9.17.2000 No. 25 Southern Miss Blanks No. 15 Alabama, 21-0
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (AP) - Jeff Kelly threw for 159 yards and a touchdown and No. 25 Southern Mississippi scored twice off turnovers to beat No. 15 Alabama 21-0 on Saturday night.
The Golden Eagles (1-1) ended an eight-game losing streak to the Crimson Tide (1-2), off to their worst start in 10 years.
Southern Mississippi led 21-0 16 minutes into the game, forced four turnovers and allowed just 118 total yards through three quarters before going into the prevent mode.
It was the first time an Alabama team was shut out since a 27-0 loss to LSU on Nov. 8, 1997. The Tide came into the season ranked No. 3, but are now off to their worst start since going 0-3 in 1990.
The Golden Eagles cashed in on every first-half Alabama mistake to take a 21-0 halftime lead, despite gaining only 94 total yards. Kelly was 14-of-23 with an interception.
The small collection of Southern Miss fans remained gathered behind the South end zone after the game, celebrating their team's third victory over the Tide in 44 years.
Raymond Wall returned an interception 54 yards and Joe Henley returned a fumble 18 yards for TDs in the first half.
That was enough against an Alabama offense that didn't have a play go longer than 11 yards in the first three quarters and went eight consecutive offensive drives without recording multiple first downs.
Despite that Alabama, outgained Southern Miss 217-210.
It was the first start of the season for quarterback Tyler Watts, who won the job from Andrew Zow. Watts finished 11-of-16 passing but threw for only 57 yards.
Zow led Alabama's most promising march of the game, taking the Tide to the Southern Miss 7 midway through the fourth quarter. Then he was picked off in the end zone by Zaid Houston.
An attempt at trickery backfired for the Tide in the first half. Backup tailback Arvin Richard took a handoff and tried to loft it back to Watts in the flat. Wall stepped in front of the pass and raced 54 yards untouched into the end zone, making it 7-0.
The Golden Eagles made it 21-0 with a 13-second barrage. Kelly hit LeRoy Handy on a 34-yard strike on their next possession down to the Alabama 5. Two plays later, he found him again, all alone in the end zone, for a TD 41 seconds into the second quarter.
Alabama's hole quickly got deeper. Michael James fumbled the kickoff return, and Henley scooped it up and carried it 18 yards into the end zone with 14:06 left in the half.
The Golden Eagles held Alabama without a first down on its final five first-half possessions, sending the Tide into the locker room amid a chorus of boos. Alabama also came up empty on four first-half trips into Southern Miss territory, with three punts and a blocked field goal try.
The Tide's disastrous first half carried over into the second. One play after blocking Brant Hanna's field-goal attempt, Alabama gave the ball back on a botched pitch.