TUSCALOOSA, Ala. — Jalen Milroe and Alabama were locked in a surprising battle for 50 minutes. The fun started for them when the miscues stopped.

Milroe scored two touchdowns and threw two carries in the fourth quarter to lead the fourth-ranked Crimson Tide to an eventual 42-16 win over USF on Saturday night.

The Crimson Tide (2-0) couldn’t find any breathing room against the Bulls (1-1) before exploding for 28 points in the final 10 minutes. It was a surprising test for new coach Kalen DeBoer, whose team entered as a 30-point favorite and didn’t come alive until late in the game.

“In the fourth quarter, if you stay away from the penalties and fouls, it’s amazing what can happen,” DeBoer said.

Alabama lost three second-half fumbles and had a series of penalties, and entered the fourth half down just 14-13. Then Milroe had touchdown passes of 16 yards to Kobe Prentiss and 43 yards to Ryan Williams. Jamarion Miller added a 56-yard touchdown run and Justice Haynes had a 29-yarder in the final 2:30.

Miller finished with 140 rushing yards.

The Bulls have pummeled Alabama’s offense for the second straight year, this time with Milroe on the field. The Tide quarterback was benched for last year’s game, which was tied at halftime before Alabama won 17-3.

Milroe led Alabama to 10 straight wins and an SEC championship.

“This isn’t a wake-up call or anything,” DeBoer said. “It’s nothing like that. It’s just continuing to raise the standard. I think that game last year was a big one that propelled them last year and it can be the same this year. That’s my hope.”

Milroe completed 17 of 27 passes for 199 yards, but was sacked four times and lost a fumble under center at the USF 2 in the second half.

Milroe’s first TD pass gave the Tide a 21-13 lead. The Bulls answered with John Collins’ third field goal on a drive that was propelled by Nay’Quan Wright’s two 19-yard runs and a targeting penalty against Justin Jefferson.

“We did exactly what we needed to do defensively for three and a half quarters,” Bulls coach Alex Golesh said.

Milroe hit freshman Williams, who broke away from a defender and sprinted into the end zone for his third touchdown of 40-plus yards in two college games.

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“Just to see the guys have such tremendous determination and pull off a win like that shows how tough and strong-willed they are,” Milroe said.

Alabama lost two fumbles on home soil in the first 4:05 of the second half, and Milroe lost another one later.

His USF colleague, Byrum Brown, threw for 103 yards and ran 23 times for another 108 yards.

“That’s where we’re at as a program,” Golesh said. “That’s the last step of our growth, to finish that game.”

Main conclusion

USF: Put on a mostly competitive show in front of the largest crowd (officially 100,077) ever to attend a Bulls game. Could have made it more exciting, but failed to produce points on two consecutive possessions near midfield to open the second half.

Alabama: The second game of DeBoer’s tenure wasn’t nearly as flawless as the debut, a 63-0 win over Western Kentucky. It included 13 penalties for 120 yards, plus the turnovers.

Next

USF: Saturday at Southern Mississippi.

Alabama: Saturday vs. Wisconsin.

By JOHN ZENOR, Associated Press