Alabama beats Florida to win SEC Championship

Derrick Henry ran for 189 yards and a scored, and the No. 2 Alabama cruised to a 29-15 victory over No. 18 Florida in the Southeastern Conference championship college football game Saturday.

“Shoot, guys, they won the line of scrimmage”, the Gators first-year head coach said. The offense needs to be overhauled, but a strong 2016 recruiting class should help. “[If] we can’t run the ball, it runs over into the passing game ’cause you got to have a balanced offense and we didn’t have that today”.

Texas 23, (12) Baylor 17: Tyrone Swoopes threw for 151 yards with a touchdown and ran for a score in his first Texas start since the opener, and the Longhorns knocked Baylor out of Sugar Bowl contention. “They wanted to do something special”. Kicker Austin Hardin’s season of frustrations continued as he had a 40-yard field goal attempt blocked at the line. Derrick Henry ran it from two yards out to take the 12-7 lead after a Florida punt.

McElwain said his defense “battled their tails off”.

There were plenty of frustrating moments for McElwain and an offense that just kept spinning its wheels against a ferocious defense. “I think we all know that”. Coker’s pass was late, but it went through the arms of two defensive backs and Ridley caught it at the Gators’ 3-yard line.

“This team had many big games in our league and our division and they responded every time in some hard places to play”.

Linebacker Antonio Morrison said the defense is accustomed to carrying a big load. No one likes a bully, especially one who chants “We just beat the hell out of you!” after pounding your face into the turf. We can’t worry about what we can’t control.

Commitee chair Jeff Long on why Michigan State over Oklahoma: That’s probably where we spent the most time, as you would expect, and great discussion great debate. I don’t point the finger…. “I think the shock and awe of the size and speed might have got them a little bit, but we settled down, and it didn’t kill us”.

Henry came into the game as a Heisman favorite and certainly did nothing to hurt his chances with an MVP showing.

Henry turned in a performance that might be good enough to earn him a Heisman trophy, carrying a staggering 44 times against one of the nation’s top defenses and putting the Tide ahead to stay on a 2-yard run late in the first half. Henry tied the SEC record for most touchdowns in a single season and most rushing yards in a single season.

Harris was 9 of 24 for 165 yards with one interception. It’s happened four times this season: Charleston Southern (134), LSU (182), Louisiana-Monroe- (92) and Florida (180).Rushing to win When the Crimson Tide rushes for more than 140 yards, it wins. Kelvin Taylor had seven carries for eight yards.

Redshirt freshman Christian Chapman threw for 203 yards and one touchdown in his first start for the Aztecs (10-3), who won their ninth straight game.

And while the win was big for the program and this team, sophomore defensive lineman De’Shawn Hand said there is still work to be done. “We’re a program on the build. These seniors and guys that are going to come out early built a great foundation for the future, and I’m proud of them”.

To the naked eye, Alabama appears to have considerably fewer playmakers than last year’s team that entered the first College Football Playoffs ranked No. 1.