Alabama Wins SEC Title, Will Face Notre Dame Next (Beat Georgia 32-28)

Chicago Tribune ^ | 12-1-2012 | Brian Hamilton

[blam]

Alabama Wins SEC Title, Will Face Notre Dame Next (Beat Georgia 32-28)

Alabama running back Eddie Lacy scores on a 41-yard touchdown run as he is chased by Georgia's Shawn Williams during the second quarter. (John David Mercer-USA TODAY Photo / December 1, 2012)

Brian Hamilton
Tribune reporter
6:53 p.m. CST, December 1, 2012

ATLANTA -- Notre Dame, the Tide rolls for thee.

Alabama rallied twice in the second half to down Georgia 32-28 in the SEC Championship game at the Georgia Dome on Saturday, all but assuredly earning a shot at the No. 1 Irish in the BCS title tilt on Jan. 7.

Down three with five and a half minutes to play, Alabama QB AJ McCarron threw a 45-yard pass to Amari Cooper for with 3:15 to play. The drive took four plays.

In what has become two teams swinging anvils at each other all afternoon, Georgia blew an 11-point lead only to restore its advantage early in the fourth quarter, leading Alabama 28-25 as the teams have three 100-yard rushers on the day between them.

The third quarter began as an utter disaster for Alabama, as Georgia seemed poised to vanquish demons after collapsing against LSU in this spot last year. It opened the second half with a 75-yard drive to a Todd Gurley 3-yard touchdown run and a 14-10 lead.

Then the Georgia special teams continued its rout in this affair, blocking an Alabama field goal attempt with Alec Ogletree returning it 55 yards for a stunning score and a 21-10 advantage midway through the third.

[blam]

Boy O Boy.

What a heart stopper of a game.

Roll Tide

[wrench]

Hell of a game. The winner deserves what they got. That was the most exciting end to a game I have seen in a long time.

[GeronL]

Can we get rid of this BCS crap now?

[RightWingConspirator]

Thank God theTexas Aggies beat the Crimson tide!

[mtnwmn]

My BP is probably sky high! Lordy, what a game! Roll Tide, Roll!

[tomkat]

Please pardon the vernacular, but that Yeldon kid was f’n awesome !

[blam]

"That was the most exciting end to a game I have seen in a long time."

Yup. The guy should not have caught that last pass although, everyone of us would have.

[tomkat]

Roll Tide

[Fiji Hill]

Here’s hoping the Tide drowns the Domers.

[xkaydet65]

That play was the dumbest end of game I’ve seen since Rollie Stichweh let time run out with Army on Navy’s 3 yd line back in ‘63. He had 15 seconds and had he spiked the ball he’d have two throws into the end zone.

[RushIsMyTeddyBear]

Roll Tide! GA was a great team and a formidable force! THAT was one heckuva football game!

[hinckley buzzard]

Good game. The perfumed princes of ND must be soiling their silk panties about now.

[southernerwithanattitude]

I cant believe that a game as big as the SEC Championship game wouldn’t have better referees than that. They let the Alabama Center hold the nose tackle on every running play. If you are supposed to be an “All American” you don’t need that kind of help.

[Principled]

Great game. Just great.

Go Tide - roll over ND!

[ConservativeStatement]

Very exciting game. The quickness in which Alabama responded after falling behind 21-10 was impressive in itself.

[yarddog]

That was an unusually good game it literally came down to the last play.

[Hoodat]

That was one helluva game. For the first time in my entire BAMA-loving life, I actually felt sorry for Georgia. After the game, I tried to call up my son (who is a UGA undergrad) to tell him my heart went out for him and UGA. He hung up on me twice.

Having said that, ROLL TIDE!

[Jane Long]

Thank God theTexas Aggies beat the Crimson tide!

Amen! Great game. Alabama made the Ags look super :) Whoop!

[tomkat]

He hung up on me twice

             

[Fiji Hill]

That play was the dumbest end of game I’ve seen since Rollie Stichweh let time run out with Army on Navy’s 3 yd line back in ‘63. He had 15 seconds and had he spiked the ball he’d have two throws into the end zone.

I told him to spike the ball. Guess he couldn't hear me through the TV screen.