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Tide Is King Of The SEC
ArDarius Stewart Touchdown Grab
Photo Credit: David Goldman/A.P.
The second-ranked University of Alabama Crimson Tide became the first team since 1998 to win back-to-back SEC Championships by defeating the 18th-ranked Florida Gators yesterday 29-15. Two consecutive Southeastern Conference Championships...quite an accomplishment indeed.
It wasn't a pretty win, especially in the beginning. Oh, it may have looked to some (an ESPN analyst included) like a blowout could be on the way when the Tide blocked a punt attempt and nearly recovered it in the endzone for a touchdown. But, it bounced on through yet still gave the Tide a 2-0 win on the safety.
But then, Florida showed they came to play. It wasn't long before the Gators took a 7-0 lead and it looked as though Florida may have the luck of the Irish riding with them that day. However, while it took some time for the offense to pick it's way through Florida's nationally-ranked defense, the Tide managed to get some more points on the board. It was pretty much over for Florida after that, except for a late touchdown and two-point conversion that Alabama head coach Nick Saban later said was because the defense let down and wasn't really playing.
Late in the first half it was a two-yard run by Derrick Henry that put the Crimson Tide in the lead for good. He got stronger, or at least seemed to, as the game went on. In fact, he didn't even seem tired when the game was over and handling multiple interviews. Henry rand the ball 45 times yesterday picking up 189 touch, bruising yards.
Henry tied the SEC record for touchdowns in a single season at 23. He rushed right on by Herschel Walker's 34-year old conference record for rushing yards in a single season, now set at 1,986 with at least one more game to come.
Henry would later comment, " My main focus is on finishing and helping the team win. I'm going to do whatever it takes to help this team win."
Bama quarterback Jake Coker was a shining light himself. He ran like a man possessed, and threw passes that kept the Tide moving down the field and scoring. Coker was 18 of 26 in passing for 204 yards and two touchdowns.
On the flip side, Florida quarterback Treon Harris was 9 out of 24 in passing for 165 yards with one interception. The Gators were held to just 21 net yards rushing.
After the game Saban said, "I don’t think anybody really thought after the Ole Miss game this team would wind up here. To be honest with you, I had some questions in my mind as to whether we’d wind up here."
Florida head coach Jim McElwain, former offensive coordinator for the Crimson Tide, said,
"I don’t think there were a lot of people around the country that thought we’d play in this football game. But they never backed down."
McElwain later commented, "We're a program on the rise. We'll have a good football team here...a lot of them...in the future."
Alabama's defensive is a great defense, but the inadequacies of the Florida offense was also a big help. The Gators were 0 of 11 on third down conversions on the night. Not a single third down conversion for a first, the fewest in a game since 1999. 62 percent of Florida's offensive plays didn't gain a single yard. And that 15 yards rushing is the fewest for Florida since 2011.
The Tide blocked a field goal, as well as a punt for a safety which is noteworthy not only for Bama but the last time that Florida had two kicks blocked in the same game the head coach, Will Muschamp, was fired the next day.
McElwain said, "I think the shock and awe of their size and speed might have got them a little bit."
Champions of the Southeastern Conference. For the 25th time. Feels good. Like it's supposed to.
Alabama finds out today at 11 a.m. CT who their opponent will be in the semifinal game of the College Football Playoff.
Roll Tide!
Saban & McElwain Prior To Kickoff
Photo Credit: John Bazemore/A.P.
Alabama Quarterback Jake Coker
Photo Credit: David Goldman/A.P.
Keith Holcombe & Christian Miller Block Punt
Photo credit: David Goldman/A.P.
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Alabama No. 2 In CFP
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Meets Michigan St. In Semifinal
Michigan State moved up to No. 3 over the now No. 4 Oklahoma Sooners because of two factors, which are closely related. Reason one is that Michigan State is the Big 10 Champion by virtue of a championship game. Reason two is that Oklahoma had no championship in which to participate since the Big 12 has opted not to play one.
The Alabama-Michigan State pairs two Saban-coached teams. Of course he's the current coach of the Crimson Tide, but he was head coach at Michigan State from 1995-1999 before he took over head coaching duties at LSU. His record broken down by seasons while at State were 6-5-1, 6-6, 7-5, 6-6, and 9-2. The last meeting between these two teams saw Saban and the Crimson Tide coming out on top of a 49-7 shellacking in the Capitol One Bowl in Orlando back in 2011. Alabama's record that year was 10-3.
Clemson and Oklahoma return to the Orange Bowl, where last December 29th the Tigers blasted the Sooners 40-6 in the Russell Athletic Bowl. Now the Sooners get the "do-over" mentioned by several of the players last year.
Clemson (13-0) has been the No. 1 selection all six weeks of the CFP weekly rankings. Alabama (12-1), the newly-crowned (repeat) Southeastern Conference Champion, was No. 2 for the fifth consecutive week. The No. 3 and No. 4 positions have been somewhat fluid during the process, with Michigan State (12-1) jumped Oklahoma (11-1) for those slots.
The winners of the two semifinal games will face off in the College Football Playoff National Championship Game on January 11, 2016 in Glendale, Arizona.
Derrick Henry Wins MVP Award
Derrick Henry
Photo Credit: RollTide.com
Allie LaForce of CBS Sports spoke to head coach Nick Saban immediately following the game and asked, "Coach...what made this team so special?"
Saban replied, "Well, first of all I'd like to congratulate our team. They really deserved this, they really worked hard this year and fought a lot of adversity. So, more than any team I've ever coached I really wanted this group to have a chance to win a championship...and I'm just so happy and proud for them. Our fans were great today (Saturday), Derrick was great, the team did a great job...just the character they have and how they complete."
Allie then spoke with Derrick Henry and complimented him on winning the single-season rushing record Saturday. She asked how he was able to continue to be so dominate when teams know he's coming.
Henry replied, "Well, I'm not happy with my performance but I'm glad we got a win." He went on to say he credited it all to his team, God and his coaches. "Without them this wouldn't be possible," he added.
LaForce asked, "Will this team win a national championship?"
Henry responded, "We're going to keep working for it..." He also said they were going to keep working, enjoy this win, and keep working for the playoffs.
Alabama finds out today at 11 a.m. CT who will be their first opponent in the College Football Playoff.
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Women's Basketball Today
Photo Credit: RollTide.com
The 6-1 Alabama women's basketball team hosts the Alcorn State Braves (1-3) this afternoon in Foster Auditorium in Tuscaloosa. Alabama is currently 4-0 in home games so far this young season.
Tip off is 2 p.m. CT.
This is the eighth meeting between Alabama and Alcorn State, but the first since 1989. The Crimson Tide won all four meetings in Tuscaloosa, but lost the the other two. One of the losses was a neutral-site game and the other was in Lorman, Mississippi. Bama won the last contest 60-49.
Members of the Tide team will be signing autographs following today's contest. Also, some give-aways are planned: $50 AMEX gift cards and an Ice Mule Cooler.
