ATLANTA (AP) -Besides the 1-vs.-2 matchup and all the national title implications, the most appealing thing about Saturday’s Southeastern Conference championship game is the contrast in styles.
But are the teams really that different?
No. 1 Alabama comes across as a bit more old-fashioned, relying on a strong running game and opportunistic defense to go unbeaten this season. Second-ranked Florida loves to spread the field and pile up points with its new-age offense, winning 11 games by an average of more than 37 points.
Even so, Gators coach Urban Meyer said the success of both teams largely relies on the same time-tested beliefs.
ople and running as hard as we can. We happen to have a 235-pound quarterback who runs very well, so we utilize him.”
That would be Tim Tebow, last year’s Heisman Trophy winner, whose ability to run and pass with equal skill allowed Meyer to go with an offense that’s actually based on the old single wing.
Alabama coach Nick Saban can’t help but smirk at those who say the Crimson Tide (12-0) is the team running the throwback scheme.
“They’re running the single wing,” the 57-year-old said. “Last time I was involved in a single wing I was 10 years old playing peewee ball, and I was the quarterback. So I understand that offense a little bit from back then.”
Of course, Florida (11-1) is bit more complex than a rec league team – and certainly harder to stop. The Gators are the third highest-scoring team in the nation (46.3 points a game) and haven’t had a win closer than 23 points.
“It’s a lot more difficult to defend when they’re spread out, but their quarterback, who’s a good passer as well as a good runner, really allows them to play a style that would be difficult to match unless you have the right kind of personnel to do it,” Saban said. “I think the compliment here is that both teams play with a style that allows them to be most successful.”
es to set up perhaps the most anticipated matchup in the 17-year history of the SEC championship, which for the first time pits No. 1 vs. No. 2 (at least according to The Associated Press poll) and will essentially serve as a semifinal game for the national title.
The winner is expected to claim a spot in the BCS championship game at Miami, while the loser settles for the Sugar Bowl.
Even though Alabama is unbeaten and ranked higher, Florida went into the game as a commanding 10-point favorite. The oddsmakers have clearly forgotten about that one blemish, a shocking 31-30 loss at home to Mississippi in late September. Since then, the Gators have won eight in a row, scoring at least 42 points in all but one game and beating everyone by at least four touchdowns.
“This team is playing as well as any team I’ve ever been around,” Meyer said.
While Saban and his players shrugged off the point spread, Florida figures it will wind up on a bulletin board for motivation.
“They’re still the undefeated team, still have not lost a game yet,” Gators defensive back Joe Haden said. “If I was them, I would definitely use that as fuel.”
ndy if the SEC championship is still up for grabs in the closing minutes.
The Tide has won the tight ones. Florida lost its only close game.
“That’s a very real concern,” Meyer conceded. “We’ve been doing a lot of extra work at the end of practice on our two-minute offense and those kind of drills.”
While Florida clearly has the more dynamic offense, the Gators could be without one of their top weapons as both running back and receiver.
Speedy Percy Harvin didn’t practice all week in Gainesville after spraining an ankle against Florida State last Saturday. He was finally going to test it out during the walkthrough at the Georgia Dome, but only after all the media had been ushered out. So it won’t be known until kickoff if Harvin will be able to play, or how effective he’ll be if he does.
Saban readily concedes that his team doesn’t possess the offensive firepower of the Gators, with or without Harvin.
“We’re one of those teams that sort of grinds it out and needs to play every play in the game,” the coach said. “We’re not an explosive team. We don’t make a lot of explosive plays. We don’t score 28 points in three or four minutes. We play good defense. We try to be sound on special teams. We would like to be a little more explosive on offense.”
think.
Florida is far and away the SEC’s scoring leader, but Alabama is tied for second (32.1). The Crimson Tide leads the conference in points allowed (11.5), just ahead of the Gators (12.2). Florida is actually the more potent running game (237.1 yards per game), while Alabama is No. 2 (201.5). No one in the league is tougher against the run than Alabama (73.65), but Florida is hardly a pushover (third at 102.8).
Right on down the list – passing efficiency, pass defense efficiency, third-down conversions, turnover margin – these teams are hard to tell apart in the most important categories.
“Something I really enjoy doing is analyzing, doing a statistical evaluation of each team and where we’re at,” Meyer said. “They’re fantastic, but so are the Gators. All the power stats, these top two teams are right there.”
Sounds like quite an appealing matchup.
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