- Alabama put some smiles back on the faces of the people of Tuscaloosa and gave a city rebuilding from a devastating tornado a reason to cheer. Often. AJ McCarron stepped up in Alabama's quarterback race Saturday, throwing for a touchdown and 226 yards as the Crimson Tide beat Kent State 48-7 in its first game since the twister that destroyed thousands of homes and killed 50 people within a few miles of campus four months ago. Their helmets decorated with small ribbon stickers in rememberance of the victims, players said it felt good to be back on the field. "It was great to get out here, and there was kind of a feeling of getting things back to normal," said offensive lineman Barrett Jones. "So much had gone on in this offseason. We were really pleased to get back to football, what this town is famous for." Trent Richardson, who scored three touchdowns rushing, said the team has a reason to win aside from the usual reasons. "It was a tragic disaster for us, and we were trying to overcome it and bring joy back to the town," he said. Vying with Phillip Sims to replace Greg McElroy, McCarron had a 24-yard scoring toss to Marquis Maze and finished 14-of-23 passing. Read more: http://scores.espn.go.com/ncf/recap?gameId=312460333
