Live Updates: Alabama 17, USF 3; Final
TAMPA, Fla. – No. 10-ranked Alabama (1-1) will play South Florida (1-1) in its first road game of the season this afternoon. The Crimson Tide and Bulls will face off at Raymond James Stadium, and the non-conference game will kick off at 2:39 p.m. CT on ABC.
Alabama and USF will meet for the second time in series history and the first time in Tampa when the teams play today. The Tide won the lone matchup on Aug. 30, 2003, in Birmingham for what was UA’s last home game played at Legion Field. Alabama head coach Nick Saban has never faced USF during his 28-year head coaching career. USF head coach Alex Golesh will also be facing the Tide for the first time as a collegiate head coach, but he coached against Alabama the last two years as Tennessee’s offensive coordinator.
Game links: WATCH | LISTEN | STATS
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PREGAME
— Alabama DL Jaheim Oatis is not in warmup clothes like the rest of the Tide players and is wearing a walking boot on his left foot.
— Nick Saban, on CTSN, on QB Tyler Buchner prior to the USF game: “Hopefully, we’ll be able to have a little more diversity in what we do, and he’ll offer us an opportunity to execute those things. But it’s not just about the quarterback. It’s about the 11 guys on offense.”
— No sign of Alabama WR Kendrick Law in pregame warmups. UA is already down Emmanuel Henderson (hip). Crimson Tide walk-on WR Sam Willoughby made the trip.
— Tyler Buchner is the first QB up for full-team drills as pregame drills come to a close. Ty Simpson is now leading the second team.
— USF wins the toss and elects to defer to the second half. Alabama will receive the opening kickoff.
FIRST QUARTER
— Terrion Arnold is back deep with Ja’Corey Brooks to return the opening kickoff. He’s in place of Kendrick Law, who is not here.
— Tyler Buchner starting the game at QB. Terrence Ferguson is at left guard in place of Tyler Booker.
— Tyler Buchner’s third-down pass is behind to Jermaine Burton, and Alabama will punt from its own 48.
— Dallas Turner is credited with the sack on 3rd and 5 to force a USF three-and-out to open the game.
— Tyler Buchner can’t connect with Jermaine Burton on a second straight third down, this one being caught out of bounds. UA punts from the South Florida 44.
— Caleb Downs gets trucked by the USF back, who picks up the Bulls’ first first down of the afternoon.
— Nick Saban is not happy. Kool-Aid McKinstry touches the rolling USF punt, and it’s recovered by the Bulls at the Alabama 29.
FIELD GOAL: USF 3, Alabama 0 (7:08)
— John Cannon boots a 44-yarder through the uprights.
— Terrion Arnold’s kickoff return for a TD is coming back due to a holding penalty on Jeremiah Alexander.
— Tyler Buchner skips a third-down pass intended for Ja’Corey Brooks, and UA will punt from its own 27.
— Freshman DL James Smith getting some early playing time in the middle of the DL with no Jaheim Oatis.
— Deontae Lawson with a sack to force 3rd and 12. That’s sack No. 2 for the Alabama defense today.
SECOND QUARTER
— Rain is pouring now at Raymond James Stadium. Roydell Williams is stopped for no gain on 3rd and 12. UA will punt from the USF 40.
— Jaylen Key is down on the field after USF picks up the first down on 3rd and 7. He walks off under his own power and goes to the bench rather than the medical tent.
— Alabama-USF has been suspended due to a lightning strike within a mile of Raymond James Stadium. USF leads 3-0 with 12:44 left in the second quarter.
— Kristian Story replaced Jaylen Key for one play, but Key, who went out prior to the weather delay, is now back in the game at safety.
— USF goes for it on 4th at 16 at the Alabama 34. Tim Smith shoves QB Byrum Brown out of bounds for a turnover on downs.
— Alabama will punt for the fifth time today as Tyler Buchner takes a shot and his pass intended for Isaiah Bond sails out of bounds.
— Ty Simpson appears to be getting loose on the Alabama sideline. He and Jalen Milroe are throwing, but Simpson is now on the phone.
— Dallas Turner with a strip sack that is recovered by James Smith. UA taking over at the USF 25.
— Ty Simpson is now in the game at quarterback as Alabama has a short field at the USF 25-yard line.
— Ty Simpson is sacked on 3rd and Goal and UA will attempt a FG.
FIELD GOAL: Alabama 3, USF 3 (2:10)
— Will Reichard boots a 30-yarder through the uprights.
THIRD QUARTER
— Head official at Raymond James just announced: “Currently, replay is down. We will not have replay to start the second half.”
— Alabama appeared to have Byrum Brown sacked on third down, but he escapes the pocket and runs for 15 yards to the Bulls’ 44.
— South Florida runs a fake punt and is stopped short of the sticks. Alabama will take over at midfield.
— After a false start, Ty Simpson is sacked on third down again. Tide will punt from its own 43-yard line.
— Kool-Aid McKinstry intercepts a deep throw, but off-setting flags eliminate the Alabama turnover.
— Ty Simpson hits CJ Dippre down the field for a 45-yard gain down to the USF 39. It was the longest play of the day for Alabama.
— Roydell Williams breaks free for a 26-yard pickup to the Bulls’ 6.
TOUCHDOWN: Alabama 10, USF 3 (4:35)
— Roydell Williams with a 1-yard run to give UA the lead.
— On 3rd and 7, Byrum Brown scrambles for a 31-yard gain to the Alabama 29.
— On 4th and 2 at the Alabama 21, the Tide comes up with a stop. USF is now 1-5 on fourth down.
— Ty Simpson is sacked for a 9-yard loss to open Alabama’s 10th drive of the game. Third time Simpson has been sacked since subbing in.
FOURTH QUARTER
— After a delay-of-game penalty, James Burnip’s seventh punt of the day travels 52 yards to pin USF at its own 15-yard line. Burnip is averaging 47.3 yards per punt with four inside of the 20.
— Defense forces a three-and-out, and USF will punt from its own 22.
— Five sacks for the USF defense so far. Daquan Evans has three of them, and four TFLs, for the Bulls. Five sacks are the most for USF since 2019 at UConn.
— USF goes for it on 4th and 1 and moves the sticks on a rollout to the tight end. Bulls are now 2-6 on fourth down and are at their own 44 with under 7:00 to play.
— Malachi Moore picks off an arm punt by Byrum Brown in the end zone. Alabama takes over at its own 20 with 6:29 left in the game.
TOUCHDOWN: Alabama 17, USF 3 (0:33)
— Ty Simpson keeps it for a 1-yard score.
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