Following the Crimson Tide’s 29-15 SEC Championship Game victory over Florida, Saban was asked if he think the Tide should be a “lock” for the final four. Alabama entered Saturday ranked No. 2 in the committee’s rankings. “All credit to my teammates, but my main focus is to finish and helping the team win”.
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Never again does he want to have to depend on a safety to avoid a shutout against FSU, or a punt return, like Antonio Callaway’s 85-yard Saturday stampede, to make Alabama flinch. Like Henry as an individual performer, the Tide is unquestionably the best team in college football and should hoist the sport’s top prize at season’s end.
Authorities said they were not aware of any specific threats against the game, but law enforcement has been on heightened alert in recent weeks. Kicker Austin Hardin’s season of frustrations continued as he had a 40-yard field goal attempt blocked at the line. Alabama’s lead grew to 29-7 on a nine-yard pass from Coker to receiver Richard Mullaney midway in the fourth quarter. While he struggled in the first half against Florida’s defense, he kept pounding forward, absorbing whatever punishment defenders attempted to heap on his large frame.
Florida covered a 17-point spread despite getting exactly as many turnovers as Alabama did. Henry required his 13th game to move ahead of the former Minnesota Vikings and Dallas Cowboys star, but with Alabama’s win, he could get as many as two more games in the playoff to pad the new mark.
“We do the right things, taking their weaknesses and making them weaker”, linebacker Reggie Ragland said. Henry bashed into the end zone two plays later and Griffith’s kick made it 12-7 with just over two minutes remaining before the half. (Henry’s longest run covered 21 yards; amazingly, Harris had a 23-yard scamper that was the game’s biggest play on the ground.) That defense didn’t allow a touchdown until the second quarter, and didn’t allow more than one in any quarter.
If a “great QB” translates to NFL success, then yes, only Auburn’s 2010 Heisman Trophy victor Cam Newton is in that category among SEC QBs who led their teams to national championships and is finally killing it in the pros. 2015 Heisman Trophy victor Derrick Henry The Alabama formula worked without any sort of a problem.
It put some healthy licks on Alabama quarterback Jake Coker, more often than not in passing situations. The Gators were able to get by on defense and the opportunistic play, but that doesn’t work in the SEC championship game without an offense.
Not only is this Alabama’s second consecutive SEC title, but it’s the program’s third in the last four years. A team from the SEC East hasn’t won the title since 2008, when Florida defeated Alabama behind Tim Tebow….
But as good as Florida’s defense showed, Alabama’s was even better.
Henry for HeismanDerrick Henry extended his streak with a rushing touchdown to 18 games during a performance in which he rushed 44 times for 189 yards and a touchdown.
Remember back in mid-September when Alabama was hammered for 43 points in a loss to MS, and a home loss no less?
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Under 200 Florida’s 180 yards of total offense marked the 36th time during Saban’s tenure that an Alabama defense held an opponent to less than 200 yards.
