Jalen Milroe passed for two touchdowns and rushed for two to help No. 4 Alabama slide past South Florida 42-16 on Saturday night in nonconference play at Tuscaloosa, Ala.
Jam Miller rushed for 140 yards and one score, Justice Haynes added a rushing touchdown and Kobe Prentice and Ryan Williams each caught touchdown passes for the Crimson Tide (2-0).
Milroe completed 17 of 27 passes for 199 yards for Alabama, which scored 28 points in the fourth quarter to break open a close affair.
Byrum Brown completed 15 of 35 passes for 103 yards and rushed for 108 yards on 23 carries for South Florida (1-1). Ta’Ron Keith rushed for a touchdown for the Bulls, who were outgained 393-309.
South Florida trailed by just five past the midway point of the fourth quarter before the Crimson Tide pulled away with three touchdowns in a span of 4:13.
Last season, South Florida gave Alabama a stern battle in Tampa, Fla. That contest was a one-score margin until the Crimson Tide scored a touchdown with 33 seconds left for a 17-3 victory.
This year, the Bulls moved within 14-13 on Keith’s 2-yard scoring run with 9:35 left in the third quarter.
The Crimson Tide increased their lead to eight when Milroe tossed a 16-yard scoring pass to Prentice with 10:04 left in the contest.
John Cannon kicked a 22-yard field with 6:45 remaining to bring South Florida within 21-16.
It took just three plays for the Crimson Tide to push their cushion to 12. Williams, the 17-year-old star freshman, caught a short pass from Milroe and turned it into a 43-yard score down the left sideline with 5:50 left in the contest.
Miller added a 56-yard run to make it 35-16 with 2:30 remaining, and Haynes scored on a 29-yard run with 1:37 to go.
South Florida outrushed the Crimson Tide 108-34 in the first half but had to settle for two field goals from Cannon and trailed 14-6 at the break.
Cannon kicked a 34-yard field goal on the first possession of the game for the Bulls.
Milroe put Alabama ahead on a 10-yard scoring run with 5:08 left in the opening quarter. Cannon booted a 25-yarder to move South Florida within 7-6 with 9:45 left in the first half.
Milroe rushed for a 5-yard scoring run with 3:28 left in the half to give Alabama a 14-6 lead.
–Field Level Media
Arguably no team has been a bigger surprise during the first two weeks of the NFL season than the New Orleans Saints. The Saints (2-0) are one of nine undefeated…
The New York Giants are already in must-win territory when they visit the Cleveland Browns on Sunday. The Giants (0-2) lost their first two games of the season to the…
If pressure makes diamonds, the Bears can speak in absolutes when referring to rookie quarterback Caleb Williams as a gem. Williams and the Bears lick their wounds and take to…
Looking to avoid 0-3 start, Giants shift focus to Browns
Bears, Colts eager to define identity growing pains for young QBs
Patriots place LB Oshane Ximines (knee) on IR ahead of Jets game
Purdue, Oregon State try to move on from ugly losses