McElroy has 3 TDs in No. 4 Alabama’s 53-7 rout of North Texas

McElroy has 3 TDs, ‘Bama races to 53-7 win

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. — Greg McElroy passed for two touchdowns and rushed for another before sitting out most of the second half Saturday in No. 4 Alabama’s 53-7 victory over North Texas.

Mark Ingram ran for 91 yards and a TD on eight carries, and scored on a 29-yard reception for the Crimson Tide (3-0) in its final pre-SEC tuneup before Arkansas visits. Freshman Trent Richardson added 87 yards and a touchdown, and Terry Grant scored twice and gained 79 yards.

It was the highest-scoring game for Alabama since a 56-7 win over UTEP in 2001.

Star receiver Julio Jones missed the game with a bruised right knee and the subs got plenty of action after ‘Bama raced to a 30-0 halftime lead. With starting quarterback Riley Dodge out with a separated non-throwing shoulder, North Texas (1-2) was outgained 523-187.

McElroy completed 13 of 15 passes for 176 yards, including the 29-yarder to Ingram and a 34-yard touchdown pass to Marquis Maze before leaving after one drive in the third quarter. He ran for a 2-yard score against a team led by his high school coach, Todd Dodge.

Backup Star Jackson led a field goal drive in the final 2:08 of the first half and was 9 of 13 passing for 87 yards, the first pass attempts of his career.

The only downers for Alabama: a game-opening fumble by McElroy and Leigh Tiffin’s two missed extra points.

North Texas junior Nathan Tune was 16 of 23 for 126 yards and a touchdown in his first start, but got little help from a run game stymied by the Tide’s massive defensive front seven.

North Texas managed just 61 yards rushing — most of it in the fourth quarter — and got seven carries for 8 yards from leading rusher Cam Montgomery.

The Tide was without tailback Roy Upchurch (high ankle sprain) and Jones, who dressed but didn’t play. Upchurch watched in sweats.

Their absence didn’t seem to slow the offense down much.

‘Bama converted 10 of 14 third-down plays and collected 28 first downs to seven for the Mean Green. The assortment of backs routinely sprung free for nice gains up the middle.

Tide return man Javier Arenas had a huge second half with punt returns of 36 and 33 yards and a 61-yard kick return to set up three scores.

Alabama had six consecutive scoring drives after McElroy lost a fumble on the game’s first play from scrimmage, starting with a 13-play, 95-yard march.

The Tide had 11 plays of 10-plus yards in the first half.