Opposites attract in Atlanta
SEC standard-bearer Alabama favored over East upstart Missouri.
ATLANTA — Alabama is right where it always seems to be, playing for a title.
That is also becoming the norm for Missouri.
The top-ranked Crimson Tide (11-1) will try to lock up a spot in college football’s inaugural playoff when it takes on the No. 16 Tigers (10-2) in the SEC Championship Game at 3 p.m. Central today in the Georgia Dome.
In what passed for a rebuilding year in Tuscaloosa, Alabama survived the brutal SEC West to make it to Atlanta for the fourth time in the past seven years under Coach Nick Saban.
If the Tide knocks off Missouri — Alabama is a two-touchdown favorite — the next game will likely be on New Year’s Day at the Sugar Bowl in a national semifinal.
Rest assured, Saban will make sure his players aren’t looking ahead.
“What’s special about this one is you get a chance to run for a ring, an SEC championship ring, and be named conference champion,” safety Landon Collins said. “It’s going to be one of the best games you play in.”
Missouri is back at the Georgia Dome for the second consecutive year as the SEC East champion. Not bad for a school that has been in the league for only three years.
“Any team that can repeat and represent the East, they’re a great team and a great program,” Alabama’s Nick Perry said. “We’re definitely not overlooking these guys.”
Missouri also went to the Big 12 title game in 2007 and 2008 before shifting to the SEC, but while the Tigers keep getting close to the prize, they haven’t been able to win an outright conference title since 1960.
They were blown out by Oklahoma in their two Big 12 appearances and couldn’t keep up with Auburn in last year’s SEC Championship Game, losing 59-42.
After going 5-7 its first year in the SEC, Missouri has beaten out more traditional football powers such as Georgia and Florida the past two seasons to make a mark in its new home.
While Alabama has been an offensive juggernaut, Missouri’s offense has endured some rocky times.
Quarterback Maty Mauk threw four interceptions in the Tigers’ only SEC loss, a 34-0 loss to Georgia at home. Missouri had to grind out victories the past three weeks against Texas A&M, Tennessee and Arkansas, averaging 28.0 points and 473 yards during that span, but not exactly dominating.
The Tigers have a chance to create some havoc with a
Golden (8 1/ sacks, 16 tackles
2 for losses), and pressure can be the great equalizer against a high-powered offense.
“I’m one of those guys that goes in thinking I’m going to win every game every year as a coach,” Missouri Coach Gary Pinkel said. “After the first year [in the SEC], I probably would have questioned that a little bit. We had a lot of injuries. But we’ve been very, very healthy the last couple years, which has certainly helped us.”
No one has ruled the college football landscape like Alabama since Saban took over the program in 2007. His first year was a struggle, but since then the Tide have gone 83-10 with three national championships and two SEC titles.
The Tide can win in a bunch of different ways, whether it’s throwing to receiver Amari Cooper (103 receptions, 1,573 yards, 14 touchdowns) or handing off to running backs T.J. Yeldon and Derrick Henry, who have combined for 1,639 yards and 16 touchdowns.
Senior quarterback Blake Sims also has come up big in his only year as a starter, and the line has surrendered only 11 sacks.
Saban is also known for his defensive adjustments, so even if the Tigers have some success in the first two quarters they’ll have to be prepared for a totally different look in the second half.
“Bear Bryant, Woody Hayes, a lot of the coaches — great, great coaches — most of those guys had 95, 105, 115 scholarships at least a portion of their career,” Pinkel said. “I don’t know that anybody has done as consistent a job at
“I don’t know that anybody has done as consistent a job at coaching with 85 scholarships as Nick Saban has.” — Missouri Coach
Gary Pinkel “What’s special about this one
is you get a chance to run for a ring, an SEC championship ring, and be named conference champion.” — Alabama safety
Landon Collins
coaching with 85 scholarships as Nick Saban has.”