Action speaks louder now, but a few words sparked No. 2 Alabama and No. 3 Georgia-al.comBulldogs no longer are "soft." Tide has regained its focus, and the physical teams will battle Saturday in the SEC Championship Game.
Nothing wrong with Georgia's and Alabama's differing pre-game mentalities (beat column)-al.comWhile Georgia has puffed out its chest, the SEC Championship is just another game to Alabama
Alabama center Barrett Jones did his weekly interview with ESPNU, and as usual, he handled himself extremely well. He gives as well as he takes from ESPNU host Dari Nowkhah. The subjects they cover include losing a shoe against Auburn, blocking big guys, the gameday routine and whether Jones has seen Nick Saban cry.
Some of the recent Twitter posts by Alabama players, especially from today:
SEC Championship Buzz: No. 2 Alabama (11-1) vs. No. 3 Georgia (11-1)-al.comEvery last detail heading into the Crimson Tide's showdown with the Bulldogs in Saturday's title game.
What they're saying in Georgia about Alabama's SEC Championship Game opponent (game-day links)-al.comRead all about the Bulldogs and Crimson Tide as the kickoff nears.
The players enjoyed a shower of confetti after the dominating 32-13 victory, and for a little while at least, they celebrated their championship as if nothing else mattered. So, if you're wondering if Alabama will look past Georgia today and peek ahead just a little to Notre Dame and the BCS National Championship Game, consider that day in 2009. "I was a freshman that year, and in a way, the SEC Championship Game was more fun than the national championship game," senior linebacker Nico Johnson said. "It's a great place to play, and it's a great game." That memory appears to have motivated the Tide players old enough to be part of it, as No. 2-ranked Alabama (11-1) faces No. 3 Georgia (11-1) today in the Georgia Dome. Four current Tide players appeared in that 2009 game, including Johnson, safetyRobert Lester, offensive lineman Barrett Jones and tight end Michael Williams. "We remember how that game felt," Williams said....
Can't wait for him to be in a Crimson Tide jersey!Alabama commitment Derrick Henry closed out his high school career with a 63-yard touchdown run Friday night. Unfortunately for Yulee High, it wasn't enough as the Hornets fell 45-35 to Bolles in the Florida Class 4A state semifinals.
Kirk Herbstreit gives his keys to victory in the SEC championship showdown between Alabama and Georgia.
AJ McCarron’s standard reply about handling big-game pressure is a shrug and a look that says, What’s the big deal?
Alabama notebook: Line play could be key in SEC title game-DothanEagleIf neither team turns the football over in today’s SEC Championship Game and it boils down to execution, pay attention to the battle up front, where Alabama center Barrett Jones is grappling with one of two massive Georgia nose tackles.
For Kirby Smart, it's personal.It has to be. When the University of Alabama and Georgia meet today for the Southeastern Conference title in Atlanta's Georgia Dome, UA's defensive coordinator won't have to look farther than the opposite sideline for a few friends and even more memories. The son of a football coach, Smart's own coaching career sprang from the seed of one season as an administrative assistant at Georgia in 1999, just a year after his decorated playing career with the Bulldogs ended. Since then, he has developed into one of college football's most accomplished assistant coaches. Among schools willing to hire a coordinator as a head coach, Smart's one of the most sought-after as well.
“Defensively, they’re about as good as it gets,” said Georgia coach Mark Richt, noting that Alabama has allowed only three of its past 27 opponents to reach 300 total yards. “That’s a scary thought,” Richt said. There have been two exceptions this season, however, to the Tide’s defensive dominance: 418 yards allowed to Texas A&M and 435 to LSU. Statistically, Georgia’s defense does not match Alabama’s. The Bulldogs have allowed an average of 17.7 points (No. 16 nationally) and 337.8 yards (No. 22). But the Dogs have held their past three SEC opponents to an average of 6.3 points and 246 yards per game. “It’s kind of a tale of two seasons,” Georgia linebacker Christian Robinson said. “The first half of the season, we didn’t really live up to anybody’s expectations on defense, and now we’re playing the way people thought we should have been playing all along.”
I think he meant Alabama 30 and Georgia 17..Tommy Deas breaks down who holds the advantage when Alabama and Georgia face off in Atlanta for the 2012 SEC title and a birth in the BCS National Championship Game.
Despite what Alabama has on the line--the conference title and a trip to the national championship--they're focused, treating today just like they do every other Saturday.