Tiffin Sets SEC Mark; Tide Wins : Alabama Rolls Over Southern Mississippi

Kicker Van Tiffin and quarterback Mike Shula helped lead the fourth-ranked Crimson Tide to a 31-17 nonconference victory Saturday over Southern Mississippi.

Tiffin kicked four extra points, giving him 105 in a row to break the SEC record of 101 set by Georgia’s Rex Robinson in 1977-80. Tiffin’s conversions extended Alabama’s NCAA record to 164, dating back to 1981.

Shula, whose second pass resulted in an interception and a 7-0 Southern Mississippi lead, later teamed with Greg Richardson on two scoring passes. He completed five straight attempts in the final minute of the half, capped by a six-yard touchdown toss to Richardson to give Alabama a 14-10 halftime lead.

Tiffin said his SEC record “doesn’t mean that much, to be honest, because an extra point is not that hard of a kick. I’m not saying that to sound conceited. It’s just that an extra point is a 20-yard field goal, like a layup in basketball. It’s not that hard of a kick, but I’m happy I was able to break (the record).”

Although Alabama (3-0) led at halftime, Coach Ray Perkins said his team did not play together or with consistency during those 30 minutes. “I was pleased to see the improvement from the first half to the second,” he said.

Coach Jim Carmody of Southern Mississippi said: “You can see by the way Alabama played that they certainly deserved their national ranking.”

Alabama held a 24-10 lead when Shula found Richardson on a 31-yard touchdown pass in the final quarter.

Southern’s Onesimus Henry shocked Alabama by interceptinga Shula pass on the Tide’s first possession and running 54 yards untouched for a touchdown.

Bobby Humphrey tied the game with a 4-yard run on Alabama’s next possession, but Rex Banks put the Golden Eagles ahead, 10-7, with a 27-yard field goal before Shula rallied Alabama at the end of the half.