Recap: Alabama 40, Florida Atlantic 7
Sep 22, 2012
No. 1 Alabama 40, Florida Atlantic 7: AJ McCarron threw for three touchdowns and the Crimson Tide defense was dominant once again in a rout of the visiting Owls.
McCarron finished 15 of 25 for 212 yards and Eddie Lacy added 106 yards rushing for Alabama (4-0), which fell just short of recording its third straight shutout.
The Tide wasted little time jumping ahead of Florida Atlantic (1-3) in the opening quarter as Kenny Bell broke loose from the Owls for an 85-yard touchdown – his only reception of the game.
McCarron then found DeAndrew White for a 4-yard touchdown pass on the next possession as Alabama scored on each of its six first-half drives.
After Alabama extended its advantage to 40-0 early in the fourth, the only mystery that remained was whether Florida Atlantic could end the Tide’s bid to record a third straight shutout, but Graham Wilbert found Alex Deleon in the back of the end zone from six yards out to break the Tide’s impressive scoreless streak.
GAME NOTEBOOK: Alabama’s scoreless streak lasted 192 minutes and 25 seconds. … The Tide were attempting to become the first team in school history to blank three consecutive opponents since 1966, when they closed the regular season out with four straight shutouts. … Florida Atlantic did not break 100 total yards until its final drive, and managed just 110 for the game.