No. 1 Alabama rolls past San Jose State, 48-3
- By John Zenor, AP Sports Writer
January 8, 2010

	Alabama defensive back Robert Lester (37) runs after intercepting a San Jose State pass.

TUSCALOOSA, Ala.(AP) -- Trent Richardson ran for two touchdowns and Greg McElroy passed for 218 yards to help No. 1 Alabama beat San Jose State 48-3 on Saturday night.

The defending national champion Crimson Tide (1-0) shrugged off the absence of injured Heisman Trophy winner Mark Ingram and suspended defensive end Marcell Dareus in the opening mismatch.

The subs played much of the game, anyway, after the Tide raced to a 31-3 halftime lead over the Spartans. Richardson ran for 66 yards and had three catches for 46 yards before sitting out the second half. He scored on runs of 4 and 39 yards for an offense that uncorked plenty of big plays.

Julio Jones made the most dramatic with a diving, one-handed grab for a 29-yard touchdown from backup quarterback A.J.

McCarron early in the second quarter. He finished with six catches for 93 yards and gained 13 yards on an end around to set up the Tide's first touchdown.

Alabama outgained the Spartans 591-175.

McElroy mostly seemed to be playing pitch and catch, completing 13 of 15 passes but leaving after only one series of the second half. He had a 48-yard touchdown pass to a wide-open Marquis Maze on a go route down the right sideline.

The Tide had seven first-time starters on defense, but wasn't challenged by an offense that averaged 13.8 points last season.

The first down totals best told the tale of the lopsided game: Alabama 30, San Jose State 7.

All in all, it was practically a scrimmage designed to break in the newly expanded Bryant-Denny Stadium, and polish off a difficult week. The crowd was announced as a capacity 101,821 fans. They got to see their Tide - which has lost two games the past two season - beat up on a team that only won a pair last season.

Ingram had arthroscopic surgery on his left knee after injuring it late in Monday's practice. He watched from the sidelines in his No. 22 jersey and sweat pants.

Dareus was declared ineligible for two games on Thursday for accepting improper benefits from an agent in taking two trips to Miami. Alabama is appealing, but there's no guarantee either will be back for next week's showdown with No. 19 Penn State.

In the meantime, some youngsters got a chance to shine.

Redshirt freshman tailback Eddie Lacy took advantage of Ingram's absence and Richardson's short night. Lacy got most of his 111 yards and two touchdowns in the second half after coughing up a fumble into the end zone for Alabama's first turnover in nearly 23 quarters.

Third-teamer Demetrius Goode ran for another 66 yards for the Tide, which rolled up 334 yards on the ground. McCarron completed a 34-yarder to Darius Hanks and passed for 116 yards.

It was the debut of San Jose State coach Mike MacIntyre, who was a freshman on the last Vanderbilt team to beat the Tide, back in 1984.

There wasn't even the hint of an upset possibility in this one.

Harrison Waid's 31-yard field goal midway through the first quarter accounted for San Jose State's only points.