The confetti fell on another Alabama championship, just not the one the Crimson Tide really wants.
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The Alabama Crimson Tide won their 25th Southeastern Conference Championship Saturday, defeating the Florida Gators 29-15. What has happened down the stretch of this 10-win season, did happen again. The formula for Alabama’s success is simple: Win by any means necessary, and be as physically imposing as possible.
“We wanted to come back and win a championship”, Cook said. “That’s just our motto”. “I don’t know that I’ve coached many players that actually set a better example to affect other people”, Saban said.
There’s just a different style and standard that Alabama operates by and it’s incredibly hard to match. “That’s why we’re getting on the road as soon as we leave right now”.
The Alabama defense stifled Florida’s offense for much of the game, holding the Gators to 180 total yards including only 15 yards rushing. “Credit to the offensive line”.
Alabama coach Nick Saban said one of the most important factors was that his guys got what they expected from the UF ground game.
Florida Coach Jim McElwain, Alabama’s offensive coordinator from 2008 to 2011, devised some plays that had receivers open, but quarterback Treon Harris could not complete the passes. Florida had demonstrated no ability to move the football without the assistance of motor vehicles, and whatever mojo had carried the Gators through to an SEC East title appeared to have vanished into the ether three weeks ago.
“Well, I certainly think this team deserves being SEC Champions”, Saban said.
It is obvious what they need to do and where they need to go from here. It was obvious the Gators’ No. 5 nationally ranked defense, exhausted of hearing about the greatness of Alabama’s second-ranked defense, came out playing with a huge chip on its shoulder.
Henry is considered as the Heisman trophy favorite in many circles.
While sitting in his locker in the Georgia Dome, Hargreaves said he would “likely” declare early for the National Football League draft in April but hadn’t made a final decision yet. Tennessee’s 240-pound Jalen Hurd ran for 102 yards and two touchdowns against the Gators. There was the left-hand, out-of-bounds throw to avoid a sack and keep the Tide in field goal range on a drive. Those were to Georgia and Florida respectively. The Gators netted 3 yards in the next two quarters. Atlanta Police say they’re ready as well. Hail hog helped Alabama get here. Callaway had the punt return for a touchdown, but the Gators had a punt blocked for a safety, and Austin Hardin had another field goal blocked, this one one a low kick in the first quarter that would have given the Gators a 3-2 lead. Ole Miss hung a loss on the Tide, tis true, but it took the alliance of the Rebels’ SEC-best offense, five Bama turnovers and one darned lucky bounce off Minkah Fitzpatrick’s helmet that turned into a breakaway touchdown to stem the Tide 43-37. Alabama quarterback Jake Coker threw touchdown passes to ArDarius Stewart and C.J. Worton in the second half.
“We’re a program on the rise”, he said. I guess we’re robots, aren’t we? The Gators’ D became exhausted late against Alabama and FSU as their offense struggled to stay on the field.
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But close, respectable and interesting isn’t what they were looking for in their first appearance in the SEC Championship Game since 2009. Because as you go through life, you’ve got ups, you’ve got downs.
