Alabama Downs Florida, Wins SEC Championship

Derrick Henry carries it in Alabama’s win over Florida.
Photo by Kent Gidley

ATLANTA, Ga. (Alabama Athletics) – The Alabama Crimson Tide (12-1 overall) used a dominant performance by its defense and a record-setting day by running back Derrick Henry to defeat the Florida Gators (10-3 overall), 29-15, to win the 2015 Southeastern Conference Championship Game in front of a crowd of 75,320 at the Georgia Dome (capacity: 71,500). The SEC title, the 25th in Crimson Tide history, made the Tide the first team to earn back-to-back SEC Championship Game victories since Tennessee did so in 1997-98.

The Alabama defense stifled Florida’s offense for much of the game, holding the Gators to 180 total yards including only 15 yards rushing. From the end of the first quarter through Florida’s first possession of the fourth period (13:16 left in the game), the Alabama defense held the Gators to only three yards of total offense. During that time frame, the Tide erased an early 7-2 deficit while running off 27 unanswered points to secure the victory.

Henry rushed for 189 yards and a touchdown on 44 carries, increasing his 2015 season rushing total to 1,986 yards. He broke the SEC single-season rushing yards record previously held by Herschel Walker of Georgia (1,891 yards in 1981) on a second-and-three play on which Henry ran at right tackle and gained seven yards with 4:00 left in the third period. Henry earned Most Valuable Player honors for his performance. Tide quarterback Jake Coker completed 18 of 26 passes for 204 yards and two touchdowns without throwing an interception. Wide receiver Calvin Ridley had 103 yards on a game-high eight catches and receiver ArDarius Stewart had four catches for 64 yards.

The Crimson Tide defense registered five quarterback sacks, posted nine tackles for loss, intercepted a pass and forced a fumble. Florida’s offense managed only seven first downs and had the ball for 16:31 of game time while Alabama dominated in time of possession with 43:29. Linebacker Ryan Anderson led Alabama with four tackles and three quarterback hurries while cornerback Marlon Humphrey had three stops and an interception.

Alabama opened the scoring with a safety on a blocked punt as Tide linebacker Keith Holcombe’s block of Florida punter Johnny Townsend’s kick bounced through the back of the end zone for a safety to give the Tide a 2-0 lead in the first quarter. Early in the second quarter, Florida took a 7-2 lead on an 85-yard punt return by Antonio Calloway, the longest in SEC Championship Game history. Moments later, Alabama responded with a 28-yard field goal by Adam Griffith, narrowing the Gator lead to 7-5. Late in the first half, a 55-yard bomb from Coker to receiver Calvin Ridley took the ball to the Gator 3, setting up a two-yard touchdown run by Henry to put the Tide in the lead, 12-7, at halftime.

Alabama extended its lead to 15-7 midway through the third period on a 30-yard field goal by Griffith. The lead moved to 22-7 later in the third on a leaping touchdown grab of a Coker pass amidst three Florida defenders by receiver ArDarius Stewart. Alabama’s lead grew to 29-7 on a nine-yard pass from Coker to receiver Richard Mullaney midway in the fourth quarter. Florida’s offense reached paydirt in the fourth period on a 46-yards pass from Treon Harris to receiver C.J. Worton. Harris ran for two points and the Alabama lead had narrowed to 29-15 with 5:02 on the clock.

FIRST QUARTER
Florida won the coin toss and chose to receive the opening kickoff. After a three-and-out by the Gators, the Alabama offense started its first possession of the game at the Tide 10. Senior running back Kenyan Drake, in his first game back after missing two games with an injury, gained nine yards on a shovel pass from senior quarterback Jake Coker on Alabama’s first play from scrimmage. The Crimson Tide picked up two first downs on the drive, but nearly suffered a costly mistake on third-and-5 from the 47. Coker was sacked by Bryan Cox Jr. on the play and fumbled, but was able to jump on the ball before a Florida defender could. Sophomore punter JK Scott got off a 54-yard punt, giving the ball back to the Gators at the 13.

It was another three-and-out for Florida, as the Gators could not gain a yard in three plays. Punting from his end zone on fourth down, Johnny Townsend’s kick was blocked by Alabama freshman linebacker Keith Holcombe. The ball rolled out of the back of the end zone before being recovered, resulting in a safety for Alabama and a 2-0 lead with 9:05 left in the first quarter.

The Tide’s offense took over at its own 38 after a 24-yard return on the free kick by senior Cyrus Jones, but failed to get going. Coker was sacked again on third down, this time by Jonathan Bullard. Scott boomed another punt of 50+ yards and, on the return, Florida’s Antonio Callaway fumbled and had to retreat back to the 5 to pick it up before being tackled.

Pinned back deep in its territory, Gator quarterback Treon Harris connected with Callaway over the middle for 46 yards into Alabama territory. Two plays later he found tight end Jake McGee for 18 more yards down to the Tide 27. The drive stalled at the Tide 23, bringing out kicker Austin Hardin for a 40-yard field goal attempt, but it was blocked by Alabama senior defensive lineman D.J. Pettway and returned to the Tide 39 by Cyrus Jones. The Tide went three-and-out following the blocked field goal, but Scott was effective again, pinning Florida deep as his punt was downed at the Gator 2.

Alabama’s defense responded with a three-and-out, and Cyrus Jones set the Tide up with a short field on a punt return of 15 yards. The quarter ended with Alabama in possession with a first down at the Florida 30 after a pair of six-yard rushes by junior running back Derrick Henry.
Score: Alabama 2, Florida 0.

SECOND QUARTER
The first play of the second quarter ended with a fumble by Henry on a short run, which was recovered by the Gators’ Marcus Maye at the Gator 32, ending the Tide’s scoring threat. On the sudden change of possession, Alabama’s defense produced consecutive sacks of Treon Harris after allowing a first down, pushing Florida back to its own 23.

The Tide’s offense could get nothing going and Scott came on to punt for the fourth time. He got off his best effort of the day, a 59-yarder, but the Gators’ Callaway took it all the way back to the end zone for an 85-yard punt return touchdown. The extra point was good, and Florida took a 7-3 lead with 11:53 to play in the half.

A 14-play, 64-yard drive allowed Alabama to cut the deficit to two when junior kicker Adam Griffith made a field goal from 28 yards out. Coker broke off a run of 17 yards on a keeper off of a zone read, while Henry recorded runs of seven and eight yards to move the offense down the field. The Tide reached the red zone for the first time in the game, but failed to convert on third-and-9 from the Florida 15. Griffith’s field goal made the score 7-5 in favor of the Gators at the 5:45 mark.

Florida got the ball back at its own 20, but a holding call on first down put the Gators in a hole from which they could not recover. Alabama took over at its 42 following the punt and, on the first play, Coker aired a deep ball to freshman receiver Calvin Ridley, who took the ball away from two defenders for a 55-yard reception to the Florida 3-yard line. One play later, Henry plunged into the end zone from two yards out on second down and Griffith tacked on the extra point, giving the lead back to the Tide at 12-7, which is where the score stood at the half.
Score: Alabama 12, Florida 7.

THIRD QUARTER
Alabama received the kickoff to begin the second half and put together another lengthy drive that resulted in an Adam Griffith field goal. Coker hit sophomore receiver ArDarius Stewart for 12 yards for the initial first down. It appeared the drive would stall when Coker misfired on a pass intended for junior tight end O.J. Howard on third down, but Florida’s Jarrad Davis was called for roughing the passer on the play. Coker and Stewart connected again on a fourth-and-2 rollout pass to extend the drive, but the Tide elected to go for the field goal instead of another fourth down attempt at the Gator 13. Alabama held the ball for nearly seven minutes on the drive on the way to taking a 15-7 lead.

On the ensuing Florida possession, Harris threw three straight incompletions for another three-and-out, giving the ball back quickly to the Tide. Alabama started at its own 19 and gave the ball to Henry, who gained 15 yards on two rushes. On the next series, Coker faked a shovel pass and kept the ball up the middle for seven more yards on third down. Henry picked up another first down, setting up Coker for a 32-yard touchdown pass to Stewart, who went up between three defenders and plucked the ball out of the air on the catch. The scoring drive totaled 81 yards in 10 plays and lasted 4:47, stretching the Tide’s lead to 22-7.

Alabama got the ball back quickly once again, this time thanks to an interception by freshman defensive back Marlon Humphrey at the Gators 38. Henry broke the SEC single-season rushing yards record previously held by Herschel Walker of Georgia (1,891 yards in 1981) on a second-and-three play on which Henry ran at right tackle and gained seven yards with 4:00 left in the third period. The quarter ended with the Tide facing a second-and-goal from the Florida 4-yard line.
Score: Alabama 22, Florida 7.

FOURTH QUARTER
The Florida defense was able to keep Alabama out of the end zone, and caught a break when Griffith’s field goal attempt from 24 yards out was no good, wide right. However, the Gators could not get anything going on offense, going three-and-out for the seventh time in the game.

The Tide started its next drive at its own 43 and moved into Florida territory after one play when Henry burst for 21 yards. Coker took over the drive from there, finding Ridley for 11 yards before hitting Mullaney for seven more. On third-and-8 from the Florida 9, Coker connected with Mullaney for his second touchdown pass of the game. Alabama was ahead, 29-7, after Griffith made the extra point at the 8:50 mark in the final quarter.

Florida recorded its only offensive touchdown of the game after the teams traded three-and-outs. Starting at the Gator 19, Harris tossed three straight completions, the third resulting in a 46-yard touchdown to C.J. Worton, who was double-covered on the play. The Gators elected to go for a two-point conversion, which was successful when Harris ran it in after rolling out of the pocket. The three-play, 81-yard scoring drive lasted only 59 seconds and trimmed the Tide’s lead to 29-15 with 5:02 to play.

Florida attempted an onside kick, but it was recovered by Alabama’s O.J. Howard near the sideline. Alabama kept the ball on the ground for three plays but could not pick up a first down. Scott, as he did all day, was effective with his punt, forcing a fair catch by Callaway at the Gator 9. Harris scrambled for 23 yards to the Florida 32 on the first play, but that was all the Gators offense could produce. They were forced to go for it on fourth-and-11, but turned the ball over on downs when Tide junior linebacker Tim Williams sacked Harris.

The Tide took over possession at the Florida 27, handed off to Henry on the final five plays of the game to run out the clock to secure the SEC championship.