Young holds up, No. 1 Alabama holds off No. 11 Florida 31-29

By MARK LONG
AP Sports Writer

GAINESVILLE, Fla. (AP) — Bryce Young’s first collegiate road start was a rousing success, a three-touchdown performance that helped top-ranked Alabama beat No. 11 Florida 31-29 in the Southeastern Conference opener for both teams. The defending national champion Crimson Tide stopped a botched 2-point conversion with 3:10 left and extended its winning streak to 17, making it 32 in a row against teams from the SEC’s Eastern Division. The Gators have now dropped eight straight in the series and fell to 0-5 against No. 1-ranked teams at Florida Field. This one was closer than oddsmakers and just about everyone else expected despite the Gators playing without dynamic backup quarterback Anthony Richardson.