SOUTHEASTERN CONFERENCE : Alabama Takes Advantage of Turnovers, Beats Vanderbilt, 17-7

No. 11 Alabama used strong defense and turnover-free offense to get past Vanderbilt, 17-7, Saturday in a Southeastern Conference game at Tuscaloosa, Ala.

Alabama’s defense forced four turnovers, setting up both touchdowns, and the plodding offense had trouble moving the ball but never gave it away.

“I thought Vanderbilt played extremely tough,” said Alabama Coach Gene Stallings. “But when we really had to have it, we got a couple of interceptions and a fumble and turned the game around.”

Alabama has dominated Vanderbilt over the past quarter-century, winning 24 of the past 25 meetings, but didn’t look very dominating Saturday. In fact, the offense managed only two drives of more than 23 yards and quarterback Jay Barker was sacked seven times.

Vanderbilt even had a chance to go ahead when Steve Yenner lined up for a 37-yard field goal attempt with the score tied 7-7 late in the third quarter. But Shannon Brown broke right up the middle and blocked the kick.

“They had a lot of momentum on their side. Everybody was looking for someone to make the plays,” said Brown, who did just that and cut his lip in the process. “The field goal is not a rest play. We go out and practice it every day.”

The Crimson Tide, 2-0 overall and 1-0 in the SEC, managed only 151 yards in the first three quarters.

“They were a lot more physical than last year,” Alabama offensive lineman Joey Harville said. “It was much harder for us to wear them down.”

But wear the Commodores down they did. “To win in the SEC, you can’t play just three quarters,” Harville pointed out. “You’ve got to play 60 minutes of ball.”

That’s a lesson Vandy (1-1, 0-1) still must learn.

“You can’t play like that in the second half and win a football game,” Coach Gerry DiNardo said. “Momentum is something we have to learn. It changes the game.”

Dameian Jeffries made Alabama’s first big defensive play from his end position, trailing the play to pick off a first-quarter pass that bounced off Vandy receiver Gabe Banks. Displaying the skills that made him an all-state tight end in high school, the 278-pound senior broke a tackle and cut back across the field on a 24-yard return to the Tide 23.

“Running with the ball reminded me of my tight end days,” Jeffries said. “It felt good.”

Maybe Jeffries should have stayed on the field with the offense. It took seven plays for Alabama to reach the end zone, scoring on Barker’s eight-yard pass to Curtis Brown with 6:26 left in the first quarter.

That would be the Tide’s only score for more than three quarters. Michael Proctor, who missed a 40-yard field goal in the third quarter, put the Tide ahead for good on a 31-yarder with 6:04 remaining in the game.

Alabama then sealed the victory when Vandy quarterback Ronny Gordon, trying to scramble for a first down, fumbled and Ralph Staten recovered at the Commodore 17.

Taking no chances, Alabama ran Sherman Williams three straight plays to the two before freshman Curtis Alexander went over with 2:59 remaining. Williams finished with 125 yards in 26 carries.

Alabama continued its domination of Vandy going back to 1970. Not only has the Tide won 24 of the last 25 meetings, including 10 in a row, and it now leads the series, 50-18-4.

The Commodores defense couldn’t be faulted for the loss, however. Anchored by linemen James Manley and Jay Stallworth and linebackers Gerald Collins and Jamie Duncan, Vandy gave up only 222 yards and won the statistical battle against the Tide’s more vaunted defense, which allowed 279. Duncan had 16 tackles.

The Vandy offense, which has relied almost solely on the run since DiNardo arrived three years ago, continued to show more balance. In a season-opening victory over Wake Forest, the Commodores threw their first touchdown pass since 1992. Against Alabama, Gordon completed nine of 17 passes for 131 yards but was intercepted three times.

Vanderbilt scored its only touchdown on a seven-play, 72-yard drive that was more impressive than anything Alabama put together. Gordon threw a 21-yard pass to Kenny Simon, and Cliff Deese followed with a 25-yard touchdown run with 3:47 to go in the half.