BY CLIFF SMELLEY
Telegraph Staff Writer
Bennie Alexander and Andrew Zow, members of the Class of 1997 who helped Union County High School win three state championships in a row in the 1990s and went on to play for the Florida Gators and Alabama Crimson Tide, respectively, were inducted into the UCHS Football Hall of Fame during halftime of the Tigers’ Oct. 21 game against Santa Fe.
Besides winning the three straight titles, Alexander and Zow were part of the program’s 52-game winning streak, which was a state record at that time.
Alexander, who once served as an assistant coach at UCHS, played cornerback and running back for the Tigers, while also being a major contributor on special teams. Some of his highlights include rushing for three touchdowns and catching one touchdown pass in the three playoff games Union played before reaching the state final in 1995. In the championship game — a 28-3 win over LaBelle — he had punt returns of 21 and 58 yards that led to touchdowns in the second quarter.
In 1996, Alexander rushed for three scores and returned a punt for another touchdown in the three playoff games prior to the state championship.
Alexander went to UF and played corner. After redshirting his first year, he played in every game during his career for the Gators, with 33 starts. He finished his career with 164 tackles and 43 Big Plays: 30 pass deflections, eight interceptions, three fumble recoveries, one tackle for loss and one blocked PAT. Alexander is tied for first in the UF records book with interceptions returned for touchdowns with two in 1999. One of those came against Zow.
The 1999 season was a big one for Alexander. He started every game and led the team in interceptions (5) and pass deflections (15).
Zow, who once was an assistant coach for the Tigers as well as head coach (2007-09), played quarterback and defensive back. In 1994, he threw four touchdown passes and rushed for two scores in the three playoff games leading up to the state championship. In the 21-0 championship win over Bishop Verot, he completed 6 of 10 passes for 136 yards and one touchdown. He also had an interception on defense.
In 1995, Zow passed for three touchdowns and rushed for another three in the three playoff games prior to the state championship. In the state-title win over LaBelle, he went 6 of 13 for 115 yards and a touchdown, while also making an interception on defense.
Zow was injured for most of his senior year in 1996 and played quarterback sparingly in his return prior to the postseason. He rushed for one touchdown and made two interceptions on defense in the three playoff games leading up to the state championship. In the 67-30 title win over Frostproof, he had a touchdown run and threw touchdown passes of 51 and 55 yards.
At Alabama, Zow completed 459 of 852 passes for 5,983 yards and 35 touchdowns. He owned five school records when he graduated. Now, he’s fourth all-time in pass attempts in a career and fifth in career completions.
Zow’s also tied for fifth in school history for consecutive completions (12 vs. Ole Miss in 2000), sixth in career passing yards, seventh in completions in a game (28 vs. UF in 1999) and eighth in career touchdown passes.
The Tide won the 1999 SEC championship with Zow starting at quarterback. One of their wins during the regular season was against the Gators in Gainesville by a score of 40-39 in overtime. As mentioned earlier, Zow did throw a pick-six against Alexander, but he threw for 336 yards and two touchdowns as Alabama snapped Florida’s 30-game home winning streak.
Alabama and Florida met again in that year’s SEC Championship Game, with the Tide winning 34-7.
During his senior year, Zow came off the bench to replace injured starter Tyler Watts and helped lead the Tide to three straight wins to close the regular season and then a 14-13 win in the Independence Bowl. The string of wins, which earned Zow Alabama’s Player of the Game honors after each one, included going 22 of 29 for 221 yards and two touchdowns in a 31-7 win over Auburn in the heated rivalry’s Iron Bowl.
