Bewerbungen » iminated in the first round of the All-Sta

ARLINGTON, Texas -- While Nick Saban wants to see improvement, top-ranked Alabama was pretty impressive in the opening of its national-title defense -- without a proven quarterback and with Heisman Trophy-winning tailback Derrick Henry in the NFL.That Crimson Tide defense, down four players taken in the first two rounds of the NFL draft last spring, is still physical and dominating, too.On the seasons first Saturday, when two top-five teams lost, freshman quarterback Jalen Hurts threw two touchdown passes to ArDarius Stewart and ran for two more scores in a 52-6 victory over No. 20 Southern California on Saturday night.We got off to a little bit of a shaky start in the first quarter, especially on offense, Saban said. We scored a lot of points, made a lot of big plays, but still our consistency in execution needs to be much improved. ... My focus with our team right now is what can we do better.At least the Tide is 1-0, unlike No. 3 Oklahoma and No. 5 LSU after their losses Saturday. And No. 16 UCLA lost as well.USC coach Clay Helton sees Alabama a little different than Saban after the Trojans were held to 194 yards in their most lopsided loss since a 51-0 setback to Notre Dame in 1966.Obviously one game does not make a season. We played a very good team, said Helton. They played to their potential. The cold hard truth is we did not play up to ours.Stewart was wide open in the end zone behind the secondary when Hurts hit him for a 39-yard score midway through the second quarter that made it 7-3 and put Alabama ahead to stay. They hooked up on a 71-yard touchdown right after halftime for a 24-3 lead, and Hurts later had TD runs of 7 and 6 yards.Hopefully its a statement were still going to fight, still going to play, Stewart said about the teams performance.The season-opening win came at AT&T Stadium -- the home of the NFLs Dallas Cowboys -- was also where the Crimson Tide started their 2012 and 2015 national championship seasons with victories.The Tide are 10-0 in season openers under Saban, including seven non-conference games at neutral sites against Power Five teams that they have won by an average margin of 23 points.THE TAKEAWAYUSC: The Trojans may be targeting their first Pac-12 title since 2008, but they werent ready to compete with the defending national champions.USC was held without a touchdown in a game for the first time since 1997, and for the first time in a season opener since 1960. It was the fewest points since a 10-6 loss to Utah in the 2001 Las Vegas Bowl.Junior quarterback Max Browne waited three years for his first start, and had a tough time against the overwhelming Alabama defense. He was 14 of 29 for 101 yards with an interception. It certainly didnt help him that receiver JuJu Smith-Schuster, who had 89 catches for 1,454 yards and 10 touchdowns last season, had only one catch for 9 yards when targeted five times.ALABAMA: While the Tide are still unproven at quarterback after playing two freshmen, the biggest hole on offense was left by Henrys absence. Sophomore Damien Harris showed the ability for some big plays with runs of 46 and 73 yards. He finished with nine carries for 138 yards.STOMP AND YOURE GONESouthern Cal defender Jabari Ruffin was ejected from the game late in the first half when at the end of a punt return he stomped his foot into the groin area of Alabamas Minkah Fitzpatrick, who was on the ground. The play happened right in front of referee Reggie Smith, who immediately threw a flag. When announcing the penalty, Smith said, No. 40 has disqualified himself from the game.POLL IMPLICATIONSUSC: The Trojans will almost certainly be unranked before playing their next game. They still have a lot to prove to voters.ALABAMA: There shouldnt be any questions about Alabama staying the No. 1 team when the new poll comes out Tuesday.UP NEXTUSC: Before facing another top 10 team, the Trojans are home next week against Utah State. They go to No. 8 Stanford for their Pac-12 opener on Sept. 17.ALABAMA: The Crimson Tide play their home opener next week against defending C-USA champion Western Kentucky, a week before their SEC opener at No. 11 Ole Miss.Bobby Joe Green Jersey . The FA rejected Wilsheres appeal that the length of his punishment was "clearly excessive" and said Thursday his suspension begins with immediate effect. He will miss league matches against Chelsea on Monday and West Ham on Dec. Mark Anderson Jersey .Y. - Jerome Samson scored once in regulation and again in the shootout as the St. http://www.custombearsjersey.com/custom-patrick-mannelly-jersey-large-1736t.html .com) - The Chicago Blackhawks aim for their third three-game winning streak of the season when they host the struggling Edmonton Oilers in Sundays battle at the United Center. Allen Robinson II Jersey . LOUIS -- Cardinals cleanup hitter Allen Craig says hes recovered from a foot injury and ready to be put on St. Paddy Driscoll Jersey .Y. -- The Buffalo Sabres have placed centre Cody Hodgson on injured reserve and recalled two players from their AHL affiliate in Rochester.SAN DIEGO -- All-Star slugger Wil Myers hit his 20th home run and Adam Rosales also connected off Madison Bumgarner, powering the San Diego Padres to a 4-1 victory Friday night against the major league-leading San Francisco Giants.Bumgarner (11-4), also an All-Star, didnt appear Tuesday in the Midsummer Classic at Petco Park because he pitched on Sunday, throwing a one-hitter and striking out 14 in a 4-0 victory against Arizona.Andrew Cashner (4-7) won for the first time in four starts by holding the Giants to one run and four hits in six innings, striking out nine and walking none.Brandon Maurer worked the ninth for his second save.Brandon Belt was ejected for arguing with umpire Mike Estabrook after striking out in the ninth, and Giants manager Bruce Bochy also was tossed.Rosales homered off the side of the Western Metal Supply Co. brick warehouse in the left-field corner leading off the fourth, his sixth.Myers, eliminated in the first round of the All-Star Home Run Derby on Monday night, homered to right-center in the fifth.Bumgarner alloowed four runs and seven hits in six innings.ddddddddddddHe struck out nine and walked one.Yangervis Solarte hit an RBI double in the first and Matt Kemp had an RBI single in the third.Conor Gillaspie singled in the Giants run in the second.TRAINERS ROOMGiants: OF Hunter Pence, on the disabled list with a strained right hamstring, began a rehab assignment with Triple-A Sacramento. Bochy said hed like Pence to get at least 30 at-bats before rejoining the active roster.Padres: RHP Tyson Ross, who hasnt pitched since opening day due to inflammation in his right shoulder, will be set back two more works after spraining an ankle last week.UP NEXTGiants: RHP Jeff Samardzija (9-5, 3.91 ERA), who won his final start before the All-Star break, is scheduled to start the middle game of the series Saturday night.Padres: Rookie RHP Luis Perdomo (3-4, 7.48) will try to bounce back from a loss in his last start before the break. ' ' '