Tuscaloosa, Ala.— Jalen Milroe and the Alabama Crimson Tide found themselves in an unexpectedly tough contest for 50 minutes, but things finally turned around when the mistakes stopped.
Milroe ran for two touchdowns and threw two more in the fourth quarter, helping the fourth-ranked Tide pull away for a 42-16 win over South Florida on Saturday night.
The game was far from easy for Alabama (2-0), who struggled to gain separation from the Bulls (1-1) until a 28-point explosion in the final 10 minutes. The game turned out to be a tough test for new head coach Kalen DeBoer, whose team entered as 30-point favorites but struggled offensively until late in the game.
“In the fourth quarter, when we avoided penalties and turnovers, it’s amazing what can happen,” DeBoer said.
The Tide committed three second-half fumbles and had several penalties, leading to a slim 14-13 lead heading into the fourth quarter. However, Milroe threw touchdown passes of 16 yards to Kobe Prentiss and a 43 dime to Ryan Williams, while Jamarion Miller added a 56-yard touchdown burst, and Justice Haynes capped it off with a 29-yard score in the final minutes.
Miller led the rushing attack with 140 yards.
For much of the game, South Florida’s defense frustrated Alabama, much like they did in their last meeting. Last year, with Milroe benched, the game was tied at halftime before Alabama pulled out a 17-3 victory.
Milroe went on to lead the Tide to 10 straight wins and a Southeastern Conference title after that game.
“This isn’t a wakeup call,” DeBoer emphasized. “It’s about continuing to raise the standard. Last year’s game against them propelled us, and I hope this one does too.”
Milroe completed 17 of 27 passes for 199 yards, but he was sacked four times and lost a fumble at South Florida’s 2-yard line in the second half.
His first touchdown pass gave Alabama a 21-13 lead, but the Bulls responded with John Collins’ third field goal, fueled by two 19-yard runs from Nay’Quan Wright and a targeting penalty on Justin Jefferson.
“We did what we needed defensively for three and a half quarters,” said South Florida head coach Alex Golesh.
Milroe later connected with freshman Ryan Williams, who shook off a defender to score his third touchdown of 40-plus yards in just two college games.
“Seeing the guys show such grit and pull out a win like that shows the toughness and desire we have,” Milroe said.
Alabama struggled with turnovers, losing two fumbles in the first four minutes of the second half, and Milroe added a third later on in the game.
On the other side, South Florida quarterback Byrum Brown passed for 103 yards and added 108 yards rushing on 23 carries.
“That’s where we are as a program,” Golesh said. “The next step is learning how to finish games like this.”
Up Next:
South Florida: Travels to Southern Mississippi on Saturday.
Alabama: Heads to Wisconsin on Saturday.
