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Stops SEC’s highest scoring offense
By MICHAEL CASAGRANDE
Special to the Ledger-Enquirer
Alabama wide receiver Marquis Maze (4) fumbles the ball during a kick return on a hit from Mississippi linebacker Allen Walker (9) during an NCAA college football game on Saturday, Oct. 16, 2010, in Tuscaloosa, Ala. (AP Photo/Butch Dill) 
Adam Gentry of Madison, Ala., , who started painting "I Love Mom " on his arm last year when she was serving in Iraq hoping she would see it on television, still does it for every game even though she has returned home hoping she will still see it on television before an NCAA college football game against Mississippi on Saturday, Oct. 16, 2010, in Tuscaloosa, Ala. (AP Photo/Butch Dill) 
Alabama wide receiver Earl Alexander (82) catches a pass with Mississippi cornerback Marcus Temple (4) defending in the second half of an NCAA college football game on Saturday, Oct. 16, 2010, in Tuscaloosa, Ala. (AP Photo/Butch Dill) 
Alabama running back Mark Ingram (22) runs for a first down around Mississippi safety Damien Jackson (1) during an NCAA college football game on Saturday, Oct. 16, 2010, in Tuscaloosa, Ala. (AP Photo/Butch Dill) 
Alabama quarterback Greg McElroy, right, throws while under pressure from Mississippi safety Damien Jackson (1) during an NCAA college football game on Saturday, Oct. 16, 2010, in Tuscaloosa, Ala. (AP Photo/Butch Dill) 
Mississippi quarterback Jeremiah Masoli (8) stretches for extra yards after losing his helmet on a hit from Alabama defensive back DeMarcus Milliner (28) during an NCAA college football game on Saturday, Oct. 16, 2010, in Tuscaloosa, Ala. (AP Photo/Butch Dill) 
Alabama running back Trent Richardson (3) tries to find some running room against Mississippi during an NCAA college football game on Saturday, Oct. 16, 2010, in Tuscaloosa, Ala. (AP Photo/Butch Dill) 
Alabama running back Trent Richardson (3) tries to get around Mississippi cornerback Marcus Temple (4) in the second half of an NCAA college football game on Saturday, Oct. 16, 2010, in Tuscaloosa, Ala. (AP Photo/Butch Dill) 
Alabama defensive back Mark Barron (4) intercepts a pass against Mississippi in the second half of an NCAA college football game on Saturday, Oct. 16, 2010, in Tuscaloosa, Ala. (AP Photo/Butch Dill) 
Alabama coach Nick Saban wants an offensive pass interference call against Mississippi in the second half of an NCAA college football game on Saturday, Oct. 16, 2010, in Tuscaloosa, Ala. (AP Photo/Butch Dill) 
Mississippi quarterback Jeremiah Masoli (8) is sacked by Alabama linebacker Courtney Upshaw (41) during an NCAA college football game on Saturday, Oct. 16, 2010, in Tuscaloosa, Ala. (AP Photo/Butch Dill) 
Alabama quarterback Greg McElroy (12) throws down the field against Mississippi during an NCAA college football game on Saturday, Oct. 16, 2010, in Tuscaloosa, Ala. (AP Photo/Butch Dill) 
Alabama running back Mark Ingram (22) stretches for a first down against Mississippi linebacker Allen Walker (9) in the second half of an NCAA college football game on Saturday, Oct. 16, 2010, in Tuscaloosa, Ala. (AP Photo/Butch Dill) 
Mississippi wide receiver Melvin Harris (5) makes it to the end zone for a touchdown over Alabama defensive back Robert Lester (37) in the second half of an NCAA college football game on Saturday, Oct. 16, 2010, in Tuscaloosa, Ala. (AP Photo/Butch Dill) 
Mississippi quarterback Jeremiah Masoli (8) is sacked by Alabama linebacker Courtney Upshaw (41) during an NCAA college football game on Saturday, Oct. 16, 2010, in Tuscaloosa, Ala. (AP Photo/Butch Dill) 
Alabama wide receiver Marquis Maze (4) is carried out of bounds on a hit from Mississippi linebacker Jonathan Cornell (51) during an NCAA college football game on Saturday, Oct. 16, 2010, in Tuscaloosa, Ala. (AP Photo/Butch Dill) 
Alabama quarterback Greg McElroy (12) throws down the field against Mississippi in the second half of an NCAA college football game on Saturday, Oct. 16, 2010, in Tuscaloosa, Ala. (AP Photo/Butch Dill) 
Alabama wide receiver Earl Alexander (82) catches a pass with Mississippi cornerback Marcus Temple (4) defending in the second half of an NCAA college football game on Saturday, Oct. 16, 2010, in Tuscaloosa, Ala. (AP Photo/Butch Dill) 
Alabama running back Mark Ingram (22) stretches for a first down against Mississippi linebacker Allen Walker (9) in the second half of an NCAA college football game on Saturday, Oct. 16, 2010, in Tuscaloosa, Ala. (AP Photo/Butch Dill) 
Alabama quarterback Greg McElroy (12) scrambles for a first down past Mississippi defensive end Gerald Rivers (90) during an NCAA college football game on Saturday, Oct. 16, 2010, in Tuscaloosa, Ala. (AP Photo/Butch Dill) 
Mississippi quarterback Jeremiah Masoli (8) stretches for extra yards after losing his helmet on a hit from Alabama defensive back DeMarcus Milliner (28) during an NCAA college football game on Saturday, Oct. 16, 2010, in Tuscaloosa, Ala. (AP Photo/Butch Dill) 
Alabama quarterback Greg McElroy (12) throws down the field against Mississippi during an NCAA college football game on Saturday, Oct. 16, 2010, in Tuscaloosa, Ala. (AP Photo/Butch Dill) 
Mississippi quarterback Jeremiah Masoli (8) feels pressure from Alabama defensive lineman Nick Gentry (58) in the second half of an NCAA college football game on Saturday, Oct. 16, 2010, in Tuscaloosa, Ala. (AP Photo/Butch Dill) 
Alabama running back Trent Richardson (3) tries to find some running room against Mississippi during an NCAA college football game on Saturday, Oct. 16, 2010, in Tuscaloosa, Ala. (AP Photo/Butch Dill) 
Mississippi quarterback Jeremiah Masoli (8) scrambles away from Alabama linebacker Courtney Upshaw (41) during an NCAA college football game on Saturday, Oct. 16, 2010, in Tuscaloosa, Ala. (AP Photo/Butch Dill) 
Alabama defensive back Mark Barron (4) intercepts a pass against Mississippi in the second half of an NCAA college football game on Saturday, Oct. 16, 2010, in Tuscaloosa, Ala. (AP Photo/Butch Dill) TUSCALOOSA, Ala. — Facing an unfamiliar situation, Alabama turned to an old friend.
Playing a week after a loss for the first time since 2007, the Crimson Tide dusted off its defense just when it faced its greatest questions.
No, there wasn’t much bend in the Alabama front on homecoming night.
Riding the dependable-again defense and a streaky offense, the Tide turned away Ole Miss 23-10 in a late-night special kicked off at 9:15 p.m. to accommodate ESPN2. By the time it ended, the sold-out crowd thinned considerably, but the fireworks ended well before that.
The Rebels, owners of SEC’s highest scoring offense entering Saturday averaging 37.2 points a game, were held at bay most of the night as the Tide defense rediscovered the fundamentals that failed a week earlier in a two-touchdown loss at South Carolina.
Allowing just one touchdown, after surrendering five a week earlier, Alabama’s defense played a more physical brand than it did a week ago in Columbia.
Offensively, the Tide (6-1, 3-1 SEC) had issues running the ball for the third straight week with the physical Rebel front plugging running lanes for Mark Ingram and Trent Richardson. The pair ran for 95 yards with the returning Heisman Trophy winner going for 60 yards on 16 carries and Richardson running for 45 on 11 attempts.
And with Julio Jones making just a brief appearance early playing with a broken left hand, it was up to the supporting cast of receivers to fill the void.
But it was a Richardson catch that helped break the game open.
Facing a third-and-13 from its own 15, the sophomore running back caught what appeared to be a harmless screen pass to give punter Cody Mandell some extra room to operate. Richardson had other plans, though.
He darted through would-be tacklers then outran defensive backs for the 85-yard touchdown reception that put the Tide up 23-3 midway through the third quarter.
Other than that, Alabama’s offense was hit or miss.
Quarterback Greg McElroy put up respectable numbers with 17 completions in 25 attempts for 219 yards. Sacks, though, were a carryover issue from the South Carolina game.
The Tide quarterback was taken down four times behind the line after taking seven sacks against the Gamecocks. He threw successfully to eight different receivers, but the Alabama offense lacked rhythm most of the night.
But the story was Alabama’s handling of Rebel quarterback Jeremiah Masoli, the transfer from Oregon who was starting to hit his stride with Ole Miss.
It quickly became clear Saturday night that he wasn’t going to be the star of the show. Alabama limited the Rebel offense to seven yards combined in its first three possessions that all ended in punts.
By halftime, Masoli had completed just 3-of-12 passes for 14 yards and ran six times for negative-3 yards.
Ole Miss, though, found some footing in the second half. It marched 74 plays in 10 plays in a drive that had shades of a crucial third-quarter drive Alabama surrendered a week ago at South Carolina. The Rebels (3-3, 1-2 SEC) converted three third-downs including the third-and-7 touchdown pass from Masoli to Melvin Harris with 4:40 to play in the third to cut the lead to 13 points.
Masoli finished with 17 completions in 39 attempts for 102 yards and 38 rushing yards on 10 carries. He was sacked twice and pressured on 10 other occasions by the defense led by Mark Barron and Dre Kirkpatrick who had seven tackles apiece. Barron added a fourth-quarter interception to top off his night.
