No. 2 Alabama’s 37-0 Win Over Memphis St. Isn’t Convincing Enough for Tide’s Perkins

Coach Ray Perkins has some questions about his No. 2 Alabama team, but Coach Charlie Bailey of Memphis State doesn’t.

“Alabama is one heck of a football team and they deserve to be No. 2 in the country,” Bailey said after watching the Crimson Tide defeat his team, 37-0, Saturday.

It was Alabama’s first shutout since a 6-0 victory over Penn State in October, 1984.

However, Perkins said: “I’d like for the offense to be in better shape from the standpoint of consistency and running the ball when we need to, running the ball effectively.”

Bobby Humphrey and Greg Richardson each had 105 yards, Humphrey with 16 runs and Richardson with 5 catches, in the homecoming victory that gave Alabama a 6-0 record and dropped the Tigers to 0-6.

Mike Shula completed 13 of 24 passes for 176 yards before Alabama substitutes took over in the fourth quarter. His 43-yard pass to Richardson gave him 30 touchdown passes for his career, tying him with Jeff Rutledge for the most by an Alabama quarterback.

Van Tiffin kicked field goals of 32, 40 and 22 yards and made four extra points to give him 116 straight, 9 short of the NCAA record set by Uwe von Schamann of Oklahoma in 1976-78.

Alabama’s defense, led by linebacker Cornelius Bennett, held Memphis State to 131 yards offense.