SportsDirect Inc. staff
Oct 12, 2013
No. 1 Alabama 48, Kentucky 7: T.J. Yeldon and Kenyan Drake ran for two touchdowns apiece and the visiting Crimson Tide erupted for 24 second-quarter points to win their 10th straight game dating to last season.
Alabama (6-0, 3-0 SEC) scored on five consecutive drives after a scoreless first quarter to bury Kentucky (1-5, 0-3), which lost its fourth straight, all to ranked opponents. Wildcats starting quarterback Jalen Whitlow was helped off the field in the first quarter after he hurt his left ankle getting sacked.
Yeldon lost a fumble at the Wildcats’ 1 in the first quarter, but he made up for it with a 24-yard scoring run in the second-quarter outburst. Yeldon ran for 124 yards on 16 carries, while Drake gained 106 yards on 14 carries.
Tide receiver Kevin Norwood outleaped two defenders for a 42-yard grab in the second quarter and caught a 20-yard touchdown from AJ McCarron in the fourth. McCarron hit 21-of-35 throws for 359 yards.
It was 31-0 midway through the third quarter when Maxwell Smith hit Javess Blue for a 30-yard score – the first touchdown Alabama had allowed in 14 quarters.
GAME NOTEBOOK: Alabama has outscored opponents 149-16 in four games since a 49-42 win at Texas A&M. … Alabama improved to 36-2-1 all-time against Kentucky. … Smith finished 7-of-16 for 76 yards after replacing Whitlow.