Alabama rolls to 56-14 win over Louisiana-Lafayette

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. (AP) Jaylen Waddle returned a punt for a touchdown and caught two scoring passes, including a 94-yarder, in No. 1 Alabama's 56-14 victory Saturday over Louisiana-Lafayette.

Quarterbacks Tua Tagovailoa and Jalen Hurts staked the Crimson Tide (5-0) to a 49-0 halftime lead over the Ragin' Cajuns (1-3) en route to the defending national champions' latest blowout.

Then third-teamer Mac Jones got into the act with his 94-yarder to the freshman Waddle late in the third quarter. It tied for the second-longest TD catch in Alabama history.

Alabama has scored at least 45 points five games in a row for the first time in program history.

Tagovailoa completed all eight of his attempts for 128 yards and two touchdowns, mostly in the first quarter. Hurts was 4 of 6 for 118 yards, including a 54-yard touchdown to Henry Ruggs III.

Ruggs caught five passes for 116 yards and two TDs. Waddle gained 138 yards on three catches and returned a punt 63 yards for a score.

Alabama took a 21-0 lead in the first seven minutes, with help from two big special teams plays, Waddle's return and Derek Kief's blocked punt.

Josh Jacobs ran for two touchdowns in the first quarter.

The Ragin' Cajuns scored twice in the fourth but were outgained 608-288. Trey Ragas gained 111 yards on 16 rushes with a 1-yard touchdown.

THE TAKEAWAY

Louisiana-Lafayette: Billy Napier, a former Alabama receivers coach, joins the ranks of ex-Nick Saban assistants who haven't beaten their former boss. Saban is 14-0 against former underlings, including last week over Texas A&M's Jimbo Fisher.

Alabama: Fourth straight game against teams that aren't ranked. Did what it's supposed to in such an obvious mismatch: Take care of business early.

HURTS' 5TH GAME

Hurts officially can't follow the path of players such as Clemson quarterback Kelly Bryant, leaving teams to preserve a year of eligibility. He entered on the last drive of the first quarter for his fifth game of the season.

SMALL CROWD

There were thousands of empty seats for the Tide's latest blowout, and only a fraction of seats in the student sections were filled.

UP NEXT

Louisiana-Lafayette tries to push its record against Texas State to 5-0.

Alabama travels to SEC West opponent Arkansas with another early kickoff.

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