Alabama back on top with 13th national title
Jason Harless / The Tuscaloosa News Buy photo
Alabama running back Mark Ingram celebrates after scoring on a 1-yard run with two minutes left to play against Texas in the BCS National Championship Game in Pasadena, Calif.
By Cecil Hurt Sports Editor Published: Friday, January 8, 2010 at 3:30 a.m.
Last Modified: Thursday, January 7, 2010 at 11:41 p.m.
PASADENA, Calif.
It was a BCS National Championship Game that turned into a classic — even if the University of Alabama would have preferred otherwise.
The Crimson Tide captured its first national championship in 17 years, and its first of the BCS Era, holding off a valiant second-half comeback by Texas to defeat the Longhorns 37-21 at the Rose Bowl.
The win also was the first ever for Alabama against Texas in nine tries. But the results were far more important than the mere ending of a losing streak.
“I’ve never been prouder of a group of guys,” said Alabama head coach Nick Saban. “The blood, sweat and tears they put in was tremendous. Most people don’t realize the dedication it takes to do that.
“We had a lot of anxiety at the beginning of the game. We made some mistakes. Then it was like we won the game at halftime. But (Texas) had the ability to come back. Give them credit. But our guys made the plays and I was proud that our guys were able to finish (and) put it away.”
The Longhorns, as Saban noted, did not go quietly.
Texas had pinned its hopes on the passing of quarterback Colt McCoy, and when he went out in the first quarter with a right shoulder injury, the Longhorns were lost for the rest of the half.
Two special-team foibles in the early going — a fake punt attempt on the first series that was intercepted by Texas’ Blake Gideon and a failure to field a sky kick that resulted in a Longhorn recovery — led to two Texas field goals and a 6-0 lead. But the important development in the early going was the loss of McCoy on a first-down play from the Alabama 11, his shoulder injured on a hit by the Crimson Tide’s Marcell Dareus.
The 6-0 lead held up through the first quarter, but with McCoy’s replacement, Garrett Gilbert, struggling and the UA 1-2 rushing attack shifting into gear, the Crimson Tide exploded for 24 second-quarter points on touchdown runs by Mark Ingram, from 2 yards out, and Trent Richardson on an explosive 49-yard run. Leigh Tiffin added a 26-yard field goal with 29 seconds remaining in the half.
On the ensuing possession, Texas elected not to kill the clock and turned the ball over for what may have been the game’s most devastating touchdown.
Gilbert’s shovel pass attempt to Tre Newton with 15 seconds remaining in the half was intercepted at the line by Dareus, who shoved Gilbert out of the way and went 28 yards for a touchdown that put the Crimson Tide ahead 24-6.
Texas regained the momentum in the second half as Gilbert’s comfort level increased.
Alabama, meanwhile, lost its offensive momentum, going three-and-out on three straight possessions in the third quarter.
Gilbert connected on touchdown passes of 44 yards to Jordan Shipley in the third quarter and another 28-yarder to Shipley in the fourth quarter, and suddenly Alabama found itself leading just 24-21 and staring at what would have been the biggest collapse in BCS history.
Instead, the Alabama defense rose to the occasion.
After the Longhorns stopped Alabama at 37 with 3:14 remaining, a P.J. Fitzgerald punt pinned Texas at its 7. A defensive holding call on Alabama moved the ball to the 17, but UA then came up with the biggest play of the day. A blitzing Eryk Anders slammed Gilbert, forcing a fumble that was recovered by Courtney Upshaw at the Texas 3.
Three plays later, Ingram scored his second touchdown and Alabama secured its first championship since 1992. An interception by Javier Arenas led to an insurance score by Trent Richardson and a final interception downfield by Tyrone King closed the contest.
Both Ingram (22 carries for 116 yards) and Richardson (19 carries for 109 yards) finished over the 100-yard mark for the game.
Gilbert, who was 4-for-22 passing at one point, finished 15-for-40 for 156 yards with two touchdowns and four interceptions. McCoy was 2-for-2 for nine yards before his injury.
Ingram was the game’s offensive MVP, while Dareus won the defensive honor.
Texas, which had won 17 straight games, was disappointed but proud after the loss.
“I told the guys they had a great run,” said Texas head coach Mack Brown. “After Colt got hurt, we were limited in some of the things we wanted to do, but we continued to fight and attack.
“We didn’t know if Colt could come back, but he didn’t look good. We told Garrett to just keep playing, that it was a tough learning curve, but keep learning. And there was a time when I thought he was going to bring us back to win the game. I actually thought when we got the ball back at the (7) that we were going to take it down and win the game because that’s what we’ve done so many times.
“Colt was trying at halftime to get back, and I knew he shouldn’t. But he wanted to play. That’s how tough he is.
“He was really in pain at halftime. I could tell he didn’t need to be on the field.”
“Colt McCoy is a great player,” Saban said. “As much as I enjoy winning, you hate to see a great competitor who has had a great career not be able to participate in a game that he has been waiting for his entire career. We thought we had a pretty good gameplan, if he played, for what he did. The hit Eryk Anders made at the end of the game was really the difference in the game.”
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