It was a cold night at Bryant-Denny Stadium, but Crimson Tide running back Mark Ingram brought the fire. For the third consecutive game Ingram set a career-high in rushing, and this time…it was an awe inspiring performance. Mark rushed for 246 yards on 24 carries, and the game clinching touchdown as Alabama defeated the South Carolina Gamecocks 20-6, on Saturday night.
Even though Mark Ingram had a "Heisman-esque" performance, but the game wasn't a walk in the park.
Maybe it was the bitter cold, or perhaps it was the Carolina defense, but once again, for whatever the reason...the Alabama offense struggled to produce in the passing game. The Crimson Tide had to depend on hardnosed defense and a solid ground game to get the job done. Once the contest began, the 'Bama defense answered the call.
South Carolina received the ball to start the game and quarterback Stephen Garcia promptly threw an interception to ‘Bama safety Mark Barron who raced 77 yards for a Tide touchdown.
However, after those initial fireworks the game “cooled off” not only in the air…but on the field.
Thanks to a tough South Carolina defense, and a turnover prone Alabama offense, the Gamecocks were able to hang around for the majority of the game. The Crimson Tide also had 10 penalties for a total of 113 yards, which certainly helped the effort of the Gamecocks as Carolina looked to pull the upset.
The Gamecocks had the Alabama passing attack under wraps, thanks to the No. 6 ranked pass defense in the country. The Crimson Tide passing game was buried, and quarterback Greg McElroy was only 10 of 20 for 92 yards…and two interceptions. Alabama was able to survive the initial half thanks to a suffocating defense, and the ability to keep South Carolina out of the endzone.
Alabama took a 13-6 lead into the half, and following a scoreless third quarter by both teams, Alabama gave the ball to Mark Ingram…and the rest was history. The Tide placed Ingram in the “wildcat” formation and simply dared South Carolina to stop the run. It was a test the Gamecocks would fail. Ingram was a one-man showcase on the final Alabama drive, and Mark sealed the win with a 4-yard touchdown run.
With the victory, Alabama improves to 7-0 on the season and remains perfect in conference play. Thanks to his 246 rushing yards against South Carolina, Mark Ingram set the single game record for most rushing yards at Bryant-Denny Stadium. Ingram also holds the third best rushing performance in school history. Mark joins the company of Shaun Alexander who had 291 yards against LSU, and Bobby Humphrey who ran for 284 yards against Mississippi State.
For the first time in 2009 the Alabama Crimson Tide had a “letdown” game by all accounts. However, when a team commits four turnovers, has 10 penalties, and still manages to win 20-6, life is very good…and the pollsters agree.
In the latest edition of the AP Poll the Alabama Crimson Tide are now the No. 1 team in the nation, according to the voters. Alabama jumped Florida to capture the top spot. The Gators, who had a scare courtesy of Arkansas, fell to the No. 2 in the current standings.
However, Tim Tebow and the Gators still hold the top spot in the USA Today Coaches Poll, while ‘Bama jumped the Texas Longhorns to capture the No. 2 position.
The first BCS rankings of the 2009 football season were released Sunday afternoon, and as expected, Florida and Alabama reign supreme. The Gators proudly sit at
No. 1...followed by the Crimson Tide.
For a complete rundown of the AP, USA Today, and BCS rankings, be sure to check the “POLLS” section of the site.
On the injury front, Javier Arenas was out of action against South Carolina due to a rib injury he sustained in practice. The absence of Arenas was quite obvious in defensive pass coverage and special teams. An update concerning the availability of Arenas for the Tennessee game will be provided later this week. Initial reports suggest the injury is not serious.
NOTE: Coming soon...Alabama/Tennessee preview.
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