'Bama remains perfect on season, Florida tops former coach
SEC Football
Jimmy Carter
Issue date: 11/19/08 Section: Sports
It was tight for a half, but in the end No. 1 Alabama coasted to a 32-7 victory over Crimson Tide alum Sylvester Croom and his Mississippi State squad (3-7, 1-5 Southeastern Conference).
'Bama (11-0, 7-0) took a 12-7 lead into the locker-room at intermission and rode their special teams play to their first half lead, despite an underwhelming offensive effort.
"I think that special teams, probably as much as any game this year, had a tremendous impact on the field position in this game with certainly Javier Arenas and his returning, but also a good job by the return teams and that had a big impact on the game," Alabama coach Nick Saban said. "They set up a score, scored and blocked a punt for a safety."
Mississippi State went three-and-out after a P.J. Fitzgerald punt forced the Bulldogs to begin their first offensive possession on their own 1-yard line.
Alabama's Kareem Jackson blocked Bulldogs punter Blake McAdams punt out of the back of the endzone for a safety with 10:03 left in the opening period.
On the Bulldogs next drive, junior quarterback Tyson Lee lost a fumble, which set up a 35-yard Leigh Tiffin field goal, giving the Tide a 5-0 after a quarter of play.
Mississippi State responded with a seven-play, 78-yard drive capped when Lee found junior receiver Jamayel Smith for a 31-yard score to give the Bulldogs a 7-5 advantage with just more than 10 minutes remaining before intermission.
Alabama struck before halftime when junior return man Javier Arenas returned a McAdams punt 46 yards to the Mississippi State 2-yard line. Two plays later 'Bama quarterback John Parker Wilson punched it in from a yard out to provide the halftime margin.
"Javier Arenas is a playmaker and everyone in the country knows that," Lee said. "We knew that coming into the game and he made some big plays tonight."
The Arenas show carried over into the second half when he took a McAdams 80 yards to the house, giving 'Bama a 19-7 advantage and sparked their second half dominance.
'Bama (11-0, 7-0) took a 12-7 lead into the locker-room at intermission and rode their special teams play to their first half lead, despite an underwhelming offensive effort.
"I think that special teams, probably as much as any game this year, had a tremendous impact on the field position in this game with certainly Javier Arenas and his returning, but also a good job by the return teams and that had a big impact on the game," Alabama coach Nick Saban said. "They set up a score, scored and blocked a punt for a safety."
Mississippi State went three-and-out after a P.J. Fitzgerald punt forced the Bulldogs to begin their first offensive possession on their own 1-yard line.
Alabama's Kareem Jackson blocked Bulldogs punter Blake McAdams punt out of the back of the endzone for a safety with 10:03 left in the opening period.
On the Bulldogs next drive, junior quarterback Tyson Lee lost a fumble, which set up a 35-yard Leigh Tiffin field goal, giving the Tide a 5-0 after a quarter of play.
Mississippi State responded with a seven-play, 78-yard drive capped when Lee found junior receiver Jamayel Smith for a 31-yard score to give the Bulldogs a 7-5 advantage with just more than 10 minutes remaining before intermission.
Alabama struck before halftime when junior return man Javier Arenas returned a McAdams punt 46 yards to the Mississippi State 2-yard line. Two plays later 'Bama quarterback John Parker Wilson punched it in from a yard out to provide the halftime margin.
"Javier Arenas is a playmaker and everyone in the country knows that," Lee said. "We knew that coming into the game and he made some big plays tonight."
The Arenas show carried over into the second half when he took a McAdams 80 yards to the house, giving 'Bama a 19-7 advantage and sparked their second half dominance.
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