September 7, 2024; Tuscaloosa, Alabama, USA; Alabama Crimson Tide quarterback Jalen Milroe (4) runs for a touchdown against South Florida Bulls defensive lineman Rico Watson III (34) at Bryant-Denny Stadium. Mandatory photo credit: Gary Cosby Jr.-Imagn Images Jalen Milroe threw two touchdowns and ran for two more to help No. 4 Alabama cruise past South Florida 42-16 in a nonconference game in Tuscaloosa, Alabama, on Saturday night.
Jam Miller ran for 140 yards and scored a touchdown, Justice Haynes scored a rushing touchdown and Kobe Prentice and Ryan Williams each caught a touchdown pass for the Crimson Tide (2-0).
Milroe completed 17 of 27 passes for 199 yards for Alabama and scored 28 points in the fourth quarter to win a close game.
Byrum Brown completed 15 of 35 passes for 103 yards and ran for 108 yards on 23 carries for South Florida (1-1). Ta’Ron Keith ran for a touchdown for the Bulls, who lost 393-309.
South Florida trailed by just five points midway through the fourth quarter before the Crimson Tide pulled away with three touchdowns in 4:13.
Last season, South Florida Alabama battled hard in Tampa, Florida, leading by just one point until the Crimson Tide scored a touchdown with 33 seconds left to win 17-3.
This year, the Bulls were able to close the gap to 14-13 with Keith’s 2-yard touchdown run with 9:35 minutes left in the third quarter.
The Crimson Tide increased their lead to eight when Milroe threw a 16-yard touchdown pass to Prentice with 10:04 left in the game.
John Cannon kicked a 22-yard field kick with 6:45 minutes left to reduce the deficit to 21-16.
The Crimson Tide needed just three plays to extend their lead to 12. Williams, the 17-year-old star freshman, caught a short pass from Milroe and turned it into a 43-yard touchdown down the left sideline with 5:50 left in the game.
Miller increased the lead to 35-16 with a 56-yard run with 2:30 minutes left and Haynes scored with a 29-yard run with 1:37 minutes left.
South Florida outscored the Crimson Tide 108-34 in the first half, but had to settle for two field goals from Cannon and trailed 14-6 at halftime.
Cannon kicked a 34-yard field goal on the Bulls’ first possession of the game.
Milroe gave Alabama the lead with a 10-yard run with 5:08 left in the first quarter. Cannon added a 25-yard run to cut the score to 7-6 with 9:45 left in the first half.
With 3:28 minutes left in the first half, Milroe scored a 5-yard touchdown run to give Alabama a 14-6 lead.
–Field level media
