Alabama Crimson Tide vs. Florida Gators in the SEC Championship
by BetUS Staff
With my Oklahoma Sooners no longer logged into the BCS computers for the first time in years, I have been forced to focus my attention on the SEC Championship. The Florida Gators, ranked# 1 in the BCS polls this week, taking on #2 ranked Alabama.
Talk about a game that will have a big time impact on teams ranked 1 through 10 in the BCS poll, this outcome will cause a huge debate on 1 loss SEC teams being better than undefeated teams from conferences that are considered weak. While no such conference exists in college football these days, try telling that to the loser of this match-up.
In the college football world, one versus two means everything. Match makers couldn’t have written a better script than to match up these two coaches and programs in a game that means everything. Too bad these two teams are not playing for a national championship because in my opinion they are clearly the two best college football teams in the US.
Sorry all you Longhorn, Boise State, Bearcat and Horned Frog fans, your teams would have at least 2 to 3 loses if they played the brutal SEC schedule, where every game is a battle.
Anyone who thinks college football isn’t about the all mighty dollar need only to look at conference championship games. Don’t get it twisted, these games exist to generate additional revenue for schools and conferences. But no one could have predicted that we would end up with the two top BCS ranked teams playing for a conference championship this late in the season with both having undefeated records.
Get ready because the team that loses this match up will most likely spend the next month lobbying for their rematch that isn’t going to happen. This isn’t boxing and there is no rematch clause in the SEC championship. One of these teams will have to live with losing out on an opportunity to play for a national title. That is a tough pill to swallow.
With two national titles in their back pocket, Gator Head Coach Urban Myer and Mr. Superman himself Tim Tebow are in my opinion better equipped to swallow such a pill. They both have enjoyed so much success at Florida that their legends have already been cemented regardless of what goes down this weekend.
On the flip side Nick Saban, who has done a remarkable job turning around the Crimson Tide football program, is looking to establish his Bama legacy and the only way he can do that is by bringing home a national title. So in my opinion this game comes down to who wants it more?
This match up may feel like déjà vu for both teams. While both the Gators and Crimson Tide hang their hat on defense, this game will come down to which offense can make big plays when it counts. Both of these teams have struggled this year at times but managed to make plays at the end when their backs where against the wall. This is a true indicator that both of these teams are well coached and extremely confident in their ability to work through adverse situations.
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Tim Tebow has put up great numbers again this year but lacks the home run threat that Percy Harvin provided last year. As a result, opposing defenses have enjoyed limited success by forcing Tebow throw to his second or third options. While Tebow is the ultimate dual threat, he will be facing a Crimson Tide defense that matches up against him and his offense better than anyone all year. While the Tides starting QB Greg McElroy has struggled this season despite teaming up with one of college football’s most explosive running backs l Mark Ingram, he did manage to lead the Tide to a come from behind victory last week against in-state rival Auburn.
McElroy capped off a 15 play 76 yard 4th quarter drive last week by throwing a 4 yard touchdown pass to Roy Upchurch with 1:24 left in the game. That put the Tide ahead for good 26-21. That drive may prove to be the key to unlocking a BCS title for the Tide. While most experts will look at all the stat’s and records put up by Tebow, I am focusing in on what McElroy did when the Tides national title hopes were slipping away last week.
This game is going to be tight and I think teams who are used to playing under tight situations perform better than those who have not, and let’s face it no one has really pushed Florida this year. They have not been as dominant as many thought they would, but at no time have they looked like they might lose a game.
The concussion Tebow suffered against Kentucky this year will give the Bama defense just the confidence they need to go into this match up with the believe Tebow can be hurt. In my opinion Tebow and the Gators have used their mythical status to intimidate opponents who view them as college footballs equivalent to the NY Yankees, LA Lakers, and even a young Mike Tyson.
Take away that intimidation and you have an Alabama team that comes into this match-up with enough Kryptonite to slowdown Superman and the rest of his Gator teammates.
