Florida overwhelmed by ‘big, strong’ Alabama, 29-15

The No. 2 Crimson Tide bested No. 18 Florida 29-15 in the Georgia Dome. Alabama has a snarling defense. Alabama is going to be the only two-time College Football Playoff team – the SEC championship was big, and there will be t-shirts printed, but it’s a step in the process for this team.

Alabama linebacker Ryan Anderson (22) sacks Florida quarterback Treon Harris (3) during the first half of the Southeastern Conference championship NCAA college football game, Saturday, Dec. 5, 2015, in Atlanta.

The “what” seemed preordained in this SEC Championship Game.

Alabama tailback Derrick Henry broke the University of Georgia legend’s record of 1,891 yards, set in the 1981 season, during the third quarter of Saturday’s SEC Championship game.

Get the big sports news, highlights and analysis from Times journalists, with distinctive takes on games and some behind-the-scenes surprises, delivered to your inbox every week. The Florida defense showed just how fast and just how good it was, but it couldn’t carry the team with an offense that couldn’t move the ball a lick.

NO. 1 CLEMSON 45, NO. 8 NORTH CAROLINA 37: Deshaun Watson threw for 289 yards and three touchdowns and ran for two scores, and Clemson held off North Carolina to win the Atlantic Coast Conference title. Florida’s defense yielded 189 rushing yards to Henry – assuredly this season’s Heisman Trophy victor – but only did so on a massive 44 carries. The Gators, who have been sputtering on offense for the better part of the past month, had just three drives of 14 last more than three plays.

The Gators finished with 180 yards. But who will be the SEC Championship victor, and which team will win the SEC Championship game today? Alabama was 2 of 7 on third downs in the first half and led by just 12-7 at the half.

HOUSTON – Greg Ward Jr. ran for 148 yards and two touchdowns and threw for 88 yards on 11-of-21 passes without an interception, and No. 17 Houston defeated No. 20 Temple 24-13 on Saturday to win the American Athletic Conference Championship.

The second half brought the wearing-down of Florida, a bunch of body blows that left it exhausted and vulnerable, to go back to the boxing analogy. Plus, Henry is a third down machine, and the Sooners rank 79th in the country in third down defense (39.81 percent). Alabama took a 2-0 lead on a blocked punt in the first quarter and then blocked a Florida field goal attempt to maintain that lead into the second quarter.

Never again does he want to have to depend on a safety to avoid a shutout against FSU, or a punt return, like Antonio Callaway’s 85-yard Saturday stampede, to make Alabama flinch. That gives Florida coaches a little more than a week to get some recruiting in before their bowl game.

Coker then started making plays with his feet.

On Alabama’s next possession, the freshman receiver Calvin Ridley got behind the Florida defense down the middle of the field on a 55-yard pass play. Two plays later, Henry dove into the end zone to get the Tide really rolling. Alabama won, 29-15.

Not that the Tide has an easy go of it, at least early. He completed a 16-yard pass to Stewart for a first down.

TEXAS 23, (12) BAYLOR 17: Tyrone Swoopes threw for 151 yards with a touchdown and ran for a score in his first start since the opener, and Texas (4-7, 4-5 Big 12) held on at Waco, Texas, for a victory that knocked Baylor (9-3, 6-3) out of Sugar Bowl contention.