDS BY SITES: Alabama and Florida have met at six different sites since the first meeting in 1916. The Crimson Tide owns a 10-2 lead in games played in the state of Florida, including an 8-2 mark in Gainesville. Florida's only wins against Alabama in Gainesville came in 1991 (35-0) and 2006 (28-13). Alabama and Florida have played 18 times in the state of Alabama, with the series tied at 9-9 lead. The series is also knotted at 5-5 in Tuscaloosa. UF won three of the five meetings played at Legion Field in Birmingham. Alabama won two of the three games contested in Montgomery. Florida has won three of the five SEC Championship games played in Atlanta.
UA PLAYERS FROM SUNSHINE STATE: The 2010 Alabama roster contains four players from the state of Florida. The list includes Trent Richardson (Pensacola), Petey Smith (Tampa), Ed Stinson (Homestead), and Nick Williams (Fort Lauderdale).
SABAN VERSUS FLORIDA: Alabama head coach Nick Saban has a 3-4 record in his career against Florida, with five of the seven meetings coming while he was the head coach at LSU. Saban is 1-1 vs. Florida during his stint in Tuscaloosa. He compiled a 2-1 record against the Gators in Gainesville and a 0-2 record in Baton Rouge.
RETURNING SUCCESS: Much of the talk in the preseason was about Alabama`s high-powered offense, and the offensive side of the football is where the Crimson Tide returns the biggest portion of its players from last year's BCS National Championship team. UA features 10 total returning starters and 39 lettermen this season, but eight of those returning starters are on the offensive side of the football with two on defense. The offense returns 84 percent of the rushing yards from last season (2,526 of 3,011). Greg McElroy, who took 94 percent of the snaps at quarterback last season, returns with five of his top six receivers from 2009 (Jones, Ingram, Maze, Hanks and Richardson).
TIDE PLAYERS EARN EARLY ACCOLADES: Ten Alabama players were named to 15 different preseason awards watch lists prior to the 2010 season. The players were recognized before the start of the 2010 season as potentially the top players at their position nationally.
Mark Barron, Marcell Dareus, Dont'a Hightower and Greg McElroy appeared on four watch lists. Barron, Dareus and Hightower were on the watch list for the Chuck Bednarik Award (best defensive player), as well as the Bronko Nagurski Award (defensive player of the year). McElroy was named to every major quarterback award watch list announced, including the Manning Award (top quarterback), Davey O'Brien Award (top quarterback) and the Unitas Golden Arm Award (top senior quarterback). McElroy was also named to the Maxwell Award (most outstanding player) watch list.
Crimson Tide offensive stars Mark Ingram and Julio Jones were prominent in watch lists as well. Jones appeared on the lists for the Biletnikoff Award (best receiver) and the Maxwell Award, while Ingram appeared on watch lists for the Walter Camp Award (player of the year), the Maxwell Award and the Doak Walker Award (best running back). Last year as a sophomore, Ingram ran for a school single season record 1,658 yards in route to winning the school's first ever Heisman Trophy.
TWO TIDE PLAYERS NAMED PLAYBOY ALL-AMERICANS: Alabama landed two players on the 2010 Playboy Magazine annual preseason College Football All-America Team. Mark Ingram was selected as a running back and Julio Jones was picked at wide receiver. Alabama has now had six Playboy All-Americans in the last three years after Andre Smith was chosen in 2008 and Rolando McClain and Javier Arenas were selected in 2009. This is Julio Jones' second straight year on the Playboy All-America team.
PRESEASON ALL-AMERICANS: The Crimson Tide had six players earn preseason All-America accolades from various publications prior to the 2010 campaign. The list includes Mark Barron, Marcell Dareus, Dont'a Hightower, Mark Ingram, Barrett Jones and Julio Jones. Both Ingram and Julio Jones were selected to the Playboy Preseason All-America Team.
McELROY WINS ANSON MOUNT: Senior quarterback Greg McElroy was selected as the winner of the Anson Mount Student-Athlete Award by Playboy when the publication named its preseason All-America team. Playboy will send a check for $5,000 to the University of Alabama's general scholarship fund in McElroy's name.
COACHING STAFF PLAYERS OF THE WEEK: The Alabama coaching staff recognized eight players of the week following a 24-20 win at Arkansas. Right guard Barrett Jones, running back Mark Ingram and tight end Preston Dial were selected on offense while Robert Lester and Mark Barron garnered defensive accolades. Trent Richardson, Jeremy Shelley and Julio Jones were the special teams player of the week.
Jones led a devastating effort by the Crimson Tide offensive line that cleared the way for 421 total yards, including 227 yards on the ground. Ingram led the ground attack with 157-tough yards on 24 carries and two touchdowns. Dial not only did an outstanding job blocking in the Tide running game, but he caught two passes for 18 yards.
The defensive secondary picked off Heisman candidate Ryan Mallett three times with Lester picking off two passes. He intercepted Mallett in the end zone in the first half and then picked him off at midfield late in the fourth quarter to set up the go-ahead score. Barron was second on the team in tackles with eight while recording his first sack of the season and breaking up a pass.
On special teams, Richardson returned four kickoffs for 117 yards with a long of 39. Shelley hit his only field goal try of the game from 36 yards and was 3 for 3 on extra points. Jones returned one punt and was excellent as the gunner in punt coverage.
Trent Richardson and Julio Jones lead the way through four games with four player of the week awards.
SEC PLAYERS OF THE WEEK: Trent Richardson's 144-yard effort in Alabama's 24-3 win over No. 18/14 Penn State earned him SEC Co-Offensive Player of the Week honors in week two. Robert Lester was then selected as the SEC Defensive Player of the Week at No. 10/11 Arkansas when he made seven tackles and intercepted Hogs quarterback Ryan Mallett twice.
24 NATIONAL TV GAMES IN LAST 32 GAMES: The Florida game will be broadcast on CBS and will be the Crimson Tide's 24th nationally televised game since the start of the 2008 season. In 2010, Alabama has had one game CBS, one game on ESPN and one on ABC. In 2009, UA played two games on ABC, including the BCS National Championship Game, and six games on CBS while ESPN broadcast two more Crimson Tide games. 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.
ALABAMA 32-1 UNDER SABAN WHEN LEADING AT THE HALF: With the win over Duke, the Crimson Tide is 32-1 when leading at halftime under head coach Nick Saban, including a 25-game winning streak. The only loss came against LSU in 2007 when UA held a 20-17 halftime lead before losing, 41-34, on Nov. 3, 2007, at Bryant-Denny Stadium. The Crimson Tide is 2-5 under Saban when trailing at halftime and 2-2 when tied at halftime. The two wins when trailing at the half came in a 34-24 win over No. 7 Virginia Tech on Sept. 5 in Atlanta and a 24-15 victory over No. 9 LSU on Nov. 7. Alabama's two wins when tied at halftime came at LSU (Nov. 8, 2008) with a 27-21 victory and at Auburn with a 26-21 win on Nov. 27, 2009.
ALABAMA'S TV?RECORD: Alabama has compiled a 174-122-4 (.587) all-time record in 300 televised games. This does not include pay-per-view, tape-delayed or closed circuit telecasts.
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.
NEW HIRES: The Alabama football staff features a new face in 2010 with the promotion of Jeremy Pruitt to assistant coach of the secondary. Pruitt joined the Alabama staff as Director of Player Development in 2007 after a successful stint as an assistant coach at Alabama high school powerhouse, Hoover. At Hoover, he served for three seasons as defensive backs coach with the final two as the defensive coordinator. He tutored a defense that helped the Bucs reach the Class 6A State Championship in 2004, 2005 and 2006, winning titles in 2004 and 2005. Pruitt served as an assistant coach under his father, Dale Pruitt, at Fort Payne High School from 2001-03.
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 coaches 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.
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 $1.5 million - including over $450,000 this year - for "Nick's Kids" and made a total of more than 140 donations to children's charities throughout the state of Alabama.
NFL DRAFT: The Crimson Tide saw seven players selected in the 2010 NFL Draft, including first-round picks Rolando McClain (eighth overall to the Oakland Raiders) and Kareem Jackson (20th overall to the Houston Texans). Alabama also had two more second-round picks in cornerback Javier Arenas (Kansas City Chiefs) and nose guard Terrence Cody (Baltimore Ravens). Offensive guard Mike Johnson went in the third round to the Atlanta Falcons while cornerback Marquis Johnson (St. Louis Rams) and Brandon Deaderick (New England Patriots) were taken in the seventh round. The Tide had eight more players sign free agent contracts, including Colin Peek (Atlanta), Eryk Anders (Cleveland), Lorenzo Washington (Dallas), Justin Woodall (Chicago), Cory Reamer (New York Jets), Leigh Tiffin (Cleveland) and P.J. Fitzgerald (New Orleans).
CRIMSON TIDE PLAYERS ON NFL ROSTERS: The Alabama football program was well represented in the NFL during the 2010 season with former players and coaches dotting league rosters. The Tide has 39 former players and coaches working in the NFL this season. Roman Harper is the only Alabama player on the defending Super Bowl Champion New Orleans Saints. The Crimson Tide has 28 current NFL players. 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).
FRESHMAN ACADEMICS: Alabama's 2009 freshman class did more than just excel on the football field, the Crimson Tide placed 12 rookies on the 2010 SEC Freshman Academic Honor Roll, by far the highest total in the SEC -- double the second-place team. Mississippi State was second with six while Mississippi had five and Kentucky had four. The Crimson Tide's 12 honorees equaled the total number of Arkansas (3), Tennessee (3), Florida (2), Georgia (2), Auburn (1), Vanderbilt (1) and LSU (0) combined. Alabama freshmen that made the list include: Kenny Bell, Chris Bonds, D.J. Fluker, Nico Johnson, Kendall Kelly, Eddie Lacy, A.J. McCarron, William Ming, Kevin Norwood, Trent Richardson, Chance Warmack and Kellen Williams.



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RBR tailgating: marinated pork

Large_hankwilliams_tinyby Todd on September 24, 2010 8: 00 AM CDT

  Since week of Arkansas, you know that we we must do something with pork.  After discussing various creations bacon wrapped, I decided to go with Ol pork chops ' good instead and post this marinade that intend to use.  Paul barbecue Championship book comes Kirk sauces.  Picked up a few years ago, and you will really find has not seen for many sauces in it (are not bad, but none of them were good that I regularly put effort in making them when there are a lot of boughts shop which I like as well as mind blowingly).It has a wide selection of quality Marinades and rubs dry, however, so if your order thing and accessing ella.De anyway, here is your recipe for a pig to marinade, disclosure full, has not tested yet, but given that this is as good a chance as anyone.

butter 1/2 cup (1 stick)
Onion chopped 1/2 cup
1/2 cup of Worcestershire sauce
vinegar 1/4 cup white (optional: use red wine vinegar to the mellow acidity)
1 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 teaspoon salt
drying of 1/2 teaspoon thyme
1/4 teaspoon dried Marjoram

Melt the butter in a reactive saucepan heat medio.Agregue onions and sauté until they are suaves.Agregar the rest of the ingredients and simmer for 15 minutes, stirring ocasionalmente.Deje that the marinade to cool temperature environment by usar.Macerar pork for 4 to 6 hours.

Read more: Alabama Crimson Tide

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Continuous tide with its preparedness for first Road Game of the season

15 September 2010

TUSCALOOSA, wing.Alabama football team practiced for two hours in full pads on Wednesday afternoon in the practice of Thomas-Drew in anticipation of the first game of the year on Saturday against the Duke in Durham, North Carolina road Center

Head coach Nick Saban PC this week's focus is still on improving and playing with more consistency as the Crimson Tide approaches to game sec.

"" What we have been trying to point out is if you are going to be a program operating in high that there are certain things you need to do and create rights habits in order to be consistent as a player", Saban said after practice Wednesday.""This is what will give you an advantage when competing in the game."

Alabama held end of practice Thursday week of leave for Durham on Friday.KickOff for Saturday's game is set to 2: 30 PM (CDT) and will be televised on ABC.

As part of Alabama fans, welcome to the zone, the Durham Bulls have extended an invitation to all fans of tide to join part of Crimson Tide gate at the Durham Bulls Athletic park on Friday night when the Bulls take on the Columbus Clippers League International series.

Enjoy the game with the rest of the Crimson Tide fans with a buffet breakfast buffet and the ticket to the Bulls Games for only $ 20.Hot dogs, burgers, fried chicken, baked beans, Macaroni and cheese, salad potatoes and Pepsi products are included and you can eat both as you like while rooting of the Bulls Durham.El party starts at 6 p.m. (ET), and the game begins at 7: 05 pm

To book tickets by phone, call the Office of Durham Bulls tickets in 956.(919) BULL between 9: 00 a.m. and 5 p.m. Monday at the viernes.Para ordering online, please click aquí.Introduzca "Tide" special offer code and click "Send".Select"Crimson Tide gate" from "Ticket type" drop-down menu and the number of entries that you would like reservar.siga instructions to reserve your tickets and check out.




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Jumbo Pack: 09-23-10

Large_hankwilliams_tinyby Todd on September 23, 2010 8: 37 AM CDT

Best Alabama in the red zone - Blog information of statistics & - ESPN

Good news everyone!

McElroy and Alabama has turned the page on the struggles of the red zone of the previous season and are that much better so far this temporada.La tide have 10 touchdowns for red zone in 2010 15 trips, good for a TD 66.7% conversion rate and tied for the 35th in the país.junto tastes of Boise State, Nebraska, and Utah is a most waited for this crime with talent.

Secondary keys to Alabama for Arkansas Ryan Mallett | al.com

Emphasis mine, but the child has a point:

When Julio Jones blows by one of his teammates for a great capture in practice, immediately goes back and tries to promote the defensive back with his words.


"Tell him, ' Let's!'"You have to stop me about this book or that work, ' "Said Jones."We need to compete and try to get better as a unit."If you leave of me, may stop nadie.Intentamos do at each position."

Premium on blocking, fight techniques takes tide at top (with video) | al.com

"Really can't be a team without good fundamentals," junior middle linebacker Dont ' Hightower, said."Pure Athletics can get beaten.""There have been times in games where one of the guys may be pass rush the wrong way or take the wrong angle or do things you should do, and type of costs us to veces.Volviendo, young boys learn from mistakes as este.Es expect kids to emphasize fundamentals rather than pure athletics."

After 3 years of waiting, Gentry is in action | TideSports.com

"" He is one of the defensive linemen who really gets the defensive scheme, and what we are trying to do,"said Hightower."You may set the front of this form of stop - or change it.There have been occasions in a game where he has really helped me to call the front.Playing Duke, things happen so fast that it is one of the guys who helped me to.It is ideal for running."You do not think because he is not as big as Chapman or Kerry Murphy, but he is an excellent stop execution."

New incoming OL tide curious about the intensity of the SEC | montgomeryadvertiser.com

Warmack said that he and Fluker were curious and searching out some veterans for answers."" We are told is faster, so we have to know that we must do more, "said Warmack."At the same time, you do not want to be too anxious to be quiet, but not too quiet.

Arkansas, QB Ryan Mallett ready to deal with Alabama - usatoday.com

We call "the little boy" would be deemed material Bulletin Board?

«In all my years of training, probably had 20 devotionals be the story of David and Goliath, "says Petrine. «»«Our team told him the other day, 'We' not re David already.»"I'm tired of hear the story, because it basically says that you are not as good as these guys, there is this guy little who threw a rock to defeat Goliat.Así said the team," Let ' s be Goliath and defeated the Devils boy shortly. ""

SEC QBs: A cadre of quality signal callers - College football - NBC Sports

Greg McElroy has a national title in Alabama, Stephen Garcia has South Carolina to its best start in three years, and Ryan Mallett of Arkansas can be best passer of the country.

For a known by punishing defenses and dominant soil games League, the Southeastern Conference has a group of quarterbacks get things done on the air.
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and etc.

Simpson: Arkansas Alabama should be a barnburner - CFB news - FOX Sports on MSN

Arkansas TE D.J. Williams describes Ryan Mallet in Georgia - game-winning drive usatoday.com

Saturday, Bobby Humphrey figures, WINS anyway | TideSports.com

Offensive line offers balance | The Crimson White

Hightower tide: pigs ' brought me ' in ' 09 | montgomeryadvertiser.com

September 2010 by Todd - 55 comments

September 2010 by Todd - 11 comments

Read more: Greg McElroy (QB - Alabama), Julio Jones (WR - Alabama), Alabama Crimson Tide

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Wednesday, September 29, 2010

Sunday Rewind: A Look Back at Alabama Over Duke Win

19 September 2010

TUSCALOOSA, wing. Alabama running back Mark Ingram broke a 48 yard run on the first play from scrimmage and not.1 - ranked Crimson Tide never Miró back 62-13 against Duke victory on Saturday afternoon.

Saturday proved to be an amazing day for the offense of Crimson Tide, which scored 62 points for the first time since 1991 and accounted for more than 600 yards of total offense for the first time since 1989. 

Alabama scored touchdowns in his first four possessions on the way to the construction of a 45-13.después allow his first touchdown of the season in the second quarter, the defence of Crimson Tide remained strong halftime advantage by shutting the offense of Duke for the rest of the game.

By the cifra: Here is a look at some numbers victory Saturday over Duke.

 3 - In his first action of the season since undergoing Arthroscopic knee surgery on August 31, Ingram only need three attempts at yards rushing to the mark of 100 yards of eclipse.The winner of the Heisman Trophy took delivery in the first offensive tide 2009 play 48 yard to yard line 12 of the continuation duque.A took second adjustment the game of the ran three yards before Alabama scored a touchdown in a pass from nine yards of Greg McElroy Darío Hanks for a 7-0 with 13: 41 lead, left in the first quarter. Later in the quarter, Ingram ran 50 yards to line 27 yards at Duke for 102 yards on only three carries.

11 - For the 11th time in his career that Ingram ran for over 100 yards, ranking him fifth games 100 yards in the history of Alabama.Shaun Alexander (15 from 1996-99) and Bobby Humphrey (15 from 1985-88) maintained the record.

16.8 - Ingram ran for 151 yards in their attempts to nine yards of 16.8 average by fever, which ranks eighth unprecedented in the history of Alabama with a minimum of five attempts.

  19 -Alabama Defense has delivered only 19 points in the first three games against the State of San Jose (48-3), State of Pennsylvania (24-3) and Duke (62-13). It is the least amount of points you can open a season since 1979 Alabama defense awarded just nine points in their first three games against Georgia Tech (30-6), Baylor (45-0) and Vanderbilt (66-3) .the team 1979 gave only 67 points throughout the season, the next in a 25-18 on Auburn win.

 27 -With the victory over Duke, Alabama has recorded 27 consecutive wins during regular season.Streak of Victoria goes back to the opening of the season against Clemson. last loss of regular au season came in Auburn, November 24, 2007. During that stretch, Alabama holds a record 29-2 with their losses only reach Florida in 2008, SEC and Utah Championship game in the 2009 Sugar Bowl. 

31 - Two touchdowns by Ingram land against the Duke gave 31 touchdowns rushing his career in Alabama, ranking fourth it behind Bobby Humphrey (33 from 1985-88), Johnny Musso (34 from 1969-71) and Shaun Alexander (41 from 1996-99).

37 -The Crimson Tide has not allowed a corridor for 100 yards in 37 games, which dates back to October 13, 2007, when BenJarvus green-Ellis Mississippi was 131 yardas.Es longest streak in the nation, 11 games better than the second Ohio State (26 games).

 45 -The 45 points scored in the first half by Alabama were more annotated by the Crimson Tide in any way from the 15 September 1973, when the tide scored 45 points in the second half of a 66-0 victory over California in the field of the Legion in Birmingham, wing.

62 - 62 Points Alabama scored vs Duke were more a game from a win 62-0 over Tulane on October 12, 1991, and most road game since a victory of 62-27 on Mississippi on October 7, 1989.

91 -Sophomore Trent Richardson gave Alabama return a 42-6 lead in the second quarter in a kickoff for 91 yards for a touchdown.Return marked the first Crimson Tide kick return for a touchdown from 100 yards to a score by Tyrone Prothro return on October 9, 2004 against Kentucky.

106 - 106 Yards of Julio Jones ' receiving gave his fifth party 100 yards to the junior.Jones caught five passes in the day, including an 18-yard reception, the tenth career touchdown to give an Alabama with remaining 10: 34 14-0 lead in the first quarter.

 149 -Senior quarterback Greg McElroy threw an interception for the first time this season, and the first time in 149 attempts that dates back to the game LSU on November 7, 2009.El miscue occurred in the Duke left 6-yard line with 13: 49 in the second quarter.

626 -Alabama haunted 626 yards of total offense (315 yards rushing, passing 311) against the Blue Devils, most from winning 644 against LSU in Baton Rouge on November 11, 1989 (257 yards rushing, going from 387).

1,022-With 61 yards against Duke, Richardson became the player of Crimson Tide 51st rushed for 1,000 second yardas.El now has 1,022 yards on 184 carries over the first 17 games of his career in Alabama.

2,537-151 Yards rushing against Duke, Ingram moved to chart yards rushing yards of Alabama career in seventh place 2,537 yards in his carrera.Shaun Alexander (1996-99) is Alabama holder record yardo career 3,565 yards.

NEXT juego:Alabama opens SEC play Saturday, September 25 with a visit to Fayetteville, Ark., to take on the Crimson Tide Arkansas.The Razorbacks leads series 10-8 (13-7 without fault NCAA) after a 35-7 dominant victory over Razorbacks season pass Tuscaloosa.La tide has won three straight in the series, and four of the last five last concursos.El trip to Donald w. Reynolds Razorback Stadium in Alabama came in 2008 with an impressive win Alabama 49-14.The Crimson Tide is 5-4 against Arkansas on the road, including a 3-4 record in Razorback Stadium and a 2-0 at the stadium in Little Rock, Ark. War Memorial mark.




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Miltonf-788904_tiny by outsidethesidelines on Sep 21, 2010 9:00 AM CDT in Football

Consider this the week that could have been in the world of meltdown time. So many otherwise great meltdowns just didn't quite come to fruition. Virginia Tech rallied to beat East Carolina, Auburn held off Clemson in overtime, Oklahoma squeaked by Air Force, and Michigan survived a late scare from UMass. Both Tennessee and Notre Dame gave their new coaches mulligans for their losses in rivalry games. Heartache, I know.

Fortunately, Georgia did choke late to Arkansas to start off the season 0-2 in conference play, and Ole Miss somehow managed to get thumped by a team that most didn't even think could get three wins on the year. The reactions were largely as you would expect. Many who support the Dawgs wanted various coaching staff members burned at the stake, and while I obviously wasn't around the day they drove ol' Dixie down, the reaction from many Ole Miss fans is about like I would expect to hear circa April of 1865.

Even with the small sample size, we've got lots of great stuff this week. The topic list is all over the board, as usual. We've got more watermelons, the return of Ray Goff, Valiums, tampons, the Titanic, parole violations, turkey inseminators, and the obligatory pop-in from Jon Gruden. One guy even renounces his fandom. It's must-read material.

The usual language warning definitely applies this week. It may even be NSFW. Consider yourselves warned. Enjoy below the jump:

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Richt would rather take his "boys" swimming and watermelon eating than win a fucking football game. Thank you senior tan.

Ray Goff is back roaming the sidelines. This coaching staff and S&C program are clueless. fucking fire them all.

you know whats really sad, our best reciever....is a white dude

Season's over. Basketball season coming soon.

don't worry. st. mark I the pious will have everything figured out by the papa johns bowl

Maybe we could bring in Sandra Bullock to talk to our offensive line like she did in that movie. You know, explain it to them.

We are turning into Florida State

WE ARE THE NEW SOUTH CAROLINA......  gonna be better next year,, next year is our year,,  we win it all next year..

Can't wait to go to StarkVegas next weekend. Get to see two of the crappiest teams in the SEC.

It used to mean something to beat Georgia. Not anymore. Only the techies really care about beating us.

It's not just that teams aren't intimidated at all by us... But they apparently DROOL to get on the field to play us.

It's mid-September and the season is already over. Fuck, that was quick.

No two ways about it, we have the worst coaching staff in the country.

Wasn't Murray's faught he didn't have a reciever closer than 15 god damn mother fuckin yards! Oh, yeah, CMR and Blow Blow are gone for sure! fuckin panzie ass bible blowers!

HIRE JOHN GRUDEN TODAY!!!

FIRE RICHT! I DON'T CARE HOW YOU DO IT... JUST GET HIM THE FUCK OUT OF ATHENS!

Piece of shit comment from BoBo. Sounding like Spurrier; it's always the player,not the coach

I for 1 will not buy a fucking ticket send a dollar hat shirt or even a fucking key chain as long as that douchebag is at the helm of the football team

At last yall realize that being FSU North is not cool. That Valium Boy is not an offensive genius and developer of quarterbacks. That recruiting tweeners and "athletes" doesn't open holes or make tackles. That making projects out of thugs doesn't beat SEC teams.

If Richt allows Bobo to walk out on the practice field to even coach the quarterbacks and or lets him see the sidelines or coaches box during a game ever again, RICHT SHOULD BE FIRED FOR INSUBORDINATION TO THE UNIVERSITY OF GEORGIA AND ITS FANS!!!

I'm out of fucking Titanic puns but you get the idea

I'd rather have a losing season than a mediocre one. A mediocre one gets that douche face another year.

That's it, I'm done for this season. I have an ass load on my plate right now between my job, grad school, and the regular shit of day to day life to waste my time with this shit. 

We'll probably lose to Vandy.

O222703_medium

Worst Ole Miss game I've seen in two weeks.

BREAKING NEWS Ole Miss names new mascot: The "Fighting Tampon" – good for only one period and has no second string.

My approach for the remainder of the year is to not give a flying fuck. I’ll be in the Grove. I’ll go to the stadium. I’ll cheer. But, I don’t give a fuck and refuse to let this piss me off anymore. It’s fucking pointless.

missed opportunity for TULANE.. bigtime

VA Tech would beat Nutt

And, now that this shitstorm is over, it’s time for operation "dodge phone calls and text messages from Friday night’s/Saturday morning’s huge fucking mistake.

No, I do not want to go to a late lunch and watch "Eat, Pray Love" at the goddamn matinee.

Never thought I'd say this but we just got our asses handed to us by a turkey fucker.

Houston Nutt has brought this program down to a new all time low. Not even Ed Orgeron lost to Vandy at home and to an FCS team. 

I'm just glad we don't play Maine.

This jackweed was a EFFING REAL ESTATE SALESMAN IN OKLAHOMA FOR THE LAST TWO YEARS. Please tell me how that qualifies ANYONE to run an SEC OFFENSE!!!!!!

This is a crisis. I wish I could fly the flag upside down to show panic, but we cant even do that........

Sitting home in December is the least of our problems. This team may not win a SEC game

Egg Bowl may be to see who wins 1 SEC game.

LSU winning was the the cherry on this shit sundae of a college football weekend.

The game is a backdrop for the Grove, sad but true. Priorities are all wrong at OM.  It is about SHOWING OFF and trying to be all Aristocratic!

OLE MISS WILL DIE!!!!!!!!!!!!! We just lost to VANDY...and people on here are saying they would be ok with losing if they still had dixie, col reb, fdwl, PATHETIC!!!!!!!!!!! Ole Miss will surely die if people don't change with the times and more importantly, GET PAST 1850 MISSISSIPPI in their small pathetic minds!!!!!!!!!!!

2-10... That is all

Do we still wonder why Vandy considers us a win every year?

when we use to suck i had fdwl, col reb, and other things that made me want to pay my hard earned money to go to oxford... i just dont reconize who this school or team is?  WE HAVE SOLD OUR SOULS!!!!! and now the ole miss big wigs are going to to pay for their pc bull...

Saw 20+ kids lined up after the game to get pictures made with Col. Reb and heard I'll Fly Away until I almost puked.

I have never seen a more horrible coaching job in my 34 years... FUCK US!!!

Goddamnit, Fuck Ole Miss. Seriously.

I live in Oxford and won't be back

HEY MODERATOR.... FUCK YOU!!!

Today, I missed Orgeron... seriously. at least his teams waited until about halfway thru the season to play like they were beaten and broken, this team quit at halftime of the first fucking game of the year.

One more thing that pisses me off is that not one time since Nutt got here has he put the loss on the coaches. That shit is on you, asshole. Man the fuck up.

If sucking dick was a crime, Masoli just violated his parole!

Holy fucking Masoli... we lost again!

I hereby renounce my fandom. Fuck you if you think this is weak. I don't care. I refuse to get caught up in any game or race involving Ole Miss athletics ever again. I don't give a fuck what happens after this. It doesn't matter. We are dipped in shit. I have wasted too much of my life trying to wish these fucking assclowns into success. I don't give a shit. Win. Lose. Kiss my ass. I might go to the games so that I have someone to drink with, but I no longer care. Fuck you. Fuck you, Bradley Sowell. Fuck you, Masoli. Fuck you, defense (what is that?). If you all die, I won't cry. Jesus what an embarrassment. Never again, assholes. I refuse to let myself get caught up in this self depreciating BULL shit. If Ole Miss ever wins a game again, I don't care. Fuck you. I might enjoy that Alabama loses here and there, but it won't really mean anything to me. You motherfuckers just keep stabbing me in the back. See if I care. I don't. Bring it on. I don't give a shit. Fuck all of you. I am bitter. We all deserve better. Have some fucking respect for yourselves.

This rant is due to the drug induced coma i've been in for the past 24+ hours but dammit it hurtsssssssss

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Read More: Alabama Crimson Tide, Arkansas Razorbacks, Georgia Bulldogs


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Tide heads to Arkansas Saturday to Face Razorbacks

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Sept. 20, 2010

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. - Top-ranked Alabama opens Southeastern Conference play with a visit to Fayetteville, Arkansas, to take on the No. 10/11 Arkansas Razorbacks at 2:30 p.m. (CDT) on Saturday, Sept. 25, at Donald W. Reynolds Razorback Stadium. It will be the 21st meeting between the two schools and the eighth trip to Fayetteville. The Razorbacks are 3-0 on the season after a final-minute touchdown pass gave them a 31-24 win at Georgia last Saturday. The game will be televised on CBS with Verne Lundquist calling the action, Gary Danielson as the color analyst and Tracy Wolfson reporting from the sideline. Eli Gold and Phil Savage will handle the radio call on the Crimson Tide Sports Network with Barry Krauss on the sidelines. ESPN Radio will also carry the game to a national audience.

HEAD COACH Nick Saban: Alabama head coach Nick Saban (Kent State, 1973) is in his fourth season with the Crimson Tide. He was named the school's 27th head coach on Jan. 3, 2007. Saban has compiled a 31-8 record (36-8 before five vacated wins in 2007) at Alabama while leading the Tide to two SEC Western Division championships, one conference title and one national championship. Saban holds a career record of 122-50-1 (127-50-1) as a collegiate head coach, while also serving at Toledo, Michigan State and LSU. Saban won his first national championship as head coach of the LSU Tigers in 2003, guiding the Tigers to a 13-1 record that season. Overall, Saban has coached four conference championship teams (1990 Mid-American, 2001 SEC, 2003 SEC and 2009 SEC) and 10 of his 13 teams have played in postseason bowl games with the Tide appearing in a bowl game each year under Saban's direction. Saban is also one of two coaches (Urban Meyer, Florida) to win two BCS National Championships and the first to accomplish the feat at two different schools.

RANKINGS: Alabama opened the 2010 season ranked first in the Associated Press and USA Today Coaches' preseason polls and have maintained that ranking through the first three polls of the season. The preseason No. 1 ranking was just the third such honor in school history (1966, 1978 & 2010). Arkansas enters this Saturday's contest ranked 10th in the Associated Press poll and 11th in the USA Today Coaches rankings.

ARKANSAS SERIES: Alabama leads the series 10-8 (13-7 without NCAA rulings) after a dominating 35-7 win over the Razorbacks last season in Tuscaloosa. The Tide has now won three straight in the series and four of the last five contests. Alabama's last visit to Donald W. Reynolds Razorback Stadium came in 2008, a commanding 49-14 Alabama victory. The Crimson Tide is 5-4 against Arkansas on the road, including a 3-4 record at Razorback Stadium in Fayetteville and a 2-0 mark at War Memorial Stadium in Little Rock. The two schools met two times before Arkansas joined the SEC in 1992 with the Crimson Tide defeating the Razorbacks in both the 1962 and 1980 Sugar Bowl games.

NEXT GAME: Alabama opens its SEC home schedule on October 2 with a visit the from the No. 9/8 Florida Gators. The Crimson Tide and Gators have hooked up in the last two SEC Championship Games with UF winning in 2008 and UA in 2009. Both teams followed up those SEC title game wins with national championships. It is the first time for the Gators to visit Tuscaloosa since the Tide's 31-3 victory in 2005. The last regular season meeting between the two schools was a 28-13 UF victory in 2006 in Gainesville. Alabama leads the series 21-14 overall and 6-5 in Tuscaloosa. 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 the Crimson Tide's success in the classroom. After playing the 2010 BCS National Championship Game with 21 players that already had their degrees, the 2010 Crimson Tide begins the season with four players that already have degrees in hand, including Earl Alexander (financial planning), Greg McElroy (business marketing), Brian Motley (general studies) and David Ross (consumer affairs). Over the past three seasons (2008-10) the Crimson Tide has seen 31 players compete for the Crimson Tide after having already graduated.

STADIUM RENOVATION: The latest expansion project for Bryant-Denny Stadium raised seating capacity to 101,821, making it one of the five largest on-campus football stadiums in the nation. The expansion is the fourth expansion of the stadium since 1988 and the seventh expansion in the stadium's history. It consists of roughly 9,600 additional seats, 1,700 South Zone Club seats, two corner video boards, an upper concourse with concessions and restrooms, 36 skyboxes, the Crimson Tide Foundation offices, a Donor Hall of Recognition and an outdoor market featuring Zoe's Kitchen, Yogart Lab and a new university admissions office welcome center. UA's season-opening crowd of 101,821 set a new record for the school and was the most to ever watch a football game in the state of Alabama.

BEATING THE BEST: Alabama is 10-2 against the Associated Press Top 25 over the past three seasons and 6-2 against AP top 5 teams. The Crimson Tide's 37-21 win over No. 2 Texas in the Citi BCS National Championship Game was the Tide's sixth win over a top-10 team dating back to the start of the 2008 season. Alabama is 1-0 against the AP Top 25 this season.

STREAKING AT BRYANT-DENNY: Alabama has won 16 consecutive games at Bryant-Denny Stadium dating back to the home opener against Tulane in 2008. It is tied for the fourth-longest streak in school history at Bryant-Denny Stadium and is just two shy of the third-place streak. The longest winning streak at Bryant-Denny Stadium is 57 games from Oct. 26, 1963, to Nov. 13, 1982. During the current streak, the Crimson Tide is 8-0 against SEC competition and 3-0 against top 25 teams.

27 STRAIGHT REGULAR-SEASON WINS FOR TIDE: Alabama has reeled off 27 consecutive regular-season victories. The win streak dates back to the 2008 season opener against Clemson. UA's last regular-season loss came at Auburn on Nov. 24, 2007. During that stretch, the Crimson Tide boasts a 29-2 overall record with its only losses coming to Florida in the 2008 SEC Championship Game and Utah in the 2009 Allstate Sugar Bowl. The Tide is also a perfect 16-0 in SEC play over the last two years, becoming just the second team (Florida - 1995 & 1996) in conference history to post back-to-back undefeated 8-0 records since the league split into a divisional format in 1992.

NO. 1 ROLLS ON: With the Crimson Tide's 24-3 win over then-No. 18/14 Penn State, in the last 15 years the Associated Press's No. 1-ranked team is 27-0 on its home field against a ranked opponent. That streak dates back to a 36-33 Auburn win at No. 1 Florida in 1994.

TOUGH SLATE: Alabama once again has one of the most difficult schedules in the nation with five games against teams ranked in the USA Today Coaches' Poll Preseason Top 25. The Tide beat then-No. 14 Penn State on Sept. 11 and travels to No. 11 Arkansas on Sept. 25. Alabama then welcomes No. 8/9 Florida to Tuscaloosa on Oct. 2 and then travels to No. 12/15 South Carolina on Oct. 9. RETURNING SUCCESS: Much of the talk in the preseason was about Alabama`s high-powered offense, and the offensive side of the football is where the Crimson Tide returns the biggest portion of its players from last year's BCS National Championship team. UA features 10 total returning starters and 39 lettermen this season, but eight of those returning starters are on the offensive side of the football with two on defense. The offense returns 84 percent of the rushing yards from last season (2,526 of 3,011). Greg McElroy, who took 94 percent of the snaps at quarterback last season, returns with five of his top six receivers from 2009 (Jones, Ingram, Maze, Hanks and Richardson).

TIDE PLAYERS EARN EARLY ACCOLADES: Ten Alabama players were named to 15 different preseason awards watch lists prior into the 2010 season. The players were recognized before the start of the 2010 season as potentially the top players at their position nationally.

Mark Barron, Marcell Dareus, Dont'a Hightower and Greg McElroy appeared on four watch lists. Barron, Dareus and Hightower were on the watch list for the Chuck Bednarik Award (best defensive player), as well as the Bronko Nagurski Award (defensive player of the year). McElroy was named to every major quarterback award watch list announced, including the Manning Award (top quarterback), Davey O'Brien Award (top quarterback) and the Unitas Golden Arm Award (top senior quarterback). McElroy was also named to the Maxwell Award (most outstanding player) watch list.

Crimson Tide offensive stars Mark Ingram and Julio Jones were prominent in watch lists as well. Jones appeared on the lists for the Biletnikoff Award (best receiver) and the Maxwell Award, while Ingram appeared on watch lists for the Walter Camp Award (player of the year), the Maxwell Award and the Doak Walker Award (best running back). Last year as a sophomore, Ingram ran for a school single season record 1,658 yards in route to winning the school's first ever Heisman Trophy.

TWO TIDE PLAYERS NAMED PLAYBOY ALL-AMERICANS: Alabama landed two players on the 2010 Playboy Magazine annual preseason College Football All-America Team. Mark Ingram was selected as a running back and Julio Jones was picked at wide receiver. Alabama has now had six Playboy All-Americans in the last three years after Andre Smith was chosen in 2008 and Rolando McClain and Javier Arenas were selected in 2009. This is Julio Jones' second straight year on the Playboy All-America team.

PRESEASON ALL-AMERICANS: The Crimson Tide had six players earn preseason All-America accolades from various publications prior to the 2010 campaign. The list includes Mark Barron, Marcell Dareus, Dont'a Hightower, Mark Ingram, Barrett Jones and Julio Jones. Both Ingram and Julio Jones were selected to the Playboy Preseason All-America Team.

McELROY WINS ANSON MOUNT: Senior quarterback Greg McElroy was selected as the winner of the Anson Mount Student-Athlete Award by Playboy when the publication named its preseason All-America team. Playboy will send a check for $5,000 to the University of Alabama's general scholarship fund in McElroy's name.

SABAN AMONG THE BEST: Head coach Nick Saban's arrival in Tuscaloosa led to the Crimson Tide's rapid rise up the national rankings. That success in such a short period of time has 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 now has won 17 straight games with the Tide. Saban is one of two coaches (Bob Stoops, Oklahoma) in the Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) to have coached 10 years and never suffered through a losing season. Saban achieved more firsts in 2009 with back-to-back 10-win seasons and his first undefeated campaign. He ranks fourth in winning percentage (70.8 percent) among active coaches who have coached at least 10 years of FBS football. Saban is also one of two coaches (Urban Meyer, Florida) to win two BCS National Championships and the first to accomplish the feat at two different schools.

ALABAMA TIED FOR MOST WINS SINCE 2008: Alabama has won 29 games dating back to the start of the 2008 season, which is tied for the most in the Football Bowl Subdivision. The Crimson Tide won 12 games in 2008, followed that with a perfect 14-0 record in 2009 and is off to a 3-0 start in 2010 after a win at Duke. Alabama is joined by Florida with 29 wins over the past two-plus years.

FIRST-TIME STARTERS FOR THE CRIMSON TIDE: A total of 19 Alabama players have made their first collegiate starts this season - 14 positional starters and 5 specialists. Three first-time starters have been on offense: LG Chance Warmack, RT DJ Fluker, RB Trent Richardson. There have been 11 first-time starters were on defense: DE Damion Square, DE Luther Davis, NG Kerry Murphy, Sam LB Chavis Williams, Will LB Jerrell Harris, Jack LB Ed Stinson, CB Dre Kirkpatrick, CB DeQuan Menzie, CB DeMarcus Milliner, FS Robert Lester and CB Phelon Jones. Five more have made starting debuts on special teams: deep snapper Carson Tinker, kickoff specialist and distance field goal kicker Cade Foster, punter Cody Mandell and placekicker Jeremy Shelley.

2010 OFFENSE PUTTING UP NUMBERS: Alabama returned eight starters from the 2009 offense that put together one of best seasons in school history. The Crimson Tide set a school-record with 5,642 yards of total offense, including 3,011 rushing yards (11th in school history) and 2,631 passing yards (5th in school history). The Tide also scored the second-most points in the 115-year history of the program with 448 (32.1 points per game).

However, the 2010 Crimson Tide offense is off to an even better start. Alabama is averaging 542.0 yards of total offense per game to rank fourth nationally and first in the SEC. The rushing offense is ranked 13th at 250.67 yards per game (2nd in the SEC) while the passing offense is 19th at 291.33 yards per game (also 2nd in the SEC). The Crimson Tide is scoring 44.67 points per game to lead the conference and rank ninth nationally.

MILESTONES - POINTS, VICTORY MARGIN & TOTAL YARDS: Alabama's 62 points scored vs. Duke is the most in a game since a 62-0 win over Tulane on Oct. 12, 1991, and the most in a road game since a 62-27 win over Mississippi on Oct. 7, 1989. The 49-point margin of victory is the largest for Alabama since a 52-0 win over Western Carolina on Sept. 18, 2004. Alabama amassed 626 yards of total offense (315 rushing, 311 passing) against Duke, the most since gaining 644 against LSU in Baton Rouge on Nov. 11, 1989 (257 rushing, 387 passing). The 45 points scored in the first half by Alabama was the most scored by the Crimson Tide in any half since Sept. 15, 1973, when Alabama scored 45 points in the second half of a 66-0 victory over California at Legion Field in Birmingham, Ala.

RETURNING HEISMAN WINNER: Alabama running back Mark Ingram returned for his junior season after capturing the school's first Heisman Trophy on the 75th anniversary of the award in 2009. He missed the Crimson Tide's opening two games after undergoing arthroscopic knee surgery on Tuesday, August 31, just prior to UA's season opener but returned last Saturday at Duke. Ingram rushed for 1,658 yards and 20 total touchdowns in 2009 to become the first Heisman Trophy winning running back to also help his team win the national championship in the same season since Tony Dorsett in 1976. Ingram is also one of just six players to win the Heisman Trophy and a national championship in the same season since 1950. He is also the first Heisman Trophy winning running back to return the following season since Oklahoma's Billy Sims returned for his senior year in 1979. Sims won the 1978 Heisman Trophy, but finished second to Charles White of Southern California in 1979.

McELROY'S SENIOR SEASON STARTING RIGHT: Senior quarterback Greg McElroy has gotten off to a great start in 2010, showing a commanding presence as both a leader and playmaker for the Crimson Tide. The Southlake, Texas, native has completed 71.7 percent of his passes for 705 yards and six touchdowns with one interception while leading the nation in passing efficiency at 200.03.

Although McElroy's streak of 149 consecutive pass attempts without an interception ended last Saturday against Duke -- the third-longest streak in school history -- he has still thrown just six interceptions in 405 career pass attempts. That comes out to one interception every 67.5 pass attempts, which is the best mark in SEC history (Tim Tebow of Florida, 1:62.2).

McELROY EXTENDS STREAK: Greg McElroy has yet to lose a game as a starting quarterback at the University of Alabama. With the win over Duke, the Southlake, Texas, native has a perfect 17-0 mark over the last two seasons as a starter. In fact, dating back to his senior year at Southlake Carroll High School, McElroy has started 33 consecutive games and walked off the field as a winner each time. McElroy's last loss as a starting quarterback was in the eighth grade. McElroy's 17-0 start to his career is the second best in school history and he is currently the only Alabama quarterback to have never lost during his career as a starter (minimum 10 starts). It also ranks as the second-longest streak of consecutive wins by a starting quarterback in school history. Jay Barker owns both records, winning the first 22 games of his career from 1991-93.

INGRAM IMPRESSIVE IN RETURN: Junior running back Mark Ingram -- the returning Heisman Trophy winner -- quickly announced his presence in his first action of the season last Saturday at Duke. After missing the first two games of the season because of arthroscopic surgery on his left knee on August 31, Ingram tore off a 48-yard run around right end, shedding a tackler and stiff-arming his way down the sideline on the first play of the game. The native of Flint, Mich., had cracked the 100-yard mark on his third rush from scrimmage and finished with 151 yards on only nine carries while scoring two touchdowns.

Ingram's two rushing touchdowns against Duke gave him 31 rushing touchdowns in his career at Alabama. He is currently fourth in school history behind Shaun Alexander (41, 1996-99), Johnny Musso (34, 1969-71) and Bobby Humphrey (33, 1985-88).

INGRAM SURPASSES 2,500 CAREER RUSHING YARDS: Junior running back Mark Ingram rushed for 151 yards against Duke, moving him up the Alabama career rushing yards chart into 7th place with 2,537 yards in his career. Shaun Alexander (1996-99) is the Alabama career rushing yards record holder with 3,565 yards.

SCORING DEFENSE: The Alabama defense replaced nine starters from its 2009 national championship-winning defense that finished second nationally in all major defensive categories. The process, although still far from complete, has been a success to this point. The Crimson Tide ranks second nationally once again in scoring defense, surrendering just 6.33 points per game or 19 total points in three games. The 19 points is the fewest points allowed to open a season since Alabama's 1979 defense gave up only nine points in its first three games against Georgia Tech (30-6), Baylor (45-0) and Vanderbilt (66-3). The secondary, which was forced to replace 3 of 4 starters and six of its top seven players, has also fared well in the national rankings with the No. 2 pass efficiency defense (73.66) and the No. 11 pass defense (132.67 ypg). The rush defense has not put up the numbers of the past two seasons, but still is just allowing 120.67 yards per game, while the total defense is ninth nationally at 253.33 yards per game.

GROUND DEFENSE: The Crimson Tide has not allowed a 100-yard rusher in an astonishing 37 games, dating back to Oct. 13, 2007, when Mississippi's BenJarvus Green-Ellis went for 131 yards. That is the longest streak in the nation, 11 games more than second-place Ohio State (26 games). Alabama was one of three teams not to allow a 100-yard rusher in 2009 and is the only team not to surrender a 100-yard rusher in 2008 or 2009. Over the 2008 and 2009 seasons, the Crimson Tide held 24 opponents to under 100 yards rushing with only LSU and Florida in 2008, Kentucky, Mississippi State and Auburn in 2009 and Penn State in 2010 able to crack the 100-yard barrier as a team.

FORCING TURNOVERS: Alabama's ability to produce turnovers in recent years has fueled the Crimson Tide's success. The Crimson Tide is off to a decent start in 2010 with six turnovers and five giveaways in the first three games. UA has intercepted five passes and recovered on fumble for a +0.33 turnover margin that ranks tied for 50th nationally. Alabama has forced 86 turnovers in 44 games under head coach Nick Saban (an average of 1.95 per game) while forcing 37 turnovers over the last 17 games. The Tide finished the 2009 season ranked fourth nationally in turnover margin at plus-19 (1.36 per game). The UA offense only turned the ball over 12 times (5 interceptions, 7 fumbles) in 2009. 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 39 of 44 games under Saban. UA is 33-6 under Saban when gaining at least one turnover. Alabama is 3-2 in games without a turnover over the last three seasons.

DEFENSE TOUGH ON THIRD DOWN: Third down defense has been crucial for Alabama over the past two-plus seasons. The Crimson Tide defense was strong on third down in 2009, ranking sixth nationally and allowing a 29.90 conversion rate (58 for 194). The Crimson Tide finished third nationally in third down conversion defense in 2008, holding opponents to a 28.14 percent (56 of 199) conversion rate. Alabama is strong once again in 2010, allowing just 13 third down conversions in 46 attempts (28.26 percent) to rank 19th nationally.

POINTS HARD TO COME BY AGAINST TIDE: Alabama has surrendered only one touchdown in 2010 and a total of 19 points in 12 quarters this season (three games). The Tide allowed a field goal to both San Jose State in the opener and to Penn State on Sept. 11 before giving up 13 points (all in the second quarter) at Duke. The Crimson Tide is second nationally in scoring defense at 6.33 points per game in 2010 after finishing second in scoring defense last season at 11.7 points per game. Over the last 31 games (start of the 2008 season), UA has allowed just 383 points or 12.35 points per game.

HIGHTOWER RETURNS: Sophomore linebacker Dont'a Hightower returns for his third season at the Capstone as the man in the middle of Alabama's complex defensive scheme. Hightower received a medical redshirt for the 2009 season after suffering a torn ACL in the fourth game of the season against Arkansas. An amazingly quick recovery returned him to the practice field with full contact during spring drills. Hightower, who played will linebacker during his first two years at UA, has moved over to fill the Mike linebacker role left by the departed Buktus Award winner Rolando McClain, who was the eighth overall pick of the 2010 NFL Draft. Hightower should also see time with his hand in the dirt on passing downs to take advantage of his pass-rushing skills. The Lewisburg, Tenn., native has 96 career tackles with 6.5 tackles for loss and nine quarterback hurries. Hightower has a team-high 16 tackles, a pass breakup and one quarterback hurry in 2010.

BARRON MAKING PRESENCE KNOWN: Safety Mark Barron is one of the most prominent safeties in the nation. The Mobile, Ala., native was a first-team All-SEC player a year ago, leading the league with seven interceptions while garnering third-team All-America honors. He registered 76 tackles to rank second on the Alabama defense in 2009. Barron led the SEC -- along with teammate Marquis Johnson -- in passes defended with 18 (11 PBU, 7 INT) and ranked tied for sixth nationally with 1.29 passes defended per game.

In 2010, Barron is off to a strong start as the leader of the Crimson Tide secondary. He is fourth on the team in tackles with 12 while recording one interception, one forced fumble, one quarterback hurry and one pass breakup.

THE ALABAMA/ARKANSAS SERIES: Alabama opens SEC play this week with a visit to Fayetteville, Ark., to take on the Arkansas Razorbacks. The Crimson Tide lead the all-time series 10-8 (13-7 without NCAA rulings) after a dominating 35-7 win over the Razorbacks last season in Tuscaloosa. The Tide has now won three straight in the series and four of the last five contests. Alabama's last visit to Donald W. Reynolds Razorback Stadium came in 2008, a commanding 49-14 Crimson Tide victory. The Tide is 5-4 against Arkansas on the road, including a 3-4 record at Razorback Stadium in Fayetteville and a 2-0 mark at War Memorial Stadium in Little Rock.

ARKANSAS SERIES IN THE SABAN ERA: The Crimson Tide have been successful against the Razorbacks since head coach Nick Saban's arrival in Tuscaloosa. Many of the series highs for Alabama have come in the past three years under Saban. The Tide's aerial attack in the classic 2007 game posted series highs in passing yards with 327 from John Parker Wilson, receiving yards (172) and catches (9) from DJ Hall. In 2008, Saban's first and only trip to Fayetteville to date (LSU played Arkansas in Little Rock during his time in Baton Rouge), the Crimson Tide posted a series-high 49 points, in large part because of dominance on the ground with the Tide picking up a series-high 328 rushing yards. The Alabama defense was successful last season in making the Razorbacks' offense one-dimensional by holding Arkansas to a series-low 63 rushing yards while the Tide's Greg McElroy threw for a career-best 291 yards and three touchdowns. During Saban's three games against the Razorbacks while at Alabama, the Tide has a huge edge on the scoreboard with 125-59 edge.

SABAN VS. ARKANSAS: Alabama head coach Nick Saban is 6-2 all-time against Arkansas, with his only two losses coming in his first three years at Louisiana State. Both of Saban's losses to Arkansas came in War Memorial Stadium in Little Rock. Saban has never lost a game to Arkansas in Baton Rouge, Fayetteville or Tuscaloosa.

COACHING STAFF PLAYERS OF THE WEEK: The Alabama coaching staff recognized eight players of the week following a 62-13 win at Duke. Left guard Chance Warmack, running back Mark Ingram and wide receivers Julio Jones and Darius Hanks selected on offense while Dont'a Hightower and Nico Johnson garnered defensive accolades. Trent Richardson and Wesley Neighbors were the special teams player of the week.

Warmack led an offensive line that cleared a path for 626 yards of total offense, including 315 rushing yards. Ingram led that rushing attack with 151 yards on nine carries for 16.8 yards per carry and two touchdown. He cracked the 100-yard mark on his third carry of the game after runs of 48, 3 and 50 yards. Jones spearheaded the passing game with five catches for 106 yards and a score while Hanks added three grabs for 51 yards and a touchdown.

Defensively, linebackers Hightower and Johnson combined for 14 tackles while helping the Tide defense limit Duke to 13 points. Hightower had a team-high eight stops while Johnson has six.

Richardson returned Alabama's first kickoff for a touchdown since 2004 with a 91-yard burst in the second quarter. Neighbors, playing in just his second career game registered two solo tackles on special teams.

Trent Richardson and Julio Jones lead the way through three games with three player of the week awards.

SEC PLAYERS OF THE WEEK: Trent Richardson's 144-yard effort in Alabama's 24-3 win over No. 18/14 Penn State earned him SEC Co-Offensive Player of the Week honors in week two. It is the only SEC Player of the Week honor for the top-ranked and undefeated Crimson Tide.

23 NATIONAL TV GAMES IN LAST 32 GAMES: The Arkansas game will be broadcast on CBS and will be the Crimson Tide's 23rd nationally televised game since the start of the 2008 season. In 2010, Alabama has had one game on ESPN and one on ABC. In 2009, UA played two games on ABC, including the BCS National Championship Game, and six games on CBS while ESPN broadcast two more Crimson Tide games. 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.

ALABAMA 32-1 UNDER SABAN WHEN LEADING AT THE HALF: With the win over Duke, the Crimson Tide is 32-1 when leading at halftime under head coach Nick Saban, including a 25-game winning streak. The only loss came against LSU in 2007 when UA held a 20-17 halftime lead before losing, 41-34, on Nov. 3, 2007, at Bryant-Denny Stadium. The Crimson Tide is 2-5 under Saban when trailing at halftime and 2-2 when tied at halftime. The two wins when trailing at the half came in a 34-24 win over No. 7 Virginia Tech on Sept. 5 in Atlanta and a 24-15 victory over No. 9 LSU on Nov. 7. Alabama's two wins when tied at halftime came at LSU (Nov. 8, 2008) with a 27-21 victory and at Auburn with a 26-21 win on Nov. 27, 2009.

ALABAMA'S TV?RECORD: Alabama has compiled a 173-122-4 (.585) all-time record in 299 televised games. This does not include pay-per-view, tape-delayed or closed circuit telecasts.

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.

NEW HIRES: The Alabama football staff features a new face in 2010 with the promotion of Jeremy Pruitt to assistant coach of the secondary. Pruitt joined the Alabama staff as Director of Player Development in 2007 after a successful stint as an assistant coach at Alabama high school powerhouse, Hoover. At Hoover, he served for three seasons as defensive backs coach with the final two as the defensive coordinator. He tutored a defense that helped the Bucs reach the Class 6A State Championship in 2004, 2005 and 2006, winning titles in 2004 and 2005. Pruitt served as an assistant coach under his father, Dale Pruitt, at Fort Payne High School from 2001-03.

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 coaches 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.

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 $1.5 million - including over $450,000 this year - for "Nick's Kids" and made a total of more than 140 donations to children's charities throughout the state of Alabama.

NFL DRAFT: The Crimson Tide saw seven players selected in the 2010 NFL Draft, including first-round picks Rolando McClain (eighth overall to the Oakland Raiders) and Kareem Jackson (20th overall to the Houston Texans). Alabama also had two more second-round picks in cornerback Javier Arenas (Kansas City Chiefs) and nose guard Terrence Cody (Baltimore Ravens). Offensive guard Mike Johnson went in the third round to the Atlanta Falcons while cornerback Marquis Johnson (St. Louis Rams) and Brandon Deaderick (New England Patriots) were taken in the seventh round. The Tide had eight more players sign free agent contracts, including Colin Peek (Atlanta), Eryk Anders (Cleveland), Lorenzo Washington (Dallas), Justin Woodall (Chicago), Cory Reamer (New York Jets), Leigh Tiffin (Cleveland) and P.J. Fitzgerald (New Orleans).

CRIMSON TIDE PLAYERS ON NFL ROSTERS: The Alabama football program was well represented in the NFL during the 2010 season with former players and coaches dotting league rosters. The Tide has 39 former players and coaches working in the NFL this season. Roman Harper is the only Alabama player on the defending Super Bowl Champion New Orleans Saints. The Crimson Tide has 28 current NFL players. 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).

FRESHMAN ACADEMICS: Alabama's 2009 freshman class did more than just excel on the football field, the Crimson Tide placed 12 rookies on the 2010 SEC Freshman Academic Honor Roll, by far the highest total in the SEC -- double the second-place team. Mississippi State was second with six while Mississippi had five and Kentucky had four. The Crimson Tide's 12 honorees equaled the total number of Arkansas (3), Tennessee (3), Florida (2), Georgia (2), Auburn (1), Vanderbilt (1) and LSU (0) combined. Alabama freshmen that made the list include: Kenny Bell, Chris Bonds, D.J. Fluker, Nico Johnson, Kendall Kelly, Eddie Lacy, A.J. McCarron, William Ming, Kevin Norwood, Trent Richardson, Chance Warmack and Kellen Williams.


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