ShareThisIt was everything expected of a battle of two top-10 Southeastern Conference football powers with a combined record of 15-1 entering Saturday's game.
A superb field position stalemate. Two defenses that wouldn't back down. Spine adjusting hits on almost every play, especially in the second half when trainers got winded from helping so many injured players off the field.
But in the end, with No. 3 and unbeaten Alabama prevailing 24-15 over No. 9 LSU to win the SEC's Western Division, the more physical team won. It usually does, especially as games grind into the late third and early fourth quarters.
The Tigers certainly played tough on the road in Tuscaloosa, even after losing starting quarterback Jordan Jefferson and starting running back Charles Scott to injury in the second half.
LSU did just fine withstanding Scott's injury. But having to replace Jefferson with backup Jarrett Lee, last year's starter who was benched late last season after he had seven interceptions returned for touchdowns, was too much for the Tigers to overcome.
With Lee at quarterback, Alabama's defense knew that the Tigers had just downgraded from a playmaker to caretaker. LSU's play-calling turned extremely conservative, as LSU coach Les Miles hoped his defense could pull the Tigers through.
Not quite. Not against Alabama.
It's not that the Crimson Tide isn't overwhelming. But moreso than any SEC team this season, Alabama has the ability to dig a little deeper when the game is on the line, like running back Mark Ingram gaining 106 of his game-high 144 yards rushing in the second half. When Alabama twice had to crank out drives to re-take the lead, it did, including fourth-quarter scoring possessions of 65, 73 and 31 yards.
That's what national championship caliber teams do. Alabama should know, because Florida did it to the Tide in last year's SEC championship game when the Gators scored two fourth-quarter TDs to rally for a 31-20 victory.
Now, Alabama gets another crack at Tim Tebow and the defending national champs in the league championship game Dec. 5 in Atlanta. For the Tide, its unfinished business, which is the way Alabama has played all this season.
EXTRA POINTS
All season, Arkansas' D.J. Williams has heard the question. Quarterback Ryan Mallett has heard the question. Coach Bobby Petrino has heard the question. Why hasn't Williams been thrown the ball very much this season? After all, he had 61 receptions for 723 yards and three touchdowns last year. Williams' role somewhat changed this year when Mallett became quarterback. Mallett's arm strength enables him to go downfield more, so Williams is the last option. But in Arkansas' 33-16 victory over South Carolina on Saturday, Williams had seven receptions for 137 yards. The Gamecocks' defense was so afraid Mallett would go deep that they dropped most of their defenders deep and left Williams free to roam underneath. To Mallett's credit, he didn't get greedy, completing 23-of-27 for 329 yards and no touchdown passes. His 85.2 completion percentage a school record for a game with 20 or more passes attempted. ... Florida didn't look like world-beaters in a 27-3 victory over Vanderbilt in Gainesville. Tim Tebow threw for 208 yards, but 64 came on one play and most of the Gators' 375 yards came after the game was basically over. Tebow didn't have great protection, being sacked four times. ... South Carolina's loss to Arkansas gives the Gamecocks the appearance they have again hit their annual late season swoon. As much as I've always liked Steve Spurrier as a coach -- he's one of the best five in SEC history as far as I'm concerned -- he's not going to get it done at South Carolina. This is his fifth season as the Gamecocks' boss, and he's 18-21 in SEC play, with a combined record of 4-10 against SEC East rivals Florida, Tennessee and Georgia.
(Ron Higgins writes for The Commercial Appeal in Memphis, Tenn.)
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