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EDITOR’S NOTE: This is an excerpt from The Tuscaloosa News’ commemorative book on Nick Saban and his Alabama football dynasty. The complete top 10 Alabama games from the Saban era with expanded material on each, as well as top players, ranking of all his seasons and much more, can be found in the book. You can order the book online at: Sabanbook.com.
Great coaches produce victories in great games. Here are the top five games from the Nick Saban era of Alabama football.
1. Alabama 32, Florida 13
SEC CHAMPIONSHIP GAME — DEC. 5, 2009
This was the watershed game that tipped the SEC scale in Alabama’s direction for the first time in the Saban era. Having lost to the mighty Gators in the SEC title game the previous year, the Crimson Tide entered the game as a five-point underdog and pulled off the upset with a stifling defensive effort and a grinding rushing attack.
A Florida team that was the defending national champion and loaded with star power, including Heisman Trophy winner Tim Tebow, entered unbeaten and had knocked off all but one of its opponents (Arkansas) by a 10-point margin or more. The teams’ demeanor in walk-throughs prior to the game were distinctly different, with the Gators taking a loose and jovial approach, while UA — as has been its practice under Saban — was all business. After this victory, Alabama wouldn’t be an underdog again until 2015.
They said it
“He’s a great player, but man, we’re tired of him.” — Alabama receiver Julio Jones on Tebow.
2. Alabama 26, Georgia 23 (OT)
COLLEGE FOOTBALL PLAYOFF CHAMPIONSHIP GAME — JAN. 8, 2018
Did Alabama deserve to be in the College Football Playoff? That question hung as a national backdrop in the lead-up to the CFP and following Alabama’s 26-14 loss to Auburn in the Iron Bowl. It was only UA’s first loss of the season, but there were howls…
Source link : https://sports.yahoo.com/reliving-dynasty-nick-sabans-top-092050231.html
Author : The Tuscaloosa News
Publish date : 2024-04-10 09:20:50
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