Alabama blocks field goal attempt by Florida

No. 2 Alabama can punch its ticket to the College Football Playoff if it can take care of business against Florida in the SEC Championship in Atlanta.

The Tide became the first team since Tennessee in 1998 to win two straight SEC titles – an impressive achievement indeed.

Alabama’s been harassing opposing quarterbacks all season.

That’s the standard Nick Saban has set in Tuscaloosa.

The Gators say they’re accepting the challenge.

The Crimson Tide (12-1, No. 2 CFP) held the Gators to a total of 3 yards in the second and third quarters.

-Brandon Doughty, Western Kentucky, threw for 410 yards with three TDs to help the Hilltoppers defeat Southern Mississippi 45-28 in the Conference USA Championship Game. They need to dominate the Gator offensive line and play great defense to win this game. “They wanted to do something special. He’s as good an assistant coach and as loyal an assistant coach as I’ve ever had on my staff”, he said. He’s surpassed 100 yards rushing in three consecutive games, including a season-high 136 yards against Florida State last weekend.

Alabama got a 30-yard field goal by Griffin and then a 32-yard touchdown pass from Coker to ArDarius Stewart that capped an 80-yard drive.

J.K. Scott’s booming kick traveled 59 yards, but Antonio Callaway caught it on the move and sped up the middle 85 yards untouched through the Alabama coverage team. However, as Alabama came on strong and played its best football down the final stretch of the season, Florida regressed and turned in its worst effort of the year in the final few games. “So we feel this is the best team we’ve played all year”. It’s still going to take time, but let’s celebrate what these guys have done in the short time that we’ve been here.

Derrick Henry enhanced his Heisman Trophy candidacy and Alabama is heading to the College Football Playoff as the SEC’s first back-to-back champion in 17 years.

Alabama rushing in turn is being led by Henry. It was the first Alabama touchdown of the game and gave the Crimson Tide a 12-7 lead which they took into halftime.

But the Gators (10-3), likely to settle for a spot in the Citrus Bowl, simply couldn’t muster enough offense to make a game of it. There were dropped passes, wobbly passes and not even the hint of a running game.

Harris was 9 of 24 for 165 yards with one interception.

On the season, the Florida Gators average 214.9 yards in passing and 137.0 yards in rushing.

“That was really our first breakout of kind of getting things clicking on offense and we feel like we definitely improved tremendously and we’re going to carry that confidence into (Saturday)”, quarterback Kevin Hogan said.