McClellan has career day, No. 8 Bama tops Austin Peay 34-0

Updated Nov. 19, 2022 3:19 p.m. ET

Associated Press

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. (AP) — Jase McClellan rushed for a career-high 156 yards and two touchdowns and Jermaine Burton caught a pair of scoring passes from Bryce Young during No. 8 Alabama's 34-0 win over Austin Peay on Saturday.

The Crimson Tide (9-2, No. 8 CFP) took awhile to get going against FCS Austin Peay (7-4) in a Bryant-Denny Stadium that wasn't much more than half full.

But McClellan and Burton had their biggest games for the Tide, which had already been knocked out of Southeastern Conference contention.

Burton posted his first 100-yard receiving game since transferring from Georgia, with seven catches for 128 yards. McClellan subbed for injured star Jahmyr Gibbs (ankle) and scored on runs of 1 and 9 yards.

For much of the game the Tide was about as listless as the crowd, until a 50-yarder from Young to Burton provided a little bit of a spark. McClellan rushed it in two plays later for his second score of the game, and the defense recovered a fumble on the next possession to set up an Alabama field goal.

Young was 18 of 24 for 221 yards and played into the fourth quarter.

Mike DiLiello passed for 147 yards for Austin Peay, but was intercepted twice. Drae McCray had 12 catches for 92 yards.

The Governors had their opportunities in the first half thanks to the Tide’s two first-quarter turnovers but could not take advantage either time, including a fourth-down stop in the red zone. Maddux Trujillo missed a short field goal for Austin Peay after Alabama’s second fumble.

Alabama got its second shutout of the season and first since an opening 55-0 win over Utah State.

THE TAKEAWAY

Austin Peay: The FCS playoff hopefuls couldn't get much going offensively, but did well enough defensively to keep it from becoming an embarrassingly one-sided game.

Alabama: It wasn't the typical wire-to-wire domination for a Tide team against an FCS opponent, especially in the passing game. Alabama led just 7-0 more than halfway through the second quarter but wound up outgaining the Governors 527-206.

FORCING TURNOVERS

Alabama has struggled all year to force turnovers but had three against the Governors. Kool-Aid McKinstry and Brian Branch had interceptions and Damon Payne Jr. recovered a fumble on a trick-play attempt. Branch’s interception in the fourth quarter killed the momentum of Austin Peay’s drive and took away one of the Governors’ last chances to score.

UP NEXT

Austin Peay hopes to receive an invite to the FCS playoffs.

Alabama hosts rival Auburn in the Iron Bowl.

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