DMN File
Quarterback Jay Jeffrey's fumble was one of seven Baylor turnovers.Tidal wave spoils Baylor's Cotton
'Bama's ball control stymies Bears, 30-2
1/2/1981
Well, Baylor's image in Alabama still needs a transfusion from Aretha Franklin. The Crimson Tide left it flatter than a platter on the floor of the Cotton Bowl Thursday afternoon in a glorious introduction to the new year – if one happened to be a nature lover or a 'Bama football fan.
On a cool, clear day made of a picnic, Alabama ate Baylor's lunch. Ending the afternoon with an impolite burp in the form of a fourth-down touchdown with only 1:16 remaining in the game. Alabama devoured the Bears, 30-2. If progress is to be measured against Alabama, Baylor didn't get very far in the rematch of last year's 45-0 shutout by the Tide.
Grant Teaff's worst fears took a seat on the Baylor bench. 'Bama acted like it was playing with its own football. Stingy kids. The Tide offense played keep away and that limburger defense left the best offense the Southwest Conference had to offer smelling like a burnt clutch. 'Bama ground out 79 offensive plays and held that once-ferocious Bear offense to only 158 yards, while Baylor unnecessarily gave up four fumbles and three interceptions.
"Turnovers," sighed Teaff. "That's the story in a nutshell."
Only two Alabama scores, the initial field goal and the final touchdown, did not come after turnovers.
"I thought the fumble at the eight and the interception after the safety were the two biggest turnovers that kept us from making this a different ballgame," Teaff noted. "We played with them defensively. They had a long run in the fourth quarter and a long pass in the second. Other than that, we more or less held them to three field goals."
More or less. Baylor's defense was a growl. But indicative of the ropes Alabama's defense kept around the Bears' necks all day was the fact Baylor's chief offensive weapon, tailback Walter Abercrombie, carried the ball only eight times for a net of nine yards.
"We didn't get the ball to Walter as much as we'd have like to." Teaff agreed.
The key turnovers to which Teaff referred indeed set the tone of Alabama's domination. With Alabama leading 6-0 on two of Peter Kim's three field goals, Baylor mounted its only real scoring threat of the afternoon – only to get farther behind.
The Bears had help on that in the form of a 50-yard pass interference penalty on Tide free safety Ricky (XXXXX) that gave them a first down on the 28. After Dennis Gentry gained (XX) with a flare pass from Jay Jeffrey, he was popped on the next play by 'Bama free safety Jim Bob Harris and linebacker Randy Scott fell on the bouncing ball at the eight. Two plays later, Baylor got its only points of the game when tackle Tommy Tabor nailed freshman quarterback Walter Lewis trying to pass in the end zone.
'BAMA PUNTED out and little Gerald McNeil, who was also separated from two punt returns that ended up in two Alabama field goals, gave Baylor good position with a 33-yard return down to the Tide 37. But on the first down Jeffrey was hit by defensive tackle Byron Braggs as he threw and the wounded-quail pass fluttered not to earth but to the waiting arms of cornerback Jeremiah Castille at the 24.
Then came that long pass to which Teaff referred. Alabama starter Don Jacobs found split end Jesse Bendross running free down the middle and hit him for a 49-yard completion. to the Baylor four. Two plays later, halfback Major Ogilvie – the game's offensive MVP – became the first player in NCAA history to score rushing in four straight bowl games, leaping over from the one to put Alabama up, 13-2, four plays into the second quarter. So much for a big drive.
"It was a disappointing loss," Teaff said, "but I told the players one game does not a season make. We can't forget all the good things we accomplished this year."
It may take some remembering after Thursday's offensive performance.
Alabama successfully took away the option game with some excellent efforts from ends E.J. Junior and Gary DeNiro, while linebacker Scott and nose guard Warren Lyles (five stops for 26 yards and losses) made life miserable up the middle. As promised, Teaff went to backup quarterback David Mangrum in the second half, but he seldom had time to throw, nor anyone to throw to. Neither did Jeffrey.
"THEY MUST have super scouts," Baylor split end Mike Fisher noted. "Everything we learned over the holidays, they changed. Alabama just changed up everything. They had everybody ready for everything we do."
"It seemed," Abercrombie added, "that every time we came out of the huddle they were able to adjust to what we did. The options just were not there."
"We concentrated on preparation," Bear Bryant noted, "and had very little hard work. I guess we were ready to take away some of their best things."
And their worst.
JEFFREY STARTED the second half and the Bears moved to two quick first downs, but hope ended when Castille pulled down his second interception at the Baylor 14 and packed it back to the 40. Baylor forced a 3-play series, but McNeil fumbled the punt at the BU 25 and Kim tacked up a 42-yard field goal for a 16-2 lead with just under five minutes left in the third quarter.
A tipped interception by Harris – who caught the ball off a collision between BU tight end Mike Lively and DeNiro – at the 25 and a 19-yard return was the launching pad to a 57-yard scoring drive that ended at 6:54 with a 1-yard Jacobs sneak.
A 56-yard run by deep sub halfback Mark Nix – one of 13 running backs used by the Tide – set up the final score. It came of fourth and goal at he Baylor three. Disdaining the field goal, which would have been a record fourth had Kim converted, 'Bama went for it and Nix took a pitchout left in for the final TD.
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