Derrick Henry and Alabama run over Wisconsin for 35-17 win
The big question surrounding Alabama coming into Saturday night’s opener with Wisconsin was who would start at quarterback.
Senior Jacob Coker got the nod, but when you have Derrick Henry and Kenyan Drake in the backfield, it makes a quarterback’s job a whole lot easier. Henry (147 yards, 3 TDs) and Drake (77 yards, TD) ran wild on the Badgers defense, combining for 224 yards and four touchdowns in a convincing 35-17 Alabama win.
Coker played well in his first start for the third-ranked Tide, completing 15 of 21 passes for 213 yards and a touchdown. Sophomore Cooper Bateman also saw the field for Alabama and completed 7 of 8 passes for 51 yards in the second half while the Tide held a sizeable lead.
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Coker got in a solid rhythm early. On Alabama’s second drive, Coker moved the Tide into Wisconsin territory on throws of 22, 22, and 10 yards before Henry reeled off his first highlight-reel score of the night – a 37-yard scamper on a fourth-and-one play.
But the Badgers hung around in the first half, tying things up on a Joel Stave touchdown pass to Alex Erickson. Coker responded with his lone touchdown pass of the night – a 17-yard catch-and-run by Robert Foster – to give the Tide a 14-7 halftime lead.
Once the second half began, Lane Kiffin and the Tide offense went back to Henry – and he delivered.
Henry’s first carry of the second half was a 56-yard score. He also added a two-yard plunge later on in the third, allowing the Tide to open up a 28-7 lead.
Wisconsin was able to respond with a field goal, but Drake put things out of reach with a 43-yard score down the right sideline in the fourth.
While the Tide offense put up a combined 502 yards, the defense limited the Badgers rushing attack to only 40 yards. Corey Clement, expected to succeed Melvin Gordon for the Badgers, managed only 16 yards on eight carries.
One bright spot for the Badgers was the play of Stave. Though he did throw an interception late in the fourth, he threw for 228 yards and two touchdowns and looked a whole lot better than he did in 2014 after a bout with the yips.
For Alabama, it’s a solid season-opening win against a ranked opponent. Nick Saban had to be pleased with the play of the quarterback position, though it looks like a competition between Coker and Bateman could continue into the Tide’s Week 2 home matchup against Middle Tennessee State.
Saban-coached teams have won plenty of games with good, not great quarterback play. If Coker or Bateman can provide steady, turnover-free play, there’s no reason to think the Tide can’t contend for the College Football Playoff – especially with that high-powered backfield and defense.
For more Alabama news, visit TideSports.com. For more Wisconsin news, visit BadgerBlitz.com.
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Sam Cooper is a contributor for the Yahoo Sports blogs. Have a tip? Email him or follow him on Twitter!
