2011 LSU vs. Alabama football game
Encyclopedia
The 2011 LSU vs. Alabama football game was a regular season college football
game between the unbeaten LSU Tigers
(ranked
No. 1 in the nation), and the unbeaten Alabama Crimson Tide
(ranked No. 2 in the nation) on November 5, 2011. The game took place at Bryant–Denny Stadium in Tuscaloosa
, Alabama
on the campus of the University of Alabama
. Coined a "Game of the Century
," this game marked the first time that two Southeastern Conference
football teams came into a regular-season matchup undefeated and ranked No. 1 and No. 2 in the nation. In a game dominated by both defenses, LSU won in overtime
9–6.
and Alabama's were Auburn
and Tennessee
. However, since former Tigers' head coach Nick Saban
took the head coaching position at Alabama beginning in the 2007 season
, the Alabama–LSU game has become a major rivalry game for each school.
Entering the 2011 season, both teams were ranked in the top five. Following Alabama's victory over Arkansas and LSU's over West Virginia on September 24, their November 5 game became viewed by many in the national media as a playoff with the winner ultimately advancing to the 2012 BCS National Championship Game
. When the Week 10 polls were released on October 30, the game officially became the first regular season No. 1 vs. No. 2 matchup since the 2006 Michigan vs. Ohio State football game
, and the first all-time regular season No. 1 vs. No. 2 matchup between SEC conference foes. Additionally, due to the the No. 1 vs. No. 2 rankings against conference rivals and the hype leading up to the matchup, the game became referred to as the "Game of the Century
."
and Coaches' Polls. In week one, the Tigers met the No. 3 Oregon Ducks
in the Cowboys Classic
at Arlington
, Texas
. Against the hyped Oregon running attack, the LSU defense held the Ducks to less than 100 yards rushing in their 40–27 victory, and with their win moved up to No. 2 and No. 3 in the AP and Coaches' Polls. After holding the Northwestern State Demons
of the Football Championship Subdivision to minus 4 yards rushing in Baton Rouge
, LSU faced ranked opponents on the road in consecutive weeks against the Mississippi State Bulldogs
and the West Virginia Mountaineers
. Against the No. 25 Bulldogs, the Tigers only managed to score a single touchdown, but behind a third strong defensive performance won 19–6.
In what was their third game against a ranked opponent of the season, LSU played their first all-time game against the No. 16 Mountaineers at Morgantown
. Although West Virginia was able to outgain the Tigers in total offense 533 to 366 yards, four Mountaineer turnovers resulted in a 47–21 LSU victory. As a result of this win combined with the other two over ranked opponents, LSU was selected the No. 1 team by the AP following week 5. The Tigers returned back home and defeated the Kentucky Wildcats
35–7 in suspended Jordan Jefferson
's return and then the No. 17 Florida Gators
41–11. After their 38–7 victory over the Tennessee Volunteers
at Neyland Stadium
, the Tigers were selected as the No. 1 team in both the AP and Coaches' Polls for the first time of the season after the Oklahoma Sooners
were upset by Texas Tech Red Raiders
. The next week, LSU defeated the No. 19 Auburn Tigers
45–10 at home to enter their bye week
undefeated and ranked No. 1 for their game against No. 2 Alabama in Tuscaloosa.
Entering the game against Alabama, LSU's defense was ranked near the top of all defensive categories nationally. They ranked fourth in total defense (251.38 yards per game), third scoring defense (11.5 points per game) and rushing defense (76.63 yards per game), and tenth in passing defense (174.75 yards per game). The Tigers ranked only second in conference in total, scoring and rushing defense and fourth in passing defense. On offense the Tigers ranked twelfth in scoring offense (39.25 points per game), 31st in rushing offense (189 yards per game), 81st in total offense (372.13 yards per game) and 99th in passing offense (183.13 yards per game). In conference, they ranked second in scoring offense, fourth in rushing offense, sixth in total offense and eighth in passing offense.
48–7 in the season opener, Alabama dropped to No. 3 in the AP Poll as a result of LSU's victory over Oregon. In Week 2, the Crimson Tide traveled to Beaver Stadium
for the first time since 1989 to play the Penn State Nittany Lions
. Alabama defeated the No. 23 Nittany Lions 27–11, and returned to Tuscaloosa for a pair of home games against the North Texas Mean Green
and the Arkansas Razorbacks
. Against North Texas, the Alabama defense was dominant in securing the first shutout
for the Crimson Tide since the 2009 season
with their 41–0 victory. The following week, Alabama opened conference play with a 38–14 victory over No. 14 Arkansas and then defeated the undefeated No. 12 Florida Gators 38–10 to extend their record to 5–0. With their victory over Florida, the Crimson Tide regained their No. 2 ranking in the AP Poll.
Following the Florida victory, Alabama returned home for their homecoming
game against the Vanderbilt Commodores
. For the second time of the season, the Alabama defense had a shutout in the 34–0 Crimson Tide victory. After a 52–7 victory over the Ole Miss Rebels
at Vaught–Hemingway Stadium, Alabama returned for their annual Third Saturday in October
contest against the Tennessee Volunteers. The Crimson Tide defeated Tennessee for the fifth consecutive season with their 37–6 victory to enter their bye week undefeated and ranked No. 2 for their game against No. 1 LSU in Tuscaloosa.
Entering the game against LSU, Alabama's defense was ranked at or near the top of all defensive categories nationally. They ranked first in total defense (180.5 yards per game), scoring defense (6.88 points per game) and rushing defense (44.88 yards per game). The Crimson Tide also nationally ranked second, and first in conference, in pass defense (135.63 yards per game). On offense the Crimson Tide ranked eleventh in scoring offense (39.38 points per game), fourteenth in rushing offense (229.25 yards per game), 23rd in total offense (457.63 yards per game) and 63rd in passing offense (228.38 yards per game). In conference, they ranked first in total, scoring and rushing offense and fourth in passing offense.
, Alabama
. The game was broadcast nationally in prime time
on CBS
with Verne Lundquist
providing the play-by-play commentary
, Gary Danielson
providing the color commentary
and Tracy Wolfson
serving as the sideline reporter
.
, Alabama elected to receive the ball to open the first half. Marquis Maze
received the James Hairston kickoff
and returned it to the Alabama 30 yard line where the offense began. Alabama opened with a pair of gains by Trent Richardson
on an 18-yard run and then on a 22-yard pass reception from A. J. McCarron
to reach the LSU 30 yard line. However the drive stalled on the next three plays. On fourth down, Cade Foster
missed a 44-yard field goal wide right and the game remained tied at zero. The Tigers began their first offensive series with Jarrett Lee
at quarterback
from their own 27-yard line. After gaining a pair of first downs on runs by Spencer Ware and short passes from Lee, LSU's Brad Wing
punted
the ball out-of-bounds at the Alabama five. After a short gain and an incompletion, McCarron threw a 19-yard pass to Maze for a first down. The Crimson Tide gained another pair of first downs with a Maze reception and three runs each from Richardson and Eddie Lacy
before the drive stalled at the LSU 33. Again Foster missed a field goal, this time from 50-yards, and the game remained tied at zero. On the ensuing LSU possession, Ware had a short gain and Lee completed a short pass to Russell Shepard
before he threw an interception to Robert Lester
at the Alabama 47 yard line. Alabama began their third offensive series with a 19-yard completion from McCarron to Darius Hanks before the end of the first quarter.
took over as the Tigers' quarterback, and LSU gained a first down on a six-yard Michael Ford
run and a pair of short runs by Ware. However, once again the drive stalled and Brad Wing was forced to punt for LSU. Staring from their own four, Lacy had a sort gain before Richardson had four consecutive runs to move the ball to the 39. The following play was Alabama's longest play from scrimmage of the game when McCarron thew a 39-yard pass to Richardson to bring the ball to the LSU 19 yard line. However, for the fourth time in four offensive possessions, the LSU defense held Alabama to a field goal attempt. This time the 34-yard Jeremy Shelley kick was good and the Crimson Tide took a 3–0 lead. After the received the kickoff, LSU began their fourth offensive possession from their own 24. The Tigers opened their drive with runs of 14 and nine yards from Ford, followed by short runs from Ware, Jefferson and Ford again to bring the ball to the Alabama 36. After a five yard substitution penalty, Jefferson completed a 34-yard pass to Russell Shepard
to give the Tigers a first and goal from the Alabama eight. After a four yard rush by Ford and a Jefferson incompletion, Dre Kirkpatrick
was called for holding
that resulted in a first and goal from the Alabama two yard line. After another Jefferson incompletion and a run for no gain by Ford, LSU called time-out, followed by an Alabama time-out in an attempt to ice the kicker
, Drew Alleman kicked a 19-yard field goal as time expired to tie the game at 3–3 at the half.
resulting in their first punt of the night from Cody Mandell. With Lee back at quarterback for LSU, he threw his second interception of the night to Mark Barron
to give Alabama possession at the LSU 35. Once again the LSU defense held the Alabama offense in check to set up another long field goal attempt. This time Foster connected on a 46-yard field goal to give the Crimson Tide a 6–3 lead. On the following drive, LSU was able to gain a pair of first downs primarily with only runs by Jefferson and Ford, but again were forced to punt. Starting from their own 11, Alabama was able to gain a pair of first downs on McCarron passes before he threw an interception to Morris Claiborne
that was returned to the Alabama 15. The quarter ended two plays later after a pair of LSU runs resulted in no gain.
to Reid at the LSU one-yard line to give the Tigers possession. After Alabama held LSU to a three-and-out, Wing had a 73-yard punt to give Alabama possession at their own 18. Alabama and LSU would then trade punts on the next three offensive possessions to send the game into overtime tied 6–6.
by Sam Montgomery, Foster missed a 52 yard field goal. On LSU's possession, Ware had a three-yard rush and then Ford had a 15-yard run to give the Tigers a first down from the Alabama seven. After a pair of runs netting a loss of one yard, on third down Alleman kicked a 25 yard field goal to give LSU the 9–6 victory.
. Although they lost, Alabama held an overall lead in the all-time series with 45 wins to only 25 for LSU and five ties. The following day, Alabama dropped to No. 4 in both the AP and Coaches' Polls and to No. 3 in the BCS standings. LSU remained atop all three polls at No. 1.
College football
College football refers to American football played by teams of student athletes fielded by American universities, colleges, and military academies, or Canadian football played by teams of student athletes fielded by Canadian universities...
game between the unbeaten LSU Tigers
2011 LSU Tigers football team
The 2011 LSU Tigers football team represents Louisiana State University in the 2011 NCAA Division I FBS football season. The Tigers are led by seventh year head coach Les Miles and play their home games at Tiger Stadium...
(ranked
AP Poll
The Associated Press College Poll refers to weekly rankings of the top 25 NCAA teams in one of three Division I college sports: football, men's basketball and women's basketball. The rankings are compiled by polling sportswriters across the nation...
No. 1 in the nation), and the unbeaten Alabama Crimson Tide
2011 Alabama Crimson Tide football team
The 2011 Alabama Crimson Tide football team represents the University of Alabama in the 2011 NCAA Division I FBS football season. It marks the Crimson Tide's 119th overall season, 79th as a member of the Southeastern Conference and its 20th within the SEC Western Division...
(ranked No. 2 in the nation) on November 5, 2011. The game took place at Bryant–Denny Stadium in Tuscaloosa
Tuscaloosa, Alabama
Tuscaloosa is a city in and the seat of Tuscaloosa County in west central Alabama . Located on the Black Warrior River, it is the fifth-largest city in Alabama, with a population of 90,468 in 2010...
, Alabama
Alabama
Alabama is a state located in the southeastern region of the United States. It is bordered by Tennessee to the north, Georgia to the east, Florida and the Gulf of Mexico to the south, and Mississippi to the west. Alabama ranks 30th in total land area and ranks second in the size of its inland...
on the campus of the University of Alabama
University of Alabama
The University of Alabama is a public coeducational university located in Tuscaloosa, Alabama, United States....
. Coined a "Game of the Century
Game of the Century (college football)
The phrase "Game of the Century" is a superlative that has been applied to several college football contests played in the 20th century, the first full century of college football in the United States...
," this game marked the first time that two Southeastern Conference
Southeastern Conference
The Southeastern Conference is an American college athletic conference that operates in the southeastern part of the United States. It is headquartered in Birmingham, Alabama...
football teams came into a regular-season matchup undefeated and ranked No. 1 and No. 2 in the nation. In a game dominated by both defenses, LSU won in overtime
Overtime (sports)
Overtime or extra time is an additional period of play specified under the rules of a sport to bring a game to a decision and avoid declaring the match a tie or draw. In most sports, this extra period is only played if the game is required to have a clear winner, as in single-elimination...
9–6.
Pre-game buildup
The LSU Tigers and Alabama Crimson Tide first met in 1895 and continuously since 1964, and entering the 2011 contest Alabama held an overall lead in the all-time series with 45 wins to only 24 for LSU and five ties. Historically, LSU's main rival was TulaneBattle for the Rag
The Battle for the Rag is an American college football rivalry game played by the LSU Tigers football team of Louisiana State University and the Tulane Green Wave football team of Tulane University...
and Alabama's were Auburn
Iron Bowl
The Iron Bowl is an American college football rivalry game played annually by the Alabama Crimson Tide football team of the University of Alabama and the Auburn Tigers football team of Auburn University. The series is considered one of the best and most hard-fought rivalries in all of sports...
and Tennessee
Third Saturday in October
The Third Saturday in October, also known as the Alabama–Tennessee football rivalry, is an American college football rivalry game played annually by the Alabama Crimson Tide football team of the University of Alabama and the Tennessee Volunteers football team of the University of Tennessee...
. However, since former Tigers' head coach Nick Saban
Nick Saban
Nicholas Lou "Nick" Saban is the head coach of the University of Alabama's Crimson Tide football team. Saban has previously served as head coach of the National Football League's Miami Dolphins and three other NCAA universities: LSU, Michigan State and Toledo...
took the head coaching position at Alabama beginning in the 2007 season
2007 NCAA Division I FBS football season
The 2007 NCAA Division I FBS football season, or the college football season, began on August 30, 2007, progressed through the regular season and bowl season, and concluded with the Bowl Championship Series National Championship Game in New Orleans, Louisiana on January 7, 2008, where the top...
, the Alabama–LSU game has become a major rivalry game for each school.
Entering the 2011 season, both teams were ranked in the top five. Following Alabama's victory over Arkansas and LSU's over West Virginia on September 24, their November 5 game became viewed by many in the national media as a playoff with the winner ultimately advancing to the 2012 BCS National Championship Game
2012 BCS National Championship Game
The 2012 Allstate BCS National Championship Game is scheduled to be the final college football game to determine the national champion of the 2011 NCAA Division I FBS football season...
. When the Week 10 polls were released on October 30, the game officially became the first regular season No. 1 vs. No. 2 matchup since the 2006 Michigan vs. Ohio State football game
2006 Michigan vs. Ohio State football game
The 2006 Michigan vs. Ohio State Game was a regular season college football game between the unbeaten Michigan Wolverines , and the unbeaten Ohio State Buckeyes . The game took place at Ohio Stadium in Columbus, Ohio on the campus of the Ohio State University...
, and the first all-time regular season No. 1 vs. No. 2 matchup between SEC conference foes. Additionally, due to the the No. 1 vs. No. 2 rankings against conference rivals and the hype leading up to the matchup, the game became referred to as the "Game of the Century
Game of the Century (college football)
The phrase "Game of the Century" is a superlative that has been applied to several college football contests played in the 20th century, the first full century of college football in the United States...
."
LSU
Entering the 2011 season, LSU opened as the No. 4 ranked team in both the APAP Poll
The Associated Press College Poll refers to weekly rankings of the top 25 NCAA teams in one of three Division I college sports: football, men's basketball and women's basketball. The rankings are compiled by polling sportswriters across the nation...
and Coaches' Polls. In week one, the Tigers met the No. 3 Oregon Ducks
2011 Oregon Ducks football team
The 2011 Oregon Ducks football team represents the University of Oregon in the 2011 college football season. The team is led by Chip Kelly in his third season as a head coach. The Ducks play their home games at Autzen Stadium for the 45th straight year...
in the Cowboys Classic
Cowboys Classic
The Cowboys Classic is an annual college football game played on the opening weekend of the college football season in Arlington, Texas at Cowboys Stadium.-Game results :Winners are listed in bold...
at Arlington
Arlington, Texas
Arlington is a city in Tarrant County, Texas within the Dallas–Fort Worth metropolitan area. According to the 2010 census results, the city had a population of 365,438, making it the third largest municipality in the Metroplex...
, Texas
Texas
Texas is the second largest U.S. state by both area and population, and the largest state by area in the contiguous United States.The name, based on the Caddo word "Tejas" meaning "friends" or "allies", was applied by the Spanish to the Caddo themselves and to the region of their settlement in...
. Against the hyped Oregon running attack, the LSU defense held the Ducks to less than 100 yards rushing in their 40–27 victory, and with their win moved up to No. 2 and No. 3 in the AP and Coaches' Polls. After holding the Northwestern State Demons
2011 Northwestern State Demons football team
The 2011 Northwestern State Demons football team represented Northwestern State University in the 2011 NCAA Division I FCS football season. The Demons were led by third year head coach Bradley Dale Peveto and played their home games at Harry Turpin Stadium. They are a member of the Southland...
of the Football Championship Subdivision to minus 4 yards rushing in Baton Rouge
Baton Rouge, Louisiana
Baton Rouge is the capital of the U.S. state of Louisiana. It is located in East Baton Rouge Parish and is the second-largest city in the state.Baton Rouge is a major industrial, petrochemical, medical, and research center of the American South...
, LSU faced ranked opponents on the road in consecutive weeks against the Mississippi State Bulldogs
2011 Mississippi State Bulldogs football team
The 2011 Mississippi State Bulldogs football team will represent Mississippi State University in the college football season of 2011–2012. The team is coached by Dan Mullen, who is entering his third season with Mississippi State...
and the West Virginia Mountaineers
2011 West Virginia Mountaineers football team
The 2011 West Virginia Mountaineer football team will represent West Virginia University in the 2011 college football season as members of the Big East Conference. The Mountaineers are led by Dana Holgorsen, who is entering his first season as head coach...
. Against the No. 25 Bulldogs, the Tigers only managed to score a single touchdown, but behind a third strong defensive performance won 19–6.
In what was their third game against a ranked opponent of the season, LSU played their first all-time game against the No. 16 Mountaineers at Morgantown
Morgantown, West Virginia
Morgantown is a city in Monongalia County, West Virginia. It is the county seat of Monongalia County. Placed along the banks of the Monongahela River, Morgantown is the largest city in North-Central West Virginia, and the base of the Morgantown metropolitan area...
. Although West Virginia was able to outgain the Tigers in total offense 533 to 366 yards, four Mountaineer turnovers resulted in a 47–21 LSU victory. As a result of this win combined with the other two over ranked opponents, LSU was selected the No. 1 team by the AP following week 5. The Tigers returned back home and defeated the Kentucky Wildcats
2011 Kentucky Wildcats football team
The 2011 Kentucky Wildcats football team represented the University of Kentucky in the college football season of 2011–2012. The team, led by second-year head coach Joker Phillips, played their home games at Commonwealth Stadium in Lexington, Kentucky, and competed in the Eastern Division of the...
35–7 in suspended Jordan Jefferson
Jordan Jefferson
Jordan Jamal Jefferson is an American college football quarterback with the LSU Tigers of the Southeastern Conference...
's return and then the No. 17 Florida Gators
2011 Florida Gators football team
The 2011 Florida Gators football team represents the University of Florida in the sport of American football during the 2011 college football season...
41–11. After their 38–7 victory over the Tennessee Volunteers
2011 Tennessee Volunteers football team
The 2011 Tennessee Volunteers football team will represent the University of Tennessee in the college football season of 2011–2012. The team is coached by Derek Dooley, who is entering his second season with Tennessee...
at Neyland Stadium
Neyland Stadium
Neyland Stadium is a sports stadium in Knoxville, Tennessee, USA. It serves primarily as the home of the Tennessee Volunteers football team, but is also used to host large conventions and has been a site for several NFL exhibition games. The stadium's official capacity is 102,455...
, the Tigers were selected as the No. 1 team in both the AP and Coaches' Polls for the first time of the season after the Oklahoma Sooners
2011 Oklahoma Sooners football team
The 2011 Oklahoma Sooners football team will represent the University of Oklahoma in the college football season of 2011–2012. It will be the 117th year of season play for the Sooners. The team is led by head coach Bob Stoops, a two-time Walter Camp Coach of the Year award winner, who has a...
were upset by Texas Tech Red Raiders
2011 Texas Tech Red Raiders football team
The Red Raiders opened their 2011 season at home against the Texas State Bobcats, marking the 950th overall contest in the program's 86 year history. Texas Tech won the coin toss and elected to receive. Their first drive would end in a punt by Ryan Erxleben from their own 26 yard line...
. The next week, LSU defeated the No. 19 Auburn Tigers
2011 Auburn Tigers football team
The 2011 Auburn Tigers football team represents Auburn University in the college football season of 2011–2012. The team is coached by Gene Chizik, who is entering his third season with Auburn. The Tigers play its home games at Jordan–Hare Stadium in Auburn, Alabama, and competes in the Western...
45–10 at home to enter their bye week
Bye (sports)
A bye, in sports and other competitive activities, most commonly refers to the practice of allowing a player or team to advance to the next round of a playoff tournament without playing...
undefeated and ranked No. 1 for their game against No. 2 Alabama in Tuscaloosa.
Entering the game against Alabama, LSU's defense was ranked near the top of all defensive categories nationally. They ranked fourth in total defense (251.38 yards per game), third scoring defense (11.5 points per game) and rushing defense (76.63 yards per game), and tenth in passing defense (174.75 yards per game). The Tigers ranked only second in conference in total, scoring and rushing defense and fourth in passing defense. On offense the Tigers ranked twelfth in scoring offense (39.25 points per game), 31st in rushing offense (189 yards per game), 81st in total offense (372.13 yards per game) and 99th in passing offense (183.13 yards per game). In conference, they ranked second in scoring offense, fourth in rushing offense, sixth in total offense and eighth in passing offense.
Alabama
Entering the 2011 season, Alabama opened as the No. 2 ranked team in both the AP and Coaches' Polls. After defeating the Kent State Golden Flashes2011 Kent State Golden Flashes football team
The 2011 Kent State Golden Flashes football team represents Kent State University in the 2011 NCAA Division I FBS football season. The Golden Flashes will be led by first year head coach Darrell Hazell and will play their home games at Dix Stadium. They are a member of the East Division of the...
48–7 in the season opener, Alabama dropped to No. 3 in the AP Poll as a result of LSU's victory over Oregon. In Week 2, the Crimson Tide traveled to Beaver Stadium
Beaver Stadium
Beaver Stadium is an outdoor college football stadium in University Park, Pennsylvania, United States, on the campus of The Pennsylvania State University. It is home to the Penn State Nittany Lions of the Big Ten Conference. The stadium is named for James A...
for the first time since 1989 to play the Penn State Nittany Lions
2011 Penn State Nittany Lions football team
The 2011 Penn State Nittany Lions football team represent the Pennsylvania State University in the 2011 NCAA Division I FBS football season. The team was coached by Joe Paterno for the first nine games until he was fired in the wake of the Penn State sex abuse scandal, with defensive coordinator...
. Alabama defeated the No. 23 Nittany Lions 27–11, and returned to Tuscaloosa for a pair of home games against the North Texas Mean Green
2011 North Texas Mean Green football team
The 2011 North Texas Mean Green football team represents the University of North Texas in the 2011 NCAA Division I FBS football season. The Mean Green will be led by first year head coach Dan McCarney and will its their home games at the brand new Apogee Stadium. The team is a member of the Sun...
and the Arkansas Razorbacks
2011 Arkansas Razorbacks football team
The 2011 Arkansas Razorbacks football team represents the University of Arkansas in the 2011 NCAA Division I FBS football season. The Razorbacks will be led by fourth year head coach Bobby Petrino and will play five home games at Donald W. Reynolds Razorback Stadium and two at War Memorial Stadium...
. Against North Texas, the Alabama defense was dominant in securing the first shutout
Shutout
In team sports, a shutout refers to a game in which one team prevents the opposing team from scoring. While possible in most major sports, they are highly improbable in some sports, such as basketball....
for the Crimson Tide since the 2009 season
2009 Alabama Crimson Tide football team
The 2009 Alabama Crimson Tide football team represented the University of Alabama in the 2009 NCAA Division I FBS football season. It was the Crimson Tide's 77th season as a member of the Southeastern Conference and its 18th within the SEC Western Division...
with their 41–0 victory. The following week, Alabama opened conference play with a 38–14 victory over No. 14 Arkansas and then defeated the undefeated No. 12 Florida Gators 38–10 to extend their record to 5–0. With their victory over Florida, the Crimson Tide regained their No. 2 ranking in the AP Poll.
Following the Florida victory, Alabama returned home for their homecoming
Homecoming
Homecoming is the tradition of welcoming back alumni of a school. It most commonly refers to a tradition in many universities, colleges and high schools in North America...
game against the Vanderbilt Commodores
2011 Vanderbilt Commodores football team
The 2011 Vanderbilt Commodores football team represents Vanderbilt University during the 2011 college football season. The team's head coach is James Franklin , who is in his first year at Vanderbilt; he was previously the Offensive Coordinator and Head Coach in Waiting at the University of...
. For the second time of the season, the Alabama defense had a shutout in the 34–0 Crimson Tide victory. After a 52–7 victory over the Ole Miss Rebels
2011 Ole Miss Rebels football team
The 2011 Ole Miss Rebels football team will represent the University of Mississippi in the college football season of 2011–2012. The team is coached by Houston Nutt, who is entering his fourth season with Ole Miss...
at Vaught–Hemingway Stadium, Alabama returned for their annual Third Saturday in October
Third Saturday in October
The Third Saturday in October, also known as the Alabama–Tennessee football rivalry, is an American college football rivalry game played annually by the Alabama Crimson Tide football team of the University of Alabama and the Tennessee Volunteers football team of the University of Tennessee...
contest against the Tennessee Volunteers. The Crimson Tide defeated Tennessee for the fifth consecutive season with their 37–6 victory to enter their bye week undefeated and ranked No. 2 for their game against No. 1 LSU in Tuscaloosa.
Entering the game against LSU, Alabama's defense was ranked at or near the top of all defensive categories nationally. They ranked first in total defense (180.5 yards per game), scoring defense (6.88 points per game) and rushing defense (44.88 yards per game). The Crimson Tide also nationally ranked second, and first in conference, in pass defense (135.63 yards per game). On offense the Crimson Tide ranked eleventh in scoring offense (39.38 points per game), fourteenth in rushing offense (229.25 yards per game), 23rd in total offense (457.63 yards per game) and 63rd in passing offense (228.38 yards per game). In conference, they ranked first in total, scoring and rushing offense and fourth in passing offense.
Game summary
The 2011 edition of the Alabama–LSU football rivalry kicked off at 7:14 p.m. CST on November 5, 2011, before a crowd of 101,821 people at Bryant–Denny Stadium, in TuscaloosaTuscaloosa, Alabama
Tuscaloosa is a city in and the seat of Tuscaloosa County in west central Alabama . Located on the Black Warrior River, it is the fifth-largest city in Alabama, with a population of 90,468 in 2010...
, Alabama
Alabama
Alabama is a state located in the southeastern region of the United States. It is bordered by Tennessee to the north, Georgia to the east, Florida and the Gulf of Mexico to the south, and Mississippi to the west. Alabama ranks 30th in total land area and ranks second in the size of its inland...
. The game was broadcast nationally in prime time
Prime time
Prime time or primetime is the block of broadcast programming during the middle of the evening for television programing.The term prime time is often defined in terms of a fixed time period—for example, from 19:00 to 22:00 or 20:00 to 23:00 Prime time or primetime is the block of broadcast...
on CBS
SEC on CBS
The SEC on CBS is a presentation of the college football television package owned by CBS Sports...
with Verne Lundquist
Verne Lundquist
Merton Laverne "Verne" Lundquist, Jr. is an American sportscaster, currently employed by CBS Sports television.-Early life and career:Lundquist was born in Duluth, Minnesota...
providing the play-by-play commentary
Sports commentator
In sports broadcasting, a commentator gives a running commentary of a game or event in real time, usually during a live broadcast. The comments are normally a voiceover, with the sounds of the action and spectators also heard in the background. In the case of television commentary, the commentator...
, Gary Danielson
Gary Danielson
Gary Danielson is a former professional football player, a quarterback in the National Football League . He played for the Detroit Lions from 1976 to 1984 and for the Cleveland Browns in 1985, 1987, and 1988...
providing the color commentary
Color commentator
A color commentator is a sports commentator who assists the play-by-play announcer, often by filling in any time when play is not in progress. The color analyst and main commentator will often exchange comments freely throughout the broadcast, when the play-by-play announcer is not describing the...
and Tracy Wolfson
Tracy Wolfson
Tracy Wolfson is an American sportscaster for CBS Sports. She is a University of Michigan graduate with a degree in communications.-Early life and career:...
serving as the sideline reporter
Sideline reporter
A sideline reporter, also known as a field reporter, courtside reporter , clubhouse reporter or dugout reporter , rinkside reporter or inside-the-glass reporter , on-court reporter , hole reporter , or boundary rider , is a member of the...
.
First quarter
After winning the coin tossCoin flipping
Coin flipping or coin tossing or heads or tails is the practice of throwing a coin in the air to choose between two alternatives, sometimes to resolve a dispute between two parties...
, Alabama elected to receive the ball to open the first half. Marquis Maze
Marquis Maze
Tyran Marquis Maze is an American football wide receiver and return specialist currently playing for the Alabama Crimson Tide. He has played for the Crimson Tide from 2008 to 2011 and had over 1,000 receiving yards in the 2009 and 2010 seasons...
received the James Hairston kickoff
Kickoff (American football)
A kickoff is a method of starting a drive in American football and Canadian football. Typically, a kickoff consists of one team – the "kicking team" – kicking the ball to the opposing team – the "receiving team"...
and returned it to the Alabama 30 yard line where the offense began. Alabama opened with a pair of gains by Trent Richardson
Trent Richardson
Trent Richardson is an American football running back. He is in his junior year at the University of Alabama. As a true freshman with the Alabama Crimson Tide in 2009 he helped lead the Tide to an undefeated 14-0 season including a victory in the 2010 BCS National Championship Game.-High school...
on an 18-yard run and then on a 22-yard pass reception from A. J. McCarron
A. J. McCarron
Raymond Anthony "AJ" McCarron, Jr. is an American football quarterback at the University of Alabama. He became the starting quarterback for the Crimson Tide in the 2011 season, following the departure of former starter Greg McElroy....
to reach the LSU 30 yard line. However the drive stalled on the next three plays. On fourth down, Cade Foster
Cade Foster
Cade Foster is an American football placekicker for the Alabama Crimson Tide. Foster was considered one of the best placekickers of his class.-High school career:...
missed a 44-yard field goal wide right and the game remained tied at zero. The Tigers began their first offensive series with Jarrett Lee
Jarrett Lee
Calen Jarrett Lee is an American football quarterback. He currently attends Louisiana State University where he is the starting quarterback...
at quarterback
Quarterback
Quarterback is a position in American and Canadian football. Quarterbacks are members of the offensive team and line up directly behind the offensive line...
from their own 27-yard line. After gaining a pair of first downs on runs by Spencer Ware and short passes from Lee, LSU's Brad Wing
Brad Wing
Bradley T. Wing is an American football punter. He currently attends Louisiana State University as a redshirt freshman. Wing has achieved notoriety during several nationally televised games for his accuracy and leg strength in LSU's punting game...
punted
Punt (football)
In some codes of football, a punt is a play in which a player drops the ball and kicks it before it touches the ground. A punt is in contrast to a drop kick, in which the ball touches the ground before being kicked....
the ball out-of-bounds at the Alabama five. After a short gain and an incompletion, McCarron threw a 19-yard pass to Maze for a first down. The Crimson Tide gained another pair of first downs with a Maze reception and three runs each from Richardson and Eddie Lacy
Eddie Lacy
Eddie Lacy is a college football player currently playing as the No. 2 running back for the 2011 Alabama Crimson Tide football team. During the 2011 regular season, his average of 7.5 yards per carry ranked first in the Southeastern Conference and sixth in the NCAA Football Bowl Subdivision.-High...
before the drive stalled at the LSU 33. Again Foster missed a field goal, this time from 50-yards, and the game remained tied at zero. On the ensuing LSU possession, Ware had a short gain and Lee completed a short pass to Russell Shepard
Russell Shepard
Russell Shepard is an American football Wide Receiver for the LSU Tigers. He attended Cypress Ridge High School in Harris County, Texas, United States....
before he threw an interception to Robert Lester
Robert Lester (American football)
Robert Lester is an American football safety for the Alabama Crimson Tide.-College career:As a freshman in 2009, Lester played in eight games, recording eight tackles. As a sophomore in 2010 Lester took over as a starter and had 52 tackles, eight interceptions and a sack.-External links:*...
at the Alabama 47 yard line. Alabama began their third offensive series with a 19-yard completion from McCarron to Darius Hanks before the end of the first quarter.
Second quarter
After a ten-yard gain by Richardson to start the quarter, Alabama lost a total of seven yards on consecutive plays and a McCarron incompletion on third down set up a third long field goal attempt. This time the 49-yard attempt from Jeremy Shelley was blocked by Bennie Logan and recovered by Eric Reid who returned it to the Alabama 48. On this possession, Jordan JeffersonJordan Jefferson
Jordan Jamal Jefferson is an American college football quarterback with the LSU Tigers of the Southeastern Conference...
took over as the Tigers' quarterback, and LSU gained a first down on a six-yard Michael Ford
Michael Ford (American football)
Michael Deshown Ford is an American football running back. He currently attends Louisiana State University in his redshirt freshman year. Ford is considered one of the better running back prospects of his class....
run and a pair of short runs by Ware. However, once again the drive stalled and Brad Wing was forced to punt for LSU. Staring from their own four, Lacy had a sort gain before Richardson had four consecutive runs to move the ball to the 39. The following play was Alabama's longest play from scrimmage of the game when McCarron thew a 39-yard pass to Richardson to bring the ball to the LSU 19 yard line. However, for the fourth time in four offensive possessions, the LSU defense held Alabama to a field goal attempt. This time the 34-yard Jeremy Shelley kick was good and the Crimson Tide took a 3–0 lead. After the received the kickoff, LSU began their fourth offensive possession from their own 24. The Tigers opened their drive with runs of 14 and nine yards from Ford, followed by short runs from Ware, Jefferson and Ford again to bring the ball to the Alabama 36. After a five yard substitution penalty, Jefferson completed a 34-yard pass to Russell Shepard
Russell Shepard
Russell Shepard is an American football Wide Receiver for the LSU Tigers. He attended Cypress Ridge High School in Harris County, Texas, United States....
to give the Tigers a first and goal from the Alabama eight. After a four yard rush by Ford and a Jefferson incompletion, Dre Kirkpatrick
Dre Kirkpatrick
D'Andre "Dre" Lawan Kirkpatrick is an American football player. He is a junior cornerback for the Alabama Crimson Tide. Kirkpatrick was rated as one of the top high school defensive backs in the country...
was called for holding
Holding (American football)
In gridiron football, holding is the illegal restraining of another player who is not in possession of the ball. Holding is banned in most football leagues because it does not allow fair play of the game and increases the risk for injury....
that resulted in a first and goal from the Alabama two yard line. After another Jefferson incompletion and a run for no gain by Ford, LSU called time-out, followed by an Alabama time-out in an attempt to ice the kicker
Icing the kicker
In the sport of American football or Canadian football, the art of icing the kicker or freezing the kicker is a tactic employed by defending teams to disrupt the process of kicking a field goal just prior to the snap. Typically, either a player or a coach on the defending team will call time out...
, Drew Alleman kicked a 19-yard field goal as time expired to tie the game at 3–3 at the half.
Third quarter
LSU received the ball to start the second half and started their fifth offensive drive from their own 18. After gaining a first down on a short pass an a pair of runs, the Alabama defense stopped the Tigers on their next series to force a punt. Starting from their own 48, Alabama was only able to muster a three and outThree and Out
Three And Out is a 2008 British comedy film directed by Jonathan Gershfield. It premiered in London on the 21 April 2008 and was released in the UK and Ireland on 25 April 2008.-Plot:...
resulting in their first punt of the night from Cody Mandell. With Lee back at quarterback for LSU, he threw his second interception of the night to Mark Barron
Mark Barron
Mark Barron , nicknamed “Superman,” is an American football safety for the Alabama Crimson Tide. Barron is 6'2" tall and weighs approximately 215 pounds. He has been clocked running 40 yards in 4.5 seconds....
to give Alabama possession at the LSU 35. Once again the LSU defense held the Alabama offense in check to set up another long field goal attempt. This time Foster connected on a 46-yard field goal to give the Crimson Tide a 6–3 lead. On the following drive, LSU was able to gain a pair of first downs primarily with only runs by Jefferson and Ford, but again were forced to punt. Starting from their own 11, Alabama was able to gain a pair of first downs on McCarron passes before he threw an interception to Morris Claiborne
Morris Claiborne
Morris Lee Claiborne is an American football cornerback for the LSU Tigers. He is considered one of the best cornerback prospects for the 2013 NFL Draft.-Early years:...
that was returned to the Alabama 15. The quarter ended two plays later after a pair of LSU runs resulted in no gain.
Fourth quarter
After a two-yard Jefferson run to open the fourth quarter, Alleman kicked a 30-yard field goal to tie the game at 6–6. Alabama began the next series with a two-yard Richardson reception followed by a two-yard run before McCarron connected with Maze for a first down on an 18-yard reception. Richardson then had a three-yard run followed by a 24-yard run to give the Crimson Tide a first down at the LSU 28. On the following play, Maze threw an interception on a trick playTrick play
A trick play, also known as a gadget play or a gimmick play, is a play in American football that uses deception and unorthodox strategies to fool the opposing team. A trick play is often risky, offering the potential for a large gain or a touchdown if it is successful, but with the chance of a...
to Reid at the LSU one-yard line to give the Tigers possession. After Alabama held LSU to a three-and-out, Wing had a 73-yard punt to give Alabama possession at their own 18. Alabama and LSU would then trade punts on the next three offensive possessions to send the game into overtime tied 6–6.
Overtime
In the overtime period, Alabama was on offense first. After a pair of McCarron incompletions to Richardson, a five-yard substitution penalty and a five-yard quarterback sackQuarterback sack
In American football and Canadian football, a sack occurs when the quarterback is tackled behind the line of scrimmage before he can throw a forward pass, or when the quarterback is tackled behind the line of scrimmage in the "pocket" and the intent of what he was going to do is unclear...
by Sam Montgomery, Foster missed a 52 yard field goal. On LSU's possession, Ware had a three-yard rush and then Ford had a 15-yard run to give the Tigers a first down from the Alabama seven. After a pair of runs netting a loss of one yard, on third down Alleman kicked a 25 yard field goal to give LSU the 9–6 victory.
Scoring summary
Aftermath
With the victory, LSU took a one game lead in the SEC Western Division standings over Alabama for a place in the 2011 SEC Championship Game2011 SEC Championship Game
The 2011 SEC Championship Game will be played on December 3, 2011, in the Georgia Dome in Atlanta, Georgia, to determine the 2011 football champion of the Southeastern Conference . The game will feature the Georgia Bulldogs of the Eastern division against the LSU Tigers of the Western division. LSU...
. Although they lost, Alabama held an overall lead in the all-time series with 45 wins to only 25 for LSU and five ties. The following day, Alabama dropped to No. 4 in both the AP and Coaches' Polls and to No. 3 in the BCS standings. LSU remained atop all three polls at No. 1.