Jalen Milroe passed for two touchdowns and rushed for two to help No. 4 Alabama slide past South Florida 42-16 on Saturday night in nonconference play at Tuscaloosa, Ala.
Jam Miller rushed for 140 yards and one score, Justice Haynes added a rushing touchdown and Kobe Prentice and Ryan Williams each caught touchdown passes for the Crimson Tide (2-0).
Milroe completed 17 of 27 passes for 199 yards for Alabama, which scored 28 points in the fourth quarter to break open a close affair.
Byrum Brown completed 15 of 35 passes for 103 yards and rushed for 108 yards on 23 carries for South Florida (1-1). Ta’Ron Keith rushed for a touchdown for the Bulls, who were outgained 393-309.
South Florida trailed by just five past the midway point of the fourth quarter before the Crimson Tide pulled away with three touchdowns in a span of 4:13.
Last season, South Florida gave Alabama a stern battle in Tampa, Fla. That contest was a one-score margin until the Crimson Tide scored a touchdown with 33 seconds left for a 17-3 victory.
This year, the Bulls moved within 14-13 on Keith’s 2-yard scoring run with 9:35 left in the third quarter.
The Crimson Tide increased their lead to eight when Milroe tossed a 16-yard scoring pass to Prentice with 10:04 left in the contest.
John Cannon kicked a 22-yard field with 6:45 remaining to bring South Florida within 21-16.
It took just three plays for the Crimson Tide to push their cushion to 12. Williams, the 17-year-old star freshman, caught a short pass from Milroe and turned it into a 43-yard score down the left sideline with 5:50 left in the contest.
Miller added a 56-yard run to make it 35-16 with 2:30 remaining, and Haynes scored on a 29-yard run with 1:37 to go.
South Florida outrushed the Crimson Tide 108-34 in the first half but had to settle for two field goals from Cannon and trailed 14-6 at the break.
Cannon kicked a 34-yard field goal on the first possession of the game for the Bulls.
Milroe put Alabama ahead on a 10-yard scoring run with 5:08 left in the opening quarter. Cannon booted a 25-yarder to move South Florida within 7-6 with 9:45 left in the first half.
Milroe rushed for a 5-yard scoring run with 3:28 left in the half to give Alabama a 14-6 lead.
–Field Level Media