Gators lose QB John Brantley, game to No. 3 Crimson Tide
No. 3 Alabama showed that they can run and stop the run better than the 12th-ranked Florida Gators, maybe better than anyone in the country. Trent Richardson had a career-high 181 yards rushing and two touchdowns, breaking tackles and carrying defenders along the way as the Crimson Tide rolled over the Gators 38-10 on Saturday, Oct. 1. With Richardson leading the way, Alabama (5-0, 2-0 SEC) completed its recent dominance in the series between the two Southeastern Conference heavyweights. They outscored Florida (4-1, 2-1) 101-29 in the last three meetings, all of which were wins for the Crimson Tide. The game was Florida’s worst home loss since falling to LSU 36-7 in 2002.
Read the original story on ESPN | Oct. 1, 2011
Russell Wilson, Badgers hand Huskers rude welcome to Big Ten
Russell Wilson gave Nebraska a harsh welcome to the Big Ten, throwing for two touchdowns and running for another in No. 7 Wisconsin’s 48-17 rout of the eighth-ranked Cornhuskers on Saturday night. Wisconsin running back Montee Ball also rushed for over 150 yards and picked up four touchdowns. The crowd of 81,384 was filled with plenty of Nebraska fans. Earlier in the week, those thousands of fans were expected to make the trip to Madison, Wi., over the weekend for the Huskers’ first conference game as a member of the Big Ten. Wisconsin is in the Leaders division of the Big Ten and Nebraska is in the Legends division, meaning the two teams could play in the conference championship game.
Read the original story on ESPN | Saturday, Oct. 1, 2011
Lions storm back to defeat Dallas 34-30
Matthew Stafford and Calvin Johnson led the Detroit Lions to a surprising 34-30 win over the Dallas Cowboys on Sunday, Oct. 2. The defense wiped out a 24-point deficit with interceptions returned for touchdowns on consecutive drives midway through the third quarter, changing the tempo of the game. Turning a 20-point halftime deficit into a four-point win proves that Detroit is a legitimate contender in the NFL North this season. Detroit is 4-0 and has won an NFL-best eight straight games. The Cowboys (2-2), on the other hand lost a lead greater than 14 points in a game for the second time this season.
Read the original story on ESPN | Sunday, Oct. 2, 2011
Eagles fall to San Francisco
Despite having a 23-3 lead at the half, the Philadelphia Eagles fell short against the San Francisco 49ers on Sunday, Oct. 2. Frank Gore’s 12-yard run completed a second-half comeback, giving the 49ers a 24-23 win over the Eagles. The 49ers (3-1), leaders of the NFC West, were unable to slow Eagles quarterback Michael Vick, who threw for a career-high 416 yards and ran for another 75. San Francisco capitalized on Philadelphia’s weak defense in the second half, scoring 21 unanswered points. Alex Smith connected for two touchdowns in the second half; one was to wide receiver Josh Morgan while the other was to tight end Vernon Davis.
Read the original story on ESPN | Sunday, Oct. 2, 2011
