COLLEGE FOOTBALL RECAP

Alabama blows past Missouri on way to SEC title

The Sports Xchange

December 06, 2014 at 4:54 pm.

Blake Sims (6) was on the money in Bama's dominating win over FSU. (John David Mercer-USA TODAY Sports)

ATLANTA — Alabama emphatically erased any fears by SEC fans that an upset loss to Missouri on Saturday might deprive the powerful conference a spot in the inaugural College Football Playoffs.

Blake Sims threw two touchdown passes and top-ranked Alabama defeated No. 14 Missouri, 42-13, in the SEC Championship Game to assure itself a spot in the top four when the final CFP rankings are announced Sunday.

Sims, a senior in his first year as the starting quarterback, completed 23-of-27 passes for 232 yards before a sellout crowd of 73,526 at the Georgia Dome, which was dominated by Crimson Tide supporters.

Sims connected with Heisman Trophy candidate Amari Cooper 12 times, a record for the title game, and threw a 58-yard touchdown strike to DeAndrew White in a nearly flawless performance.

Running backs Derrick Henry and T.J. Yeldon each added two touchdown runs for Alabama (12-1), with Henry finishing with 141 yards on 20 carries as the Crimson Tide won the SEC Championship Game for the fifth time.

SEC West champion Alabama, which has three national titles in the last five years, had won seven straight games since a 14-13 loss at Mississippi on Oct. 4, but needed a victory against Missouri (10-3) to assure itself of a playoff berth.

It was the second consecutive decisive loss in the title game for SEC East winner Missouri, which was a two-touchdown underdog to Alabama.

Auburn accumulated 677 yards in beating Missouri, 59-42, last year.

Down by 18 points at halftime, Missouri closed to within 21-13 in the third quarter when quarterback Maty Mauk set up a 1-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Bud Sasser and a 33-yard field goal by Andrew Baggett with completions of 63 and 47 yards to wide receiver Jimmie Hunt.

Sims threw a 6-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Christian Jones on the first play of the fourth quarter to cap a 64-yard drive that put the Crimson Tide up by 15 points.

Then Henry capped a 90-yard drive with a 28-yard touchdown run midway in the final quarter to put the game out of reach. His score from a yard out after a Missouri fumble near midfield capped the scoring with under four minutes left.

Missouri had only four first downs in the first half while falling behind, 21-3, and lost defensive end Shane Ray, who led the SEC with 13.5 sacks, on a targeting call early in the second quarter.

Ray was ejected for hitting Sims in the head after the quarterback threw the long pass to White that gave Alabama a 14-0 lead.

The Crimson Tide went 68 yards in 10 plays on the first possession of the game, with Yeldon scoring from a yard out. Then Yeldon capped a 14-play, 75-yard march with a 2-yard score late in the second quarter.

Missouri was out-gained, 252-108, in the first half, the Tigers’ points coming on a 33-yard field goal by Baggett.

Missouri won its last three games to hold off Georgia, a team it had lost to, 34-0, at home on Oct. 11, to win the SEC East championship and qualify for the title game.

The Tigers, though, didn’t beat a SEC team with a winning record in the conference while going 7-1.

NOTES: Coaches Nick Saban of Alabama and Gary Pinkel of Missouri were college teammates at Kent State. Saban played safety and Pinkel tight end as the Golden Flashes won the Mid-American Conference title in 1972 and they began their coaching careers as assistants under Don James. … Negotiations are underway on a 10-year contract to keep the SEC Championship Game in Atlanta after the Georgia Dome is replaced by the Atlanta Falcons’ retractable-roof stadium in 2017. … This was the 21st year for the title game in Atlanta after one in Birmingham. … Both the East and West divisions came into this season with 11 titles. … Alabama began the season with a 33-23 victory over West Virginia in the Georgia Dome as part of the Chick-fil-A Kickoff Classic.

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