Alabama Wins SEC Title, Will Face Notre Dame Next (Beat Georgia 32-28)

Chicago Tribune ^ | 12-1-2012 | Brian Hamilton

[blam]

Alabama Wins SEC Title, Will Face Notre Dame Next (Beat Georgia 32-28)

Alabama running back Eddie Lacy scores on a 41-yard touchdown run as he is chased by Georgia's Shawn Williams during the second quarter. (John David Mercer-USA TODAY Photo / December 1, 2012)

Brian Hamilton
Tribune reporter
6:53 p.m. CST, December 1, 2012

ATLANTA -- Notre Dame, the Tide rolls for thee.

Alabama rallied twice in the second half to down Georgia 32-28 in the SEC Championship game at the Georgia Dome on Saturday, all but assuredly earning a shot at the No. 1 Irish in the BCS title tilt on Jan. 7.

Down three with five and a half minutes to play, Alabama QB AJ McCarron threw a 45-yard pass to Amari Cooper for with 3:15 to play. The drive took four plays.

In what has become two teams swinging anvils at each other all afternoon, Georgia blew an 11-point lead only to restore its advantage early in the fourth quarter, leading Alabama 28-25 as the teams have three 100-yard rushers on the day between them.

The third quarter began as an utter disaster for Alabama, as Georgia seemed poised to vanquish demons after collapsing against LSU in this spot last year. It opened the second half with a 75-yard drive to a Todd Gurley 3-yard touchdown run and a 14-10 lead.

Then the Georgia special teams continued its rout in this affair, blocking an Alabama field goal attempt with Alec Ogletree returning it 55 yards for a stunning score and a 21-10 advantage midway through the third.

[Fiji Hill]

Oh, yeah, a real cool guy who left his Cincinnati team before they played their bowl.

I wish he had stayed at Cincinnati. Although I've never set foot on the campus--and have never even been to Cincinnati--I'm a fan of the Bearcats because I hold one unit from the university.

[dfwgator]

Looks like K-State is about to put the final nail in Mack Brown’s coffin.

[MrChips]

Great game! ND 24, Bama 23, lead changed hands 6 times. I was in the endzone directly behind Clements as he threw that pass. Greatest game I have ever seen.

[Hoodat]

You are a cruel man.

[gov_bean_ counter]

Yep. Princeton BB played above the rim. Gotta love it.

[dfwgator]

Now that was truly a “gutsy call” by Parseghian. What a perfectly thrown ball by Clements.

[mykroar]

Saw the very end - amazing. Very upset my Cats laid an egg against Baylor - have a feeling ‘Bama’s gonna be about a 14 point favorite against ND.

[dfwgator]

After what you guys did to us the last few years, you deserve it. ;) BTW, UF now has the top recruiting class for next year, FWIW.

[tumblindice]

In this century?
2000 Fiesta Oregon State 9-41 L
2002 Gator N.C. State 6-28 L
2004 Insight Oregon State 21-38 L
2005 Fiesta Ohio State 20-34 L
2006 Sugar LSU 14-41 L
2008 Hawai’i Hawaii 49-21 W
2010 Sun Miami (Fla.) 33-17 W
2011 Champs Sports Florida State 14-18 L

Let’s see now, six losses two wins. My goodness ...
But maybe it will be like the Jets-Colts, `69. You Domers certainly are due!
Why don’t you private mail me ... I’ve got this `once in a lifetime’ opportunity, just for a few special people, great fans like yourself: They’re called `time share interests’. They’re the coming thing. Let me know!

Notre Dame is about the best reason I can think of for dismantling the BCS. A good team could be playing Alabama.

[Hoodat]

Why not? The sportswriters hate ND

Are you high?

[nickcarraway]

Yes, hate them bad. There were several articles about it a few weeks ago. They put ND behind Kansas State, just out of spite.

[dfwgator]

I remember back in 1991, the Gators won their first official SEC Championship, and we were all complaining that our Sugar Bowl opponent was a fairly mediocre Notre Dame team....well darned if Notre Dame go out there and kick our butts.

[Fiji Hill]

I heard there is a team somewhere called the “Poets.”

Yes, the Poets of Whittier College--a Quaker school named for the Quaker poet John Greenleaf Whittier.

In 1915, a USC Trojan team that had trounced the Cal Bears earlier in the year was run over by the Poet Machine 20-2--their only victory over the boys from South Hoover Street--and Whittier remained on USC's schedule until 1934.

[nickcarraway]

Yes, and there were even ESPN article about it. Look, they only put ND as #1, when there weren’t any other undefeated teams left. What more do you need to know. There’s probably a 50% chance Alabama will be #1 tomorrow.

[dfwgator]

Wisky has just scored again, make it 70!

[dfwgator]

Oh by the way, Congratulations FSU on your ACC Title, BWAHAHAHAHAHAHA!

[tumblindice]

"your arrogant "SEC faithful" The SEC? Are you kidding me? Those guys are fags! ...... Big XII !

[Hoodat]

Just to let you know, for the first time in my life, I cheered for those California pretty boys from USC (the University of Spoiled Children) over Notre Dame just so Florida could make it to the National Championship game. My Gator-fan bro-in-law was quite confident that the Gators could handle the Tide in that event.

Anyway, I still wish Florida was going instead of ND. It would be a much better game. Sucks for Georgia though. While I have zero love for the Dawgs, they deserve much better than the Capital One bowl. They really impressed me tonight.

[SeaHawkFan]

I have not liked ND ever since they got their own special TV deal, but Kelly was very open about leaving if ND offered him the job. Have no problem if both sides of the contract agreed in advance. If there was such an agreement, Kelly really didn’t break his contract with Cincinnati.

[dfwgator]

Georgia should get the Sugar Bowl. They beat us, and they won the East, and I think made a case that they are the second best team in the SEC. I won’t complain if they get it.