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Alabama cruises past Southern Miss

Sep 14, 2014 - 2:12 AM Tuscaloosa, AL (SportsNetwork.com) - Blake Sims and Kenyan Drake each accounted for three touchdowns in third-ranked Alabama's 52-12 blowout over Southern Miss in a non-conference bout on Saturday.

Sims took the bulk of the snaps under center for Alabama (3-0) and completed 12-of-17 passes for 168 yards and two touchdowns. He also ran five times for 46 yards and a score on the ground, while Drake led the running back-by- committee with three rushing scores.

Amari Cooper had his fifth straight 100-yard receiving game and moved into a tie for second place on Alabama's all-time touchdown reception list with a 22- yard score in the first quarter. He finished with eight grabs for 135 yards.

The Crimson Tide will conclude a three-game homestand when they kick off SEC play against the Florida Gators next Saturday.

Nick Mullens passed for 207 yards for Southern Miss, which has now been outscored 101-12 by SEC foes this season. The Golden Eagles (1-2) opened the season with a 49-0 loss to Mississippi State.

Corey Acosta kicked four field goals -- one in each quarter -- to account for all 12 points.

Southern Miss took the opening kickoff and marched 59 yards in 10 plays, setting up a 33-yard Acosta field goal to take the lead.

Alabama faced 3rd-and-12 on the ensuing drive, and Sims hooked up with Cooper just beyond the sticks to extend it. Four plays later, Cooper found the end zone, and the Tide rolled from there.

Sims capped a 13-play drive that spanned the first and second quarters by taking a snap in the shotgun and sprinting for the right pylon. Following a USM punt, Drake's 1-yard TD made it 21-3.

It was 21-6 at the break, a modest score considering Alabama's recent history, but the Tide got stronger as the game went on. Sims hit Cooper on consecutive plays to start the second half for 22 and 14 yards, Derrick Henry ran for 21 more and Drake got his second touchdown from a yard out less than three minutes in.

After Acosta kicked his third field goal, Sims led another scoring drive that ended with a 5-yard Brian Vogler touchdown reception.

Drake ran it in from 29 yards out, Adam Griffith kicked a 30-yard field goal and Tyren Jones had a 2-yard TD plunge with 16 seconds left for the final tally.

Game Notes

Henry ran 11 times for 73 yards ... Alabama outgained Southern Miss, 547-263 ... No. 3 Alabama marks the highest ranked opponent for Southern Miss since dropping a 21-6 decision at No. 2 Florida on Aug. 30, 1997.