Vanderbilt 0 - 34 5Alabama
Final
  for this game

McCarron, No. 2 Alabama coast past Vanderbilt

Oct 9, 2011 - 7:09 AM Tuscaloosa, AL (Sports Network) - A.J. McCarron had four touchdown passes as No. 2 Alabama mauled Vanderbilt, 34-0, in SEC action.

McCarron was 23-for-30 with 237 yards while DeAndrew White caught two touchdown passes for the Crimson Tide (6-0, 3-0 SEC), who have won all of their games by double digits and have posted two shutouts this season.

Marquis Maze had nine catches for 93 yards while Trent Richardson added 19 carries for 107 yards and a score to help Alabama defeat Vanderbilt for the 21st straight time.

"It's always good to win in the league," said Alabama head coach Nick Saban. "We obviously didn't play our best football game, especially in the first half. We didn't have the mental energy and intensity that we like to have, to play with the kind of consistency that we need to in order to improve as a team."

Jordan Rodgers threw for just 104 yards on 11-of-18 passing and was picked off twice for the Commodores (3-2, 1-2), who have dropped their past two games.

"All I can say is we have to keep working hard and we'll eventually close the gap," said Vanderbilt head coach James Franklin. "We're going to work hard every day by developing our kids and recruiting. Our offense moved the ball well tonight but we didn't make the plays we needed to. When we had the chance to execute, we didn't do it."

After an exchange of punts to start the game, Alabama took the lead with a 10- play drive that ended when McCarron and Brad Smelley connected for a six-yard score and a 7-0 lead with 7:50 left in the first.

Vanderbilt got into scoring position on its next touch, but Carey Spear missed a 47-yard field goal attempt.

Following another missed field goal attempt from Spear in the second quarter, this one from 38 yards away, Alabama got its offense back on track.

A 13-play drive, which included a pass interference call on Vanderbilt and a 29-yard catch from Maze on 3rd-and-14, was capped by a leaping catch in the back of the end zone by White for a five-yard score with 21 seconds left in the half.

The Tide's first possession of the second half ate up 6 1/2 minutes with 12 plays and 94 yards, ending on a one-yard run from Richardson for a 21-0 lead with 6:03 to play in the third.

Another Vanderbilt punt was followed by another Alabama touchdown when McCarron and White hooked up on a 39-yard score. After the extra point was missed, it was a 27-0 game with 52 seconds to play in the third.

An interception of Rodgers early in the fourth quarter setup a 17-yarrd touchdown catch by Hanks for a 34-0 lead with 12:16 to play.

Game Notes

Alabama plays at Ole Miss next Saturday, while Vanderbilt hosts Georgia...The Tide totaled 419 yards of offense and 24 first downs while the Commodores were held to just 190 yards of offense and eight first downs...Alabama held the ball for over 36 minutes.






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