SEC/TOP 25

Alabama starts Sims, sticks with him to end

Alabama running back T.J.Yeldon (left) runs past West Virginia defensive back Daryl Worley during Saturday’s game at the Georgia Dome in Atlanta. Yeldon carried 23 times for 126 yards and 2 touchdowns in the Crimson Tide’s 33-23 victory.
Alabama running back T.J.Yeldon (left) runs past West Virginia defensive back Daryl Worley during Saturday’s game at the Georgia Dome in Atlanta. Yeldon carried 23 times for 126 yards and 2 touchdowns in the Crimson Tide’s 33-23 victory.

ATLANTA -- Blake Sims took a seat on the bench next to Jake Coker after leading Alabama to a score, and the two chatted for a few minutes before it was time for the offense to go back on the field.

Conversation was the only thing Sims and Coker shared at the Georgia Dome. Sims had the quarterback job all to himself.

The fifth-year senior played well enough in his first career start to keep playing, getting plenty of help from Amari Cooper, T.J. Yeldon and Derrick Henry, and the second-ranked Crimson Tide held off West Virginia 33-23 on Saturday.

Sims was 24 for 33 for 250 yards, added 42 running, threw 1 interception in the fourth quarter and took every meaningful offensive snap.

Tide Coach Nick Saban said leading into the game that both Sims and Coker -- the Florida State transfer -- might play, but he said there was only one point during the game that he thought about pulling the starter.

It came in the second quarter.

"It wasn't his play," Saban said of Sims. "It was ... he called a couple formations wrong in the huddle. He called a couple plays wrong. There was some confusion on the field."

Saban said he suggested going to a no-huddle offense to new coordinator Lane Kiffin, and the tempo helped settle Sims.

"For him to throw for 250 yards, he did a pretty good job of executing all in all and I'm happy with his progress," Saban said. "We're looking forward to how we can help him improve, as well as Jake, too."

So the quarterback competition might not be closed.

"I'll leave that to Coach Saban," Sims said.

Yeldon (126 yards rushing and two touchdowns), Henry (113 yards rushing and a score) and Cooper (12 catches for 130 yards) provided ample support, and Alabama needed all the offense it could get because West Virginia found plenty of soft spots in the Tide's defense.

The Mountaineers' up-tempo spread gave Clint Trickett his pick of open receivers, and he took advantage with 365 yards passing. But West Virginia didn't take full advantage, dropping more than a half-dozen catchable pass, including one off the hands of Elijah Wellman near the goal line that would have been a sure touchdown early in the fourth quarter.

"It's frustrating," West Virginia Coach Dana Holgorsen said of the final result. "You play against a really good team and you're in position in the fourth quarter to be able to win the game. I mean, you don't have those opportunities very often."

Coming off a 4-8 season, West Virginia was a 26½-point underdog. It didn't play that way. Mario Alford returned a kickoff 100 yards for a score with 1:43 left in the first half to tie the game at 17-17.

"We really had the confidence that we were going to compete," Trickett said.

Henry scored the only touchdown of the second half on a 19-yard run midway through the third quarter to put Alabama ahead 27-17. It was all field goals from there.

Coker warmed up briefly on the sideline in the second quarter after Saban told him to get ready, but that was it until it was time for the victory formation at the end.

The biggest question in the preseason was who would replace quarterback AJ McCarron, but it looked as if a defense that struggled at times last year against spread offenses could be a problem again for the Tide.

Maybe the bigger question is who will replace All-American middle linebacker C.J. Mosley. The Tide were also missing linebacker Trey DePriest, who was held out one game for an undisclosed NCAA violation.

Saban called his defense "soft" during a TV interview at halftime but after the game said the problems had a lot to do with lack of communication between the new linebackers and the secondary.

No matter who plays quarterback for Alabama, he'll have a treasure trove of talent with which to work.

"We definitely we want to be physical running the ball, pass blocking and being effective as receivers," Henry said. "Anything we can help out Blake in any way, we're going to try to do."

The Tide even got a 4-for-4 performance on field goals (47, 41, 27, 45) out of Adam Griffith, the kicker who came up short on the field goal that Auburn returned for a touchdown to win the Iron Bowl last year.

Saban wasn't about to sound any alarms after one game, even if some Alabama fans might have expected it to be easier.

"I thought this game was going to be exactly like it was," Saban said.

NO. 12 GEORGIA 45,

NO. 16 CLEMSON 21

ATHENS, Ga. — Todd Gurley ran for 198 yards and three touchdowns, returned a kickoff 100 yards for another score, and No. 12 Georgia gained some early style points in the national race with a victory over No. 16 Clemson on Saturday night.

If rating Heisman Trophy favorites after Week 1, Gurley would surely be among the favorites. He made the most of his limited touches on a sweltering night, averaging 17.2 yards every time he got his hands on the ball. He set a school record for all-purpose yards with 293, breaking the record of 290 set by Rodney Hampton in 1987.

Georgia (1-0) broke open a game that was 21-21 at the half, shutting down Clemson (0-1) in the second half.

NO. 13 LSU 28,

NO. 14 WISCONSIN 24

HOUSTON — Kenny Hilliard scored on a 28-yard touchdown run to cap a fourth-quarter rally for No. 13 LSU in a victory over No. 14 Wisconsin at NRG Stadium on Saturday night.

The Tigers trailed 24-21 when Jalen Mills intercepted a pass from Wisconsin quarterback Tanner McEvoy at the LSU 47 with 11:04 left. Hilliard ran for 53 yards on the ensuing drive, capping it with a sprint through a hole on the right side.

The Tigers extended the nation’s longest regular-season nonconference winning streak to 46 games after coming back from a 24-7 deficit in the fourth quarter.

Sports on 08/31/2014

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