Alabama’s A Massive Favorite Over Florida In The SEC Championship Game

With the loss, Auburn finishes their regular season to 6-6 overall and 2-6 in the SEC. With running back Peyton Barber leading the way, Auburn drove inside the Alabama ten-yard-line. That’s all, folks. Goodbye, upset bid. Back then, the SEC champion was a virtually automatic entry in the title game.

Derrick Henry ran over and through the Auburn Tigers defense on the way to a 29-13 Crimson Tide Iron Bowl victory. That’s exactly what the Tide did by beating Auburn, the program’s ninth straight victory since falling to the Rebels.

“I think this team is focused on what they can accomplish as a group, what they’ve worked hard for all year long to try to accomplish, and I don’t think they think about who won back-to-back championships”, Saban said.

South Alabama, Kansas State and Georgia State could still get to six next week.

This business as usual for Nick Saban. “They’ve responded every possible way that you could ask them to”.

USC improved to 5-2 under interim coach Clay Helton and snapped its three-year losing streak in the annual city rivalry game.

From the Opelika-Auburn News’ Tom Green: Uncertainty surrounds the Auburn offense after season-long struggles.

Griffith’s 47-yard field goal with 10:04 remaining extended the lead to 22-13 and Henry’s 25-yard run with 26 seconds left finished off the Tigers. Its defense is superb, and the only touchdown it allowed to Auburn was on the freak – albeit spectacular – juggled, bobbled pass reception. After that Alabama leaned heavily on its running game.

After rushing for 90 yards in the initial half, Auburn ran the ball just 8 times for one yard in the final two quarters.

HEISMAN POTENTIAL: The seemingly indefatigable Henry has come up huge in some of Alabamas biggest games, including a 46-carry, 271-yard performance in the Iron Bowl. But each time, Henry shook off the offer.

“I got good character”, Johnson said.

Henry, in fact, could prove to be one of the more polarizing prospects in the 2016 draft.

It scored just two points against Florida State on Saturday, and those came via the defense on a safety.

The Gators will do all they can to key in on Henry and force Jake Coker to beat a magnificent Florida secondary with his arm. Alabama is 24-14 all-time against Florida and has won four in a row, including the 2009 SEC Championship game.

And the Gators and Crimson Tide can officially begin planning for the title conference game Friday in Atlanta, as fans have been for some time now. “It’s just all about rhythm and all we can do is get ready for this next game”.

Now the Tide are on the cusp of bringing another SEC championship trophy back to Tuscaloosa. At many times, they simply did not look like they deserved to be ranked 2nd in the College Football Playoff rankings. “There’s a lot of good teams, a lot of good coaches, a lot of good programs”. “I really love this team”.

“Last year we were [always] on the field”.

That journey isn’t over for Alabama, of course. A loss to Florida on Saturday would be, unequivocally, a failure.

Much of the Gators’ hopes rest on signal-caller Treon Harris, who had an very bad outing versus FSU and figures to have an even stiffer test against the Tide.

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But in the bowels of Jordan-Hare Stadium on Saturday, Saban admitted this team has the leadership several of his past Alabama teams lacked. That’s a lot of wear and tear even for a massive player like Henry to absorb.

“This is a tough one, but it’s something that we gotta put this behind us quick”, McGee said.