Alabama Defeats Penn State, 27-11

Alabama’s A.J. McCarron was poised and efficient in a rare trip to Big Ten country for No. 3 Alabama, throwing for 163 yards and a 5-yard touchdown that he zipped through traffic to Michael Williams as the Tide beat No. 23 Penn State 27-11 on Saturday.

Alabama completed a sweep of the home-and-home series between the two storied programs with a methodical and smothering performance reminiscent of last year's 24-3 win in Tuscaloosa.

Both teams came into the second week of the season with unsettled quarterback issues. At Alabama (2-0), those now appear to be settled.

“That's not my concern. That's why coach make the calls,” McCarron said. “Coach tells me to go out and I'm going to play.”

Playing in front of the largest crowd ever to see an Alabama football game, McCarron was 19 for 31 with no turnovers.

“Not just myself, the whole offense did a great job of not allowing turnovers and the defense got us turnovers,” the sophomore said. “That's the way we have to play. If we keep playing like that, it's going to be a special team.”

McCarron started the Tide's first game against Kent State but had to share the job with Phillip Sims. This week he was on his own. He gave coach Nick Saban no reason to make a change until the game was out of reach.

Nittany Lions fans might be wondering if either Robert Bolden or Matt McGloin are the answer at quarterback for Penn State (1-1). They combined to go 12 for 39 for 144 yards. McGloin completed 1 of 10 for no yards. Bolden led a late scoring drive and threw an interception.

“We certainly deserved a whooping today,” Penn State coach Joe Paterno said. “I think we've just got a lot of work ahead of us.”

With Paterno coaching from a box way above the field at Beaver Stadium - nursing pelvic and leg injuries from a collision with a player - there was only one two-time national champion coach on the floor of the stadium.

Saban paced the Crimson Tide's sideline with his headset on, stopping to watch the action with his hands on his hips or knees, before going back to stalking.

At 59 years old, Saban has a 131 victories, 271 behind Paterno's major college record. Saban will never catch the 84-year-old JoePa on that list, but he's got a team capable of getting him a third national title this season.