Notes: Alabama expected to roll over Florida Gators in SEC championship game

The former Florida head coach is now Auburn’s defensive coordinator, and a display of his familiar sideline rage during Saturday’s Iron Bowl drew a 15-yard penalty.

Henry’s lead is hardly safe, however.

In one corner is mighty Alabama, a team in full possession of all the mojo it misplaced during a mysterious September loss to Ole Miss. One more week won’t change that.

Alabama’s success is made up of two ingredients: its defense and running back Derrick Henry. It may not have been the most dominant win, in terms of the scoreboard, but it was a solid, business-like outing for the Tide. Saban is looking more and more like a coach who has produced his second Heisman back. Henry, who set the school’s single-season rushing record, rushed for 114 yards in the final quarter against the Tigers.

While rushing for the third-most yards in a game in Alabama history, behind only Shawn Alexander’s 291 in 1996 and Bobby Humphrey’s 284 in 1986, Henry did so with a school-record 46 carries – topping the previous high of 42 by Johnny Musso in 1970. He helped the Tide control the clock in the waning moments, as well. On turning the attention away from FSU “Now we’re getting ready for something I’m not sure anyone expected – the Florida Gators playing for an SEC championship”.

McElwain said the “juice” of an SEC title game could be as intense as a CFP game. The Barcelona and Real Madrid or Rangers and Celtic in football or in an American context The New York Yankees v The Boston Red Soxs in Baseball.

No. 1 Clemson 37, SC 32 • Deshaun Watson ran for three TDs and passed for one as the visiting Tigers, of the Atlantic Coast Conference, capped an undefeated regular season by holding off the SEC’s Gamecocks.

Jake Coker completed 17 of 26 passes for 179 yards, including a 34-yard touchdown to ArDarius Stewart in the third quarter after eluding two defenders. The matchup turned tense late for the Tigers after the Gamecocks scored early in the fourth quarter to cut Clemson’s lead to 28-25. Garrett had 10 catches for 216 yards in the win, and he now leads the country with 1,451 yards receiving for the season.

Freshman Clayton Thorson threw for 146 yards and a score to help Northwestern (10-2, 6-2 Big Ten, No. 16 CFP) avenge last year’s 47-33 home loss to IL.

The game was sloppy for both offenses at the beginning of the game with neither team able to score a first half touchdown.

As has been the case for the past five years, Florida’s defense tried to carry the load again Saturday. The performance marked Cook’s eighth 100-yard outing of the season.

“I would say that the interest is up this year”. Griffith converted all five his field goal attempts including a 50-yard field goal and other than Henry, he was the most consistent aspect of the game for the Tide.

“Right now, we are hurting over this game”. You can argue that running Henry as much as Alabama has but at the same time, he is unquestionably the Tide’s biggest weapon and Alabama is committed to running him until someone proves they can stop him.

Saban’s tenure at Alabama has been marked by a high-powered tandem of running backs. Alabama entered the game No. 2 in the playoff rankings and like No. 1 Clemson had trouble shaking its struggling rival. The Oklahoma signal caller recorded 257 yards of offense and three total touchdowns as his team obliterated the rival Cowboys in Bedlam.