Bama’s runners, Saban’s gaffe and a classic SEC title game
Georgia's Marshall Morgan's toe meets leather to start the SEC title game. (AJC photo by Ben Gray)
This post is an adjunct to the game column, which can be found here.
1. Alabama shattered the SEC Championship game record for yards rushing. The Tide ran for 350 yards, with two backs — game MVP Eddie Lacy and backup T.J. Yeldon — each going way over 100. (Lacy had 181, Yeldon 153.) And it was, almost inevitably, the fear of the Alabama ground game that spawned the Tide’s winning touchdown. AJ McCarron threw deep to Amari Cooper, who had run past Damain Swann, for the winning touchdown with 3:15 to play. But Alabama couldn’t run out the clock inside the final two minutes, and it nearly cost the Tide the game.
2. Even the best in the business sometimes whiffs. Alabama coach Nick Saban waited until five seconds remained in the first half to use his first timeout. After converting on third-and-2 at the Georgia 39 with 42 seconds left, the Crimson Tide allowed the clock to tick under 30 seconds before snapping the ball again. AJ McCarron’s 22-yard scramble to the Georgia 5 came too late for the Tide to do anything but kick a field goal, which put Bama ahead — but by three points, not seven.
3. This SEC Championship game matchup was one of the best in the event’s 21-year history. The 1994 pairing of No. 6 Florida versus No. 3 Alabama has always been considered a high point by conference insiders, given that it was the first time the game had been staged in the Georgia Dome and the game itself — Florida won 24-23 — was a stone-cold classic. The two No. 1 against No. 2 games between Alabama and Florida — the Gators won in 2008, the Tide in 2009 — are likewise high points, but this game featured No. 2 against No. 3 in a BCS play-in, and it also featured two storied programs that had never collided in such a setting. No wonder tickets were reselling for crazy money. Gary Stokan of the Chick-fil-A Bowl spoke to an Alabama booster club in Atlanta on Thursday and witnessed four tickets for Saturday’s game auctioned for $7,000. (Oh, and the game itself: The best SEC Championship ever.)
By Mark Bradley
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323 comments Add your comment
The best wannabe
December 1st, 2012
8:29 pm
Uga beats two teams with winning records — one being Vanderbilt — and people think they are national contenders. What a joke! Have the talent, but the coaching is terrible.
The Tide is Rolling and Nothing can stop it
December 1st, 2012
8:29 pm
Awesome Defense!
Awesome Defense!
Awesome Defense!
Awesome Defense!
Awesome Defense!
vesaversa
December 1st, 2012
8:29 pm
Georgia Dawgs didn’t lose they gave it to Bama .Bama also got a lot of help from the reffs .
Buckeye
December 1st, 2012
8:29 pm
dogs,
Look forward to the off season police blotter
The Tide is Rolling and Nothing can stop it
December 1st, 2012
8:30 pm
HAHAHAHA
HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA
HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA
HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA
HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA
HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA
Ha ha
December 1st, 2012
8:30 pm
Up next, the pathetic Failcants. They will most likely be the number one seed in the NFC only to lose at home again, remember that beating Green Bay handed them
Wabe
December 1st, 2012
8:30 pm
c’mon back to the Falcons…
UGA never struck anybody as a championship caliber team anyways. They lucked their way to where they were and were honestly lucky to even be in this game.
Aside from a few gamechanging plays [blocked FG, fake punt, McCarron's INT in the endzone], UGA was dominated.
Steve
December 1st, 2012
8:30 pm
Hold Up Fellas, you are stupid? The Gators will be all up in your azz. It will be back to winning for the Gators while your mediocre coach hangs on for ten more years. Enjoy your Cick Fil A bowl. LOl.
BamaStan
December 1st, 2012
8:30 pm
Couldn’t happen to a nicer bunch of thugs and a poor sport, never win the big one QB.
jeffdawgfan
December 1st, 2012
8:30 pm
I am not so sure it was a flare pass call.. Do not forget the pass was batted. I think Murray was trying to go the corner fade route. But yes…they should have spiked the ball.
Alabama Fans
December 1st, 2012
8:30 pm
Conley! Conley! Conley!
LifetimeTider
December 1st, 2012
8:30 pm
You crybabies make me sick, you got beat by a better team, you were outcoached (again) and you ought to be happy you beat Tech. You are not now, nor will you ever be in the same class as Alabama. Learn to deal with it.
1980 was a long time ago
December 1st, 2012
8:30 pm
im waiting until tomorrow until i hear “UGA will win it in 2013″….happens every year.
Buckeye
December 1st, 2012
8:31 pm
Oh ya dogs,
The refs.
Wa Wa Wa
Cheap shot – yes, Didn’t change the game.
Under The Bleachers
December 1st, 2012
8:31 pm
Great Game, Both sides played very very well, offensively, defensively, special teams.
I have been saying this all year, once the players on this current UGA squad leave after this year for the NFL, there will be some major drop offs in UGA defense. Will Grantham hang around long enough to rebuild that unit? It may be a few more years before we see UGA back in the title game.
Cotton Bowl destination just does not seem right for the Dawgs.
Ghost of Sinkwich
December 1st, 2012
8:31 pm
The Guys played great. Alabama just made a few more.
I am proud to be a Bulldog, on a Saturday Night!!!
It is really disappointing, but the players need to hold their heads up high.
Buckeye
December 1st, 2012
8:31 pm
tom brown,
WHERE YOU AT
LOSER
Wabe
December 1st, 2012
8:31 pm
And don’t take any comments from Alabama folks so seriously…
A state that don’t have a pro team ain’t worth nobody’s time.
We (did) Run The East
December 1st, 2012
8:31 pm
BamaStan has it right! UGA went 1-2 this year. SC is UGA’s new Florida.
nodefense
December 1st, 2012
8:31 pm
Its amazing what GA fans would settle for. Who in the hell cares about a bowl game other than the national championship game. I guess you will be happy as long as the Falcons win the division? Ala fans will not except nothing less than the NC.
Buckeye
December 1st, 2012
8:31 pm
WDE
WHERE YOU AT?
The Tide is Rolling and Nothing can stop it
December 1st, 2012
8:31 pm
HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA
Dawganator
December 1st, 2012
8:32 pm
Oh well well try again nxt year we didnt win and we will have to win next year it is not our destiny..
time is not on our side as you see we were at the 10 yard line with no time out…bad the decision, ball got tip should be 2nd and 10 if our recciver did get that ball, we should have 5 seconds left…but it didn’t happen. we have good year anyway dont feel bad.
BamaStan
December 1st, 2012
8:32 pm
I think next year, Muschamp gets the Gators back to their usual spot against us in Atlanta.
MR is a hypocrite
December 1st, 2012
8:33 pm
A georgia fan calls Alabama fans in breeds? Have you ever been to a Walmart and counted the teeth of the people wearing georgia gear? It only takes one hand!
MR is a hypocrite
December 1st, 2012
8:33 pm
A georgia fan calls Alabama fans in breeds? Have you ever been to a Walmart and counted the teeth of the people wearing georgia gear? It only takes one hand!
Typical mutt fan
December 1st, 2012
8:33 pm
Screw off Inbreds
December 1st, 2012
8:27 pm
Good game Inbreds, nice late hit on our QB. If that was one of the UGA players on Alabama they would have been kicked out of the game. One sided officiated game. Nothing New!
HAHAHAHA!!!! One sided my a$$
villedog
December 1st, 2012
8:33 pm
The bulldogs played their hearts. I think the coaching staff had them ready to play. Murray played a good ballgame. UGA still needs to build from the inside out, meaning 4 and 5 star offensive and defensive linemen. With 15 seconds, if you spike the ball you probably have time for 3 passes to the endzone, or mabybe 2 passes and a draw to Gurley.
Typical mutt fan
December 1st, 2012
8:33 pm
Screw off Inbreds
December 1st, 2012
8:27 pm
Good game Inbreds, nice late hit on our QB. If that was one of the UGA players on Alabama they would have been kicked out of the game. One sided officiated game. Nothing New!
HAHAHAHA!!!! One sided my a$$
Coach Mark Richt
December 1st, 2012
8:33 pm
I know we lost but I do have better hair and tan than Coach Saban…I should have a national championship for that alone.
Buckeye
December 1st, 2012
8:33 pm
dogs,
Need poop bags?
catlady
December 1st, 2012
8:33 pm
I’m disappointed but the team acquitted itself pretty well. I expected it to be a whole lot worse.
Paul
December 1st, 2012
8:34 pm
Very very proud of the DAWGS!!! They have absolutely NOTHING to be ashamed or disappointed about! Amazing effort..keep your heads up, great things are in the future. They just proved that they can hang with the BEST and give them all they can take.
Lonnie
December 1st, 2012
8:34 pm
Guys after listening to coach Richt and seeing replay she play was great throw when Bama expect a spike to outside receiver crisscross! The ball was tipped so it fell to Conley who was running to the end zone on crossing pattern. Great year and know that we did not lay down our defensive depth was tested against the run but we definitely stretched the field against Bama. Love my dawgs!!!!!!! Great year coach Richt!!!!!!
BamBama9
December 1st, 2012
8:34 pm
Great game Georgia. You could have easily won it. The 2 best teams in the country played tonight. After tonight I have no doubt Bama will beat ND and I have no doubt Georgia would have beaten them also. RTR!
The Tide is Rolling and Nothing can stop it
December 1st, 2012
8:34 pm
HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA
Dawgs Suck
December 1st, 2012
8:34 pm
To Hold up fellas: You got lucky beating the Gators. Get used to Florida dominance once half of UGA’s offense and all of UGA’s defense is gone.
Look on the bright side: You get to play in the Georgia Dome again in a few weeks. Us Gators will be on Bourbon Street.
LOSER!!!
guy
December 1st, 2012
8:34 pm
Great game and congrats to both teams.I hate the outcome but we could have won just as easily as we lost.That’s all you can hope for. Tough loss!
BamaStan
December 1st, 2012
8:34 pm
I think ThuGA goes to the chicken sandwich bowl.
Alabama Holds off Georgia 32-28, Advances to Miami – ABC News « Contacto Latino News
December 1st, 2012
8:35 pm
[...] Bama’s runners, Saban’s gaffe and a classic SEC title game Atlanta Journal Constitution (blog) No. 2 Alabama beats No. 3 Georgia 32-28 for SEC crown; sets up BCS title … Houston Chronicle ESPN (blog) -WBRC -The Augusta Chronicle all 1,069 news articles » Tags: English, Top StoriesPosted in World | No Comments» [...]
macaac
December 1st, 2012
8:35 pm
Spike the ball Murray! You remind me of Reggie Ball thorwing it out of bounds with time expiring! What a dumbass! Please please please leave for the NFL shortie, let Mason take over. Please!
Screw off Inbreds
December 1st, 2012
8:35 pm
Oh yea Break a leg in the Championship game,Please. At least we have something else to watch out here in GA like Pro sports, besides a brother and sister kissing contest in the Walmart parking lot. Good lucky game, thank the refs.
GA Tech Rules
December 1st, 2012
8:36 pm
WHA WHA WHA UGA SUX!
Buckeye
December 1st, 2012
8:36 pm
dogs,
How many rush yards did you give up?
LifetimeTider
December 1st, 2012
8:36 pm
@MT seats. Hello, tool, last time I checked your pro teams haven’t won squat, and the only reason the Falcons are doins as well as they are is Julio Jones, yes, an Alabama man, is on your team. Georgia……………………where pro sports teams go to fade into obscurity.
YellaHammer
December 1st, 2012
8:36 pm
Sorry Dawgs – NOT GOOD ENOUGH. CMR will never have another opportunity like this with talent and schedule lined up like it was. Dawgs played tough, but game shouldn’t have been that close (never seen such a fortuitous bounce on a blocked kick). Oh well, maybe next year – then again, probably not! (And oh yeah – I hate the fu^$#% prevent defense!!!)
Boo-Boo Dawg
December 1st, 2012
8:36 pm
Proud of my Dawgs, win or lose! Gooooo Dawgs!
lazoo
December 1st, 2012
8:36 pm
Once again we had the best team then get out coached.
Realist
December 1st, 2012
8:37 pm
So, do we start talking about the “great recruiting class now”?….HAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!
catlady
December 1st, 2012
8:37 pm
Wabe: Alabama DOES have a pro team. Surely you have heard of the Crimson Tide?