The Alabama Crimson Tide were victorious in Tuscaloosa on Saturday night against South Florida in a game that was significantly closer than many expected it to be.
While a first glance of the final box score displays a vintage Alabama beatdown and a 42-16 victory, it was far from easy during the dedication game for Saban Field at Bryant-Denny Stadium.
The Tide went down 3-0 early and would take a 7-3 lead into the end of the first quarter after a Jalen Milroe rushing touchdown provided the first Tide score for the second week in a row:
Jalen Milroe puts Alabama up 7-3 in the 1st Quarter.
— Touchdown Alabama (@TDAlabamaMag) September 7, 2024
The Bulls pulled things closer with another field goal to make the score 7-6 before another Milroe rushing score would give the Tide a 14-6 lead heading into the halftime break:
Nothing was going to stop Jalen Milroe from putting Alabama up 14-6. 💪
pic.twitter.com/aw2ubnxoRB— Touchdown Alabama (@TDAlabamaMag) September 8, 2024
South Florida provided the first score of the second half to pull it closer at 14-13, a score that would remain throughout the end of the third quarter and into the fourth.
It was a scare for Alabama until the fourth quarter rolled around, where Milroe and the offense would put up 28 points and finally break through a Bulls defense that held them stagnant for a large portion of the evening.
A Kobe Prentice score on a dart from Milroe would bring things to 21-13 before a questionable decision by South Florida to kick a field goal on fourth and goal made it 21-16.
Jalen Milroe and Kobe Prentice put Alabama up 21-13.
pic.twitter.com/edb1E7JSU2— Touchdown Alabama (@TDAlabamaMag) September 8, 2024
Milroe and the offense made their inferior opponent pay with a long score to the freshman sensation, Ryan Williams, that would effectively end the game:
Jalen Milroe finds Ryan “Hollywood” Williams who explodes for 6. pic.twitter.com/EJiJkb7CEc
— Touchdown Alabama (@TDAlabamaMag) September 8, 2024
Two more long scores from Jam Miller and Justice Haynes brought it to 42-16 and gave the appearance of a dominant win which in reality, was a tremendously lackluster performance:
Jam Miller explodes for a dominant run to put the Tide up 35-16.
— Touchdown Alabama (@TDAlabamaMag) September 8, 2024
Moving forward, things get a lot more difficult for Alabama and another performance like the team displayed on Saturday will get them beat. Next week, it’s a road trip to Wisconsin before a bye week and a marquee matchup at home against Georgia at the end of the month.
Michael Brauner is a Senior Sports Analyst and Contributing Writer for Yellowhammer News. You can follow him on Twitter @MBraunerWNSP and hear him every weekday morning from 6 to 9 a.m. on “The Opening Kickoff” on WNSP-FM 105.5, available free online.
