Before the game and during halftime, Nick Saban was honored for his incredible coaching career, and the field inside Bryant-Denny Stadium was officially dedicated as ‘Saban Field.’
In the midst of all that, there was a football game.
Alabama looked a lot like the team Saban coached last season that traveled to Tampa Bay and sloppily defeated South Florida 17-3. Saturday night, Alabama head coach Kalen DeBoer’s Crimson Tide stumbled to a frustrating 42-16 home win over the Bulls.
The final score couldn’t be more misleading, with Alabama tacking on four fourth-quarter touchdowns to extend the lead.
Make no mistake, with 6:45 remaining in the fourth quarter, South Florida kicked a field-goal to make this game 21-16.
Freshman wide receiver Ryan Williams exploded for a 43-yard touchdown, followed by a 56-yard run by running back Jam Miller and a 29-yarder by running back Justice Haynes.
After a slow first half, Alabama began the third quarter with two fumbles and a short punt to give USF field position in Crimson Tide territory for three straight possessions.