Earlier today, we noted a deep gulp originating from somewhere in the vicinity of Mike Slive‘s office after Alabama fell behind 14-0 early on the Auburn.
Now, that sound you hear after the Tide escaped with a narrow victory over the Tigers in the Iron Bowl? A huuuge sigh of relief coming from the SEC commissioner. As well as the whole of Crimson Tide Nation.
Pending Florida’s expected romp over Florida State Saturday, the epic SEC title game matching the unbeaten No. 1 and No. 2 teams in the country is set as Alabama rallied from their early deficit, overcame a late-game deficit, and downed Auburn 26-21 to remain unbeaten and on course for their collision with the Gators.
Trailing 21-20 with 8:27 left in the fourth, the Tide embarked on a for-the-ages 79-yard drive that ate up 7:03 of the clock and ended with the go-ahead touchdown pass from quarterback Greg McElroy to Roy Upchurch from four yards out.
On that clock-chewing drive, McElroy was a McMaestro, completing 7 of 8 passes for 63 yards in salvaging the Tide’s unbeaten season.
Most certainly, ‘Bama running back Mark Ingram‘s Heisman hopes took a huge hit, but that doesn’t matter as the Tide’s title hopes didn’t.
Add it all up, and it means the SEC is nearly set for their unbeaten conference showdown for the ages.
Alabama did their job, Florida. Your turn, Gators.
It’s a shame Florida and Alabama have to play a conference championship game. These two teams are clearly the two best teams in the nation and unfortunately the loser will not play for the big one.
Alabama is not one of the best in the nation. Auburn proved it all over the field last night. They’re the better team, and Alabama can’t say just because they won, that they weren’t outplayed in every way by their rival. And because of their inability to play well against Auburn, they will be crushed by Florida, and have Florida to play Texas for the championship. Auburn is better, and no state/national title can say otherwise
I think “Terry” must be an SEC official. He’s not actually watching the game, his calls are made up before the game is played.
Alabama is not the second, third or fourth best team in the nation and were clearly outplayed by unranked Auburn for 55 minutes. It’s not the first time they’ve been outplayed and survived this year.
Florida should expose them nicely, and if they don’t, Texas will.
You people are outside your minds.
Auburn did fight hard — I’ll give them that. But after all their tricks were used up and they went up 14-0 in the first quarter, Bama handily outscored them 26-7.
If you call that a dominant effort by Auburn, you are clearly delusional.