The Season - Ole Miss Football

Alabama (2012x6)

Air date: Oct 04, 2012

No. 1 Alabama actually trailed for a change, a predicament that lasted a grand total of 15 seconds. Amari Cooper caught two touchdown passes from AJ McCarron and Christion Jones returned a kickoff 99 yards for another score, leading the Crimson Tide to a 33-14 victory over Mississippi Saturday night after a rare and early deficit. The Tide (5-0, 2-0 Southeastern Conference) trailed briefly, 7-6, for the first time in regulation since last year's Tennessee game, a span of about 10 games. The Rebels (3-2, 0-1) put up a fight against a team that had been walloping opponents by nearly 37 points on average, but still lost their ninth straight SEC opener. "It was a hard-fought win for us," Alabama coach Nick Saban said. "I think people probably don't give Ole Miss enough credit. They played hard. They were physical. Their offense is difficult to defend." Saban had tried to keep his players focused by broadcasting Tim Tebow's memorable speech after the Rebels upset Florida four years ago in the weight room and meeting rooms. Alabama goes into its open week without needing such a podium prompter. McCarron completed 22 of 30 passes for 180 yards and Eddie Lacy gained much of his 82 yards in the fourth quarter when Alabama put it away with Jeremy Shelley's third and fourth field goals of the game. The Tide's defense had three interceptions to bail out an offense that sputtered at times. "Couldn't be more proud of the effort," Rebels first-year coach Hugh Freeze said. "Real pleased with the effort and fight our kids showed. They laid it on the line. They represented Rebel nation and the university very well. "Our special teams were atrocious. We turned the football over because of us being greedy. It's hard to drive the football on the defense that they have." Alabama totaled 305 yards against a defense that gave up 66 points and 676 yards to Texas two weeks ago. The Rebels gained 218 yards in a game that was largely controlled by the defenses afte