ATLANTA – All season Florida used excellent defense and a grind-it-out offense to win, often times in less-than-spectacular fashion.
So when the Gators’ defense turned in its worst performance of the year, it might be unsurprising that UF will not be heading back to the BCS National Championship Game.
The No. 2 Crimson Tide (13-0) scored on six of their first seven offensive possessions en route to a 32-13 Southeastern Conference Championship Game win, earning them a trip to Pasadena, Calif., for the national title game.
No. 1 Florida on the other hand will likely be going to the Sugar Bowl after having its 22-game winning streak.
“This is not how we wanted to finish our season in the SEC,” said UF senior quarterback Tim Tebow, who completed 20 of 35 passes for 247 yards with one touchdown and one interception. “There were a lot of goals we won’t be able to accomplish.”
This was one of the most uncharacteristic ways for Florida’s quest for three titles in four years to end.
Alabama racked up 490 yards, more than double what UF had been allowing (230.1 per game). The Crimson Tide piled up 32 points, more than triple the Gators’ average allowed (9.8 per game).
UA finished 11 of 15 on third-down conversions on a defense that hadn’t allowed an opponent to convert even 50 percent any time in the last two seasons. The Gators led the SEC in sacks coming into the game and managed just one.
Alabama running back Mark Ingram gave a great last impression to Heisman voters, finishing with 113 rushing yards and three touchdowns and adding two catches for 76 yards.
Alabama took control from the opening whistle. The Crimson Tide won the opening toss and elected to receive. They promptly got a field goal and a touchdown on their first two drives to lead 9-0 after a missed PAT.
Florida seemed to gain the momentum back midway through the second quarter with four-play, 70-yard drive that cut the deficit to12-10, but UA answered with a two-play, 72-yard drive in just 59 seconds and would lead 19-13 at halftime.
In the second half, things only got worse for the Gators. The Crimson Tide scored touchdowns on their first two possessions after halftime, and Florida never found the end zone again. UF had two fourth-quarter drives make it into the red zone but came away with zero points thanks to an interception and failed fourth-down attempt.
“I’m just disappointed for – I love these seniors,” Florida coach Urban Meyer said. “They’re going down in the history of the SEC, and this era of the SEC I can’t imagine there’s been stronger.
“We didn’t execute very good, but you’ve got to take your good with the bad.”
