COLLEGE FOOTBALL : Burgdorf Fills In Nicely as Alabama Wins, 40-0

If Brian Burgdorf starts only one game at quarterback for Alabama, he can say he made the most of his opportunity.

Burgdorf, filling in for injured Jay Barker, passed for 216 yards and two touchdowns as the fifth-ranked Crimson Tide routed Southern Mississippi, 40-0, in a nonconference game on Saturday.

“For the first time out starting, I thought he did a fine job,” Alabama Coach Gene Stallings said. “The protection wasn’t what we wanted it to be.”

Alabama (7-0-1) extended its unbeaten streak to 31 games (30-0-1) while holding the Golden Eagles (2-6) to 72 yards rushing and 104 yards passing.

Burgdorf was sacked three times but still completed 16 of 27 passes, including a 20-yard touchdown pass to Tony Johnson and a 12-yarder to David Palmer. Palmer had eight receptions for 129 yards.

“I got hit pretty good a few times,” said Burgdorf, a sophomore. “But it feels great. . . . It feels really good to be able to contribute.”

Stallings said he was unsure of Barker’s status. The junior quarterback, who is 23-0-1 as Alabama’s starter, sprained his left, non-throwing shoulder last week in a 19-14 victory over Mississippi.

Burgdorf figures to spend at least another season on the bench behind Barker, and there’s no guarantee he’ll be the starter in his final season. Freshman Freddie Kitchens is a top prospect, which he demonstrated Saturday by connecting on a 77-yard touchdown pass play to freshman Toderick Malone.