Alabama’s Mark Ingram does a number on Texas defense

It took Alabama’s Mark Ingram nine carries and about a quarter and a half of Thursday’s Bowl Championship Series title game at the Rose Bowl to run for more yards than the Texas defense had been giving up on average in a game.

Texas had given up an average of 62.2 yards, best in the nation.

Ingram had 90 yards by halftime on his way to a game-high 116 yards rushing with two touchdowns in 22 carries.

His was a performance of a worthy Heisman Trophy winner, and it earned him recognition as the offensive player of the game.

He also stayed true to form.

Ingram was at his best this season against ranked opponents. The sophomore, who finished with a school-record of 1,658 yards, averaged 165 yards in Alabama’s first five games against top-25 teams.

Ingram rushed for at least 100 yards in a game a school-record eight times this season.

Up and comer

Ingram was running well in the early going, but then Alabama didn’t use him in consecutive series in the second quarter.

Was he hurt?

No, it was just Trent Richardson’s turn.

Richardson, a true freshman, is so impressive that he’s actually expected to cut into Ingram’s playing time next season.

He showed why on a 49-yard touchdown run in the second quarter, bursting up the middle and outrunning everyone. The play and point-after gave Alabama a 14-6 lead.

Richardson finished with 109 yards and two touchdowns in 19 carries, and Alabama had a total of 205 yards rushing -- the most Texas gave up in a game this season.

On the run

Only four teams rushed for 100 yards in a game against Texas this season -- Alabama, Texas A&M (190), Oklahoma State (134) and Louisiana Monroe (101).

No individual rusher had reached triple digits against the Longhorns, but the Crimson Tide rolled a pair -- Ingram and Richardson.

Alabama had two 100-yard rushers in a game for only the 11th time in program history -- the first in a bowl game.

Unusual mistake

The turnover that gave Texas an early lead was out of character for Alabama.

The Crimson Tide had committed only 10 turnovers in 13 games this season before it tried a fake punt on its fourth play of the game and Texas’ Blake Gideon picked off punter P.J. Fitzgerald’s pass.

Forcing a turnover wasn’t out of character for Texas. It was the 36th the Longhorns secured this season.

Fitzgerald had tried one previous pass, completing it for a seven-yard gain.

The Longhorns converted the mistake into a 3-0 lead on a 18-yard field goal by Hunter Lawrence.

In the end, Alabama forced five turnovers -- four interceptions and a fumble -- while Texas had two takeaways, the interception and a fumble.

McClain plays

Linebacker Rolando McClain, a unanimous All-America selection and the quarterback of the Alabama defense, was in the starting lineup after receiving late clearance by doctors. McClain was doubtful as of Wednesday after getting a stomach virus.

Winner of both the Butkus and Lambert awards as college football’s top linebacker, McClain led the Crimson Tide with 101 tackles this season.

Burnt by orange

Alabama came into the game having never beaten Texas. The closest the Crimson Tide had come was a 3-3 tie in the 1960 Bluebonnet Bowl.

Texas entered Thursday’s game with a 7-0-1 record against Alabama, with the last three victories coming in bowl games, the 1982 Cotton Bowl, the 1973 Cotton Bowl and the 1965 Orange Bowl.

So much for history being a factor, which is something Texas defensive coordinator Will Muschamp recognized even before the game.

“The last game was 1982, and I think I was 11 years old,” Muschamp said.

One-liners

Texas and Alabama are two of the six winningest major college football programs in history. . . . Texas has 845 wins in 117 years and Alabama has 813 in 115 years. . . . Michigan has a record 877 wins in 130 years.

Texas was trying for its sixth consecutive bowl victory. Utah defeated California in the Poinsettia Bowl for its sixth straight bowl win, which leads the nation. . . . Alabama got its record-tying 32nd bowl win all-time. . . . USC won its 32nd last month, beating Boston College in the Emerald Bowl.

mike.hiserman@latimes.com

Times staff writers Chris Foster and Kevin Baxter contributed to this report.