Malik Jackson TD run vs. Alabama 2022
Michael Wade
7
ULM ULM 1-2 , 0-0
63
Winner Alabama ALA 3-0 , 0-0
ULM ULM
1-2 , 0-0
7
Final
63
Alabama ALA
3-0 , 0-0
Winner
Score By Quarters
Team 1st 2nd 3rd 4th F
ULM ULM 0 7 0 0 7
ALA Alabama 28 7 14 14 63

Game Recap: Football |

Unhappy Returns for ULM in Lopsided Loss to Alabama

By ULMWarhawks.com Online Columnist Paul Letlow

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. – Alabama manufactured a four-touchdown lead in the first quarter and cruised to a 63-7 win over ULM Saturday afternoon at Bryant-Denny Stadium.

"They were better than us," ULM coach Terry Bowden said. "The key is to get what you can out of a game like this. I told the guys, for that second quarter, we played about as good as we could play and kind of hung for a little bit.

"But if they play good, decent football, they're better than us in every phase."

The Crimson Tide scored three non-offensive touchdowns in the rout and amassed more yards on eight punt returns (262) than ULM (1-2) posted offensively (169).

"The thing you don't realize until you get in a game like this, their special teams are so much more talented than us," Bowden said. "They played from a short field all day. They had four punt returns for forever, a kick return for forever and blocked a punt for a touchdown. Those you take and add 21 points on."

The Tide (3-0) sacked Chandler Rogers four times with one interception while limiting ULM's quarterback to 96 yards on 11-of-21 passing. ULM rushed 40 times for just 78 yards.

No. 2/1 Alabama pounced on ULM for a 28-0 first-quarter lead while scoring in all three phases.

The Alabama onslaught began with the Crimson Tide's first offensive series as quarterback Bryce Young tossed a 33-yard touchdown pass to Traeshon Holden with 13:12 left in the first quarter.  Alabama needed four plays to go 75 yards.

ULM linebacker Tristan Driggers intercepted Young for his third pick of the young season in the first quarter, but Alabama's Will Anderson Jr. returned the favor with a flair two plays later by intercepting Rogers and returning it 25 yards for a score that put the Tide ahead 14-0 with 10:52 showing on the clock. The second-down pass caromed off running back Andrew Henry's shoulder pads.

A special teams mishap by ULM allowed Alabama to go up 21-0 barely six minutes into the game. Ja'Corey Brooks blocked a Devyn McCormick punt, Malachi Moore recovered at the 3 and scored with 8:50 remaining in the first.

A 7-yard touchdown run by Young with 4:21 to go in the first boosted the home team's lead to 28-0.

Instead of wilting, ULM rallied in the second quarter and mounted an impressive eight-play, 57-yard drive to get on the board. ULM took over after Alabama's turnover on downs and Malik Jackson scored on an 11-yard run to cut the lead to 28-7 with 10:11 left before halftime.

The Warhawks slowed Alabama's roll for most of the second quarter and kept the Tide from scoring again until right before the half. Amari Niblack's 15-yard touchdown catch from Young ended a rapid six-play, 93-yard drive with 52 seconds remaining.

"They jumped us because they've got a great football team," Bowden said. "Our kids came back and played hard and played pretty even with them in the second quarter. They've just got a quarterback who can run a two-minute drill about as good as anything. We played about as well as we can play in the second quarter."

Alabama tallied 225 yards on 25 offensive plays to lead 35-7 at the break. Young completed 10-of-13 passes for 174 yards and two touchdowns with one interception.

ULM gained 133 yards on 41 plays while winning time of possession 21:51 to 8:09. Jackson netted 35 yards with a touchdown on 11 attempts and Rogers completed 9-of-17 first-half passes for 75 yards. Alabama sacked Rogers three times in the half.

The ULM defense contributed its second takeaway when cornerback Duece Mayberry intercepted Young on Alabama's first series of the second half. But Alabama's might was too much to keep down.

A 29-yard punt return by Kool-Aid McKinstry set up the Tide's next score. Four plays and 53 yards later, Alabama's Jahmyr Gibbs made a nifty run on a 37-yard touchdown reception from Young with 8:41 left in the third and the home team led 42-7.

Roydell Williams scored on a 10-yard run at the 4:30 mark of the third quarter to extend Alabama's lead to 49-7.

Brian Branch scored Alabama's third non-offensive touchdown with a 68-yard punt return with 12:36 left in the fourth quarter for a 56-7 lead.

"I don't think we have the weapons or ability to put good enough people on special teams when they can put those good athletes out there," Bowden said. "So, you just suffer through it. If I could go back and punt the ball out of bounds every time, I would. We tried, but he just didn't get it far enough out there."

Trey Sanders finished a 10-play, 49-yard march with a 6-yard touchdown run with 7:36 to go for the final 63-7 margin.

After going 1-2 against the first leg of the schedule, ULM next hosts Louisiana Lafayette in its Sun Belt opener.

"We played Texas, Alabama and now we've got the defending Sun Belt Champion, 13-1 Lafayette coming in next week," Bowden said. "In the first four games, we get to see a little bit about what we're made of. But when I came to ULM, we had not won a game and we plan on being contenders for the conference. That's the Sun Belt, not the Southeastern Conference. We're getting back into our conference now."

Good play: Driggers was spotted wearing a ceremonial bomber jacket on the sidelines after securing his third interception of the season. Driggers recorded picks against Texas and Nicholls State.

ULM's first-year ball hawk spent three seasons at Kilgore College, redshirting the 2019 season before playing in the spring and fall of 2021. He was ranked among the nation's Top 10 JUCO safeties by ESPN (No. 8).

Something special: Alabama's blocked punt returned for a touchdown was the second of the year against ULM. Texas also accomplished the feat in its win over the Warhawks on Sept. 3.

With a 57-yard kick return and eight punt returns for a school-record 262 yards, Alabama had 319 total return yards on special teams.

Winner's circle: The matchup featured two of the top six current coaches on the career wins list for college football.  Ranked first, Saban claimed his 272nd career win while Bowden stands sixth with 179.

Enemy lines: Reigning Heisman Trophy winner Bryce Young completed 13-of-18 passes for 236 yards and three touchdowns before coming out in the third quarter with Alabama leading 49-7. ULM's defense sacked Young once and picked him off twice.

Eight different Alabama players scored touchdowns and the Tide gained 509 yards offensively.

Up next: Sun Belt Conference play begins at home for ULM on Sept. 24 as rival Louisiana Lafayette visits Malone Stadium. Kickoff is 7 p.m.

Tail feathers: Cornerback Lu Tillery blitzed in the second quarter and dropped Young for his first career quarterback sack. … ULM Game Captains were linebacker Zack Woodard, wide receiver Boogie Knight and punter Devyn McCormick. … ULM fell to 1-3 in its all-time series with Alabama.
 
 
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