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Video Box Score
By: Scott Crumbly
Twitter: @ScottCrumbly
SEC Digital Network
TUSCALOOSA, Ala. – The Alabama Crimson Tide bounced back from their first loss of the season with a 49-0 drubbing of Western Carolina at Bryant-Denny Stadium on Saturday. The Tide (10-1, 6-1 SEC) took to the ground against the Catamounts, rumbling its way to 300 rushing yards on the afternoon.
Bama’s feature backs, Eddie Lacy and T.J. Yeldon, set the tone for the Tide in the early going. Lacy opened up the game with a 7-yard touchdown run, which Yeldon followed up with a 3-yard score of his own. Lacy then took the reins once again and found the end zone for a second time to give Alabama a 21-0 advantage after the first quarter. The Tide rang up 21 more points in the second quarter en route to comfy a six-touchdown advantage at the half and went into cruise control.
After allowing a season-high 29 points to Texas A&M a week ago, the Crimson Tide defense was downright dominant against Western Carolina. The Catamounts (1-10, 0-8 SoCon) were only able to generate 163 total yards against Bama on 49 plays, and the Tide kept them out of the end zone for its third shutout of the 2012 season.
While the Alabama offense was impressive as a unit, Lacy looked particularly good on this day with 99 yards and three scores on 10 carries. Blake Sims added 70 yards and a score on the ground, while Yeldon rounded out the day with 55 yards and a TD as well. AJ McCarron didn’t need to toss it around much, but when he did he was a perfect 6-for-6 for 133 yards with a 29-yard touchdown to Christion Jones.
Alabama will now look forward to its annual rivalry showdown with Auburn next week, where it can clinch the SEC Western Division title with a victory.
Statistical Leaders
Alabama
Passing – AJ McCarron, 6-for-6, 133 yards, TD
Rushing – Eddie Lacy, 10 car, 99 yards, 3 TD
Receiving – Amari Cooper, 2 rec, 50 yards
Western Carolina
Passing – Eddie Sullivan, 4-for-12, 63 yards
Rushing – Eddie Sullivan, 4 car, 28 yards
Receiving – Jamil James, 1 rec, 30 yards
Quick Notes
• Saturday’s meeting between Alabama and Western Carolina was the third between the two schools. The last meeting was back in 2007, Nick Saban’s first game as head coach of the Crimson Tide.
• With Eddy Lacy’s touchdown run in the first quarter, Alabama extended its streak of scoring to 153 consecutive games, a school record.
• Alabama is now 15-8 in November games under Saban, and four of those losses came in Saban’s first season in Tuscaloosa.