Alabama defensive back Deion Belue (13) intercepts a pass intended for Mississippi wide receiver Donte Moncrief (12) during the first half of an NCAA college football game Saturday, Sept. 29, 2012, in Tuscaloosa, Ala.TUSCALOOSA, Ala. - Amari Cooper caught two touchdown passes from AJ McCarron and Christion Jones returned a kickoff 99 yards for another score, leading No. 1 Alabama to a 33-14 victory over Mississippi Saturday night.
The Crimson Tide (5-0, 2-0 Southeastern Conference) trailed briefly, 7-6, for the first time in regulation since last year's Tennessee game, a span of nine-plus games. The Rebels (3-2, 0-1) put up a fight against a team that had been walloping opponents by nearly 37 points on average, but still lost their ninth straight SEC opener.
McCarron completed 22 of 30 passes for 180 yards and Eddie Lacy gained much of his 82 yards in the fourth quarter when Alabama put it away with Jeremy Shelley's third and fourth field goals of the game.
The Tide's defense bailed out an offense that sputtered at times with three interceptions.
Alabama totalled 305 yards against a defense that gave up 66 points and 676 yards to Texas two weeks ago. The Rebels gained 218 yards in a game that was largely controlled by the defenses after days when SEC teams like Texas A&M and Georgia rolled up 50-plus points.
Lacy had 12 carries for 43 yards through three quarters. Cooper collected eight catches for 84 yards.
McCarron broke Brodie Croyle's school mark of 190 consecutive passes without an interception. He finished the game with 206 in a row.
Bo Wallace was 15-of-26 passing for 123 yards for Ole Miss and was intercepted twice. Jeff Scott was limited to 49 yards on 19 carries with a touchdown.
Ole Miss did something no other team had done in about 10 games: Got a lead on Alabama in regulation. It lasted only as long as it took Jones to run back the ensuing kick.
Scott cut inside for a 1-yard touchdown early in the second quarter for a 7-6 lead. That ended the Tide's streak at 603 minutes, 46 seconds dating back to a 3-0 first quarter deficit against the Volunteers last season.
It was fleeting. Jones raced untouched for a touchdown after grabbing the ball on a high bounce at the goal line and Alabama scored two more TDs before halftime to surge to a 27-7 lead.
It was Alabama's first kick return for a TD since Trent Richardson did it against Duke on Sept. 18, 2010.
Then, Dee Milliner intercepted a pass that Wallace threw right to him. Three plays later, McCarron hit the playmaking freshman Cooper for a 16-yard touchdown. It was ruled incomplete, but a review overturned the call after replays showed he had possession with a foot in bounds and the ball stretched just across the goal line.
Cooper reached over Frank Crawford in the end zone for a 12-yard touchdown. Both his scores were on third-down plays.
Ole Miss didn't score again until Randall Mackey's 12-yard touchdown run with 6:35 left in the third quarter trimmed the deficit to 27-14. The Rebels converted two fourth-down plays on the drive, on a Jeff Scott run and catch.
The Rebels had one final chance to stay in the game. They inched across midfield midway through the fourth but had to punt and Alabama ran most of the clock down with a ground game mostly held in check before getting another field goal.