TUSCALOOSA, ALABAMA - Alabama's Shaun Alexander scored a school-record five touchdowns as the Crimson Tide
escaped with a 38-31 win Saturday (Sept. 5) over BYU. In their first-ever meeting and before the largest crowd
ever at Bryant-Denny Stadium (83,818), Alexander ran for 115 yards and the Tide converted three costly Cougar turnovers
into scores.
Alabama took control of the first quarter, but at the beginning of the second Cougar defensive end Byron Frisch
made the score 14-7 after returning an Alexander fumble 39 yards for a touchdown. The Tide rolled right back with
Alexander's third TD, giving Alabama a 24-7 lead with 8:08 left in the half.
With less than 3 minutes remaining in the half, the Cougar offense finally got on track as Kevin Feterik
led an 8 play, 46-yard drive after Carlos Nuno pounced on a fumbled punt. Feterik found tight end Tevita
Ofahengaue in the back of the end zone from 10 yards out to put the Cougars back in the game 24-14.
After returning the second half kickoff the Cougar's fleet-footed Ronney Jenkins was sidelined with leg
cramps. Undaunted, the Cougars took the opening drive of the second half and Jenkins' freshman
understudy, Junior Mahe, scored his first collegiate touchdown on a six-yard run making the score 24-21.
Then the Cougars held on a crucial fourth down conversion with the Tide knocking at the BYU 27-yard line. BYU quieted
the massive Roll Tide cheers as Owen Pochman booted a 23-yard field goal to tie the game with 1:20 left in the third.
Alexander converted a pair of turnovers, an interception and a miss-fired snap, into touchdown runs with 7:02 and 1:38
left in the game.
The Cougars didn't give up. Feterik capped an impressive 75-yard drive in 1:23 minutes with a 13-yard scamper
to cut the lead to 38-31. With just 15 seconds remaining, a Cougar player briefly handled the onsides kick, but
the Crimson Tide ended up with the ball and the victory.
Junior linebacker Rob Morris had 13 tackles and two sacks for minus 17 yards. Morris made the first tackle of
the 1998 season for the Cougars and then on the same drive registered the first sack of Alabama QB John David Phillips.
Feterik was 19 of 30 passes for 182 yards and a touchdown passing and one running. His favorite targets were
Margin Hooks, 4 catches for 65 yards and Mahe, 4 for 38.
1st Quarter:
Alabama takes the opening kickoff and marches 65-yards for the
first score of the game. The drive takes up more than half of the 1st
Quarter and is capped by a 5-yard touchdown by Shaun Alexander.
KEY PLAYS: Dustin McClintock 11-yard run; John David Phillips to
Quincy Jackson for 15-yards.
After BYU goes nowhere in their first series, Alabama goes back to
work quickly with a 37-yard run for the score by Alexander. The drive
started at the BYU 46.
BYU again is forced to punt and the quarter ends with Alabama
picking up a first down near midfield.
2nd Quarter:
On the first play of the quarter, Alabama's Alexander fumbles in the
backfield. The ball is recovered by BYU's Byron Frisch, who rumbles
39-yards for the score.
The Crimson Tide answers quickly with another march down the
field for the score. Shaun Alexander finds the endzone from 1-yard
out for his third score of the game. KEY PLAYS: BYU Personal
Foul; Phillips to Jackson for 14-yards.
On their next series, BYU puts some plays together, but Will
Snowden fumbles near midfield. That leads to more 'Bama points,
this time a 34-yard field goal by Pflugner.
BYU stalls on offense once again, but the Cougars get a break
when Alabama fumbles the punt and BYU gets the ball on the
'Bama 46. The Cougars capitalize by finding the endzone for the first
time on offense. Kevin Feterik spots Tevita Ofahengaue in the
endzone from 10-yards out.
3rd Quarter:
BYU comes out after halftime and draws closer to the Crimson Tide.
True freshman Junior Mahe finds the endzone off the right side for
the touchdown. KEY PLAYS: Will Snowden 17-yard run; Mahe
15-yard pass from Feterik.
Alabama takes over and tries to answer, but on a fourth-and-one
play on the BYU 27, the Tide is stopped. BYU turns around and
marches to the Alabama 13. They settle there for a 23-yard Owen
Pochman field goal.
4th Quarter:
After both teams exchange punts, BYU drives the ball near midfield.
Kevin Feterik's pass is intercepted there by Fernando Bryant. Three
plays later, Alexander scores his fourth touchdown of the night to
give 'Bama the lead. KEY PLAY: Michael Vaughan 14-yard reverse.
On the Cougar's next series, Feterik and center Jimmy Richards
mishandle the snap and Alabama recovers on the BYU 30. The Tide
rolls from there once again, as Alexander adds a personal record
fifth touchdown to set the Tide on top for good. KEY PLAY: Phillips
to Jackson for 21-yards.
BYU comes back once again with a 75-yard drive that results in the
touchdown. Kevin Feterik keeps the ball himself from 13-yards out
for the score. But the drive ends with only 15 seconds remaining,
and proves too little too late for the Cougars. KEY PLAY: Feterik to
Margin Hooks for 17-yards.
