Final
No. 3 Alabama rolls over No. 14 Arkansas
Sep 24, 2011 - 11:51 PM Tuscaloosa, AL (Sports Network) - Trent Richardson recorded 126 yards on 17 carries and added 85 yards and a touchdown on three receptions as third-ranked Alabama took a 38-14 victory over No. 14 Arkansas in the Southeastern Conference opener for both teams.AJ McCarron connected on 15-of-20 passes for 200 yards and two scores in a winning effort for Alabama (4-0, 1-0 SEC)
"It was a great team win. When I say team win, I'm talking about all the players, all the fans, all the people in the organization who contribute to the success of the team in every way," said Alabama head coach Nick Saban. "It was a physical game out there. It was two good football teams out there playing"
Tyler Wilson went 22-for-35 for 185 yards and two touchdowns through the air for Arkansas (3-1, 0-1).
Dennis Johnson and Cobi Hamilton caught TD passes for the Razorbacks, who failed to reach 4-0 for the first time since 2003.
Alabama took the opening drive of the game 80 yards down the field for the early lead on a 37-yard touchdown pass by McCarron to Michael Williams on a fake field goal. Richardson carried the ball four times for 32 yards on the drive.
After trading punts, Wilson led a 12-play, 63-yard drive to tie the game at seven. Ronnie Wingo Jr. had a 26-yard touchdown run called back on a holding call, but Wilson hit Johnson for a 10-yard score four plays later.
The Crimson Tide took the lead back with under six minutes to go in the second quarter on Jeremy Shelley's 20-yard field goal. Richardson totaled 58 yards of offense on the 77-yard drive, but the Razorback's defense held on a 1st-and- goal at the one to force the field goal.
DeQuan Menzie then intercepted Wilson on a third-down pass attempt and ran it back 25 yards for a score to give Alabama a 17-7 lead at the half.
Alabama forced an Arkansas punt on its first possession of the second half and Marquis Maze weaved his way down the field on the return for an 83-yard touchdown.
The Razorbacks were held to a three-and-out, and Richardson took a screen pass 61 yards for a score on the Crimson Tide's second play of the drive with just under 10 minutes left in the third quarter.
Johnson returned the ensuing kickoff 30 yards and Wilson hit Wingo for a 39- yard pass before connecting on a 19-yard score to Hamilton in the back of the end zone to bring Arkansas within 31-14.
But the Razorbacks were stopped on a 4th-and-one after forcing an Alabama punt, and a Brad Smelley 15-yard catch and a Richardson 25-yard rush set up Eddie Lacy's four-yard rushing touchdown to give the Crimson Tide back their 24-point cushion.
"They beat us in all three phases of the game," Arkansas head coach Bobby Petrino said. "They made big plays and we didn't. They hurt us with the fake field goal, the punt return for a touchdown and the screen pass for a touchdown."
Game Notes
Alabama linebacker C.J. Mosley left the game in the first quarter with a right elbow injury and did not return...Alabama leads the all-time series between the teams, 14-8...Arkansas fell to 10-10 all-time in SEC openers...The Crimson Tide won their 20th straight SEC opener...Arkansas was held to 17 total rushing yards on 19 attempts...Lacy rushed for 61 yards on 13 carries.
- ARKANSAS: 14
ALABAMA: 38
Final
Sep 24 6:46 PM - ARKANSAS: 14
ALABAMA: 38
End of 3rd
Sep 24 6:13 PM - Alabama Touchdown - Eddie Lacy up the middle for 4 yards.
Arkansas(14) 14, Alabama(3) 37 3rd - 0:48Sep 24 6:06 PM - Arkansas Touchdown - Tyler Wilson pass to Cobi Hamilton for 19 yards.
Arkansas(14) 13, Alabama(3) 31 3rd - 8:54Sep 24 5:49 PM - Alabama Touchdown - A.J. McCarron pass to Trent Richardson for 61 yards.
Arkansas(14) 7, Alabama(3) 30 3rd - 9:57Sep 24 5:42 PM - Alabama Touchdown - Dylan Breeding punted 42 yards from the Arkansas 41 to the Alabama 17. Marquis Maze returned for 83 yards.
Arkansas(14) 7, Alabama(3) 23 3rd - 11:29Sep 24 5:31 PM - ARKANSAS: 7
ALABAMA: 17
Halftime
Sep 24 5:03 PM - Alabama Touchdown - Tyler Wilson pass intercepted by DeQuan Menzie at the Arkansas 25 for 25 yards.
Arkansas(14) 7, Alabama(3) 16 2nd - 4:38Sep 24 4:49 PM - Alabama Field Goal - 20-yarder by Jeremy Shelley.
Arkansas(14) 7, Alabama(3) 10 2nd - 5:35Sep 24 4:41 PM - 138
roots - ARKANSAS: 7
ALABAMA: 7
End of 1st
Sep 24 4:19 PM - Arkansas Touchdown - Tyler Wilson pass to Dennis Johnson for 10 yards.
Arkansas(14) 6, Alabama(3) 7 1st - 1:18Sep 24 4:14 PM - Alabama Touchdown - A.J. McCarron pass to Michael Williams for 37 yards.
Arkansas(14) 0, Alabama(3) 6 1st - 11:48Sep 24 3:48 PM - ARKANSAS: 0
ALABAMA: 0
1st Quarter - 15:00
Sep 24 3:40 PM
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