The Alabama Crimson Tide won their second National Title in a row as they dominated the Notre Dame Fighting Irish and their Stout Defense by the score of 42 – 14 in South Florida.
Alabama took the opening kickoff and took it 5 plays for 62 yards for an easy score, thanks to an Eddie Lacey 20 yard run for the opening score. The opening drive only took 2:57 and put a dent in a Notre Dame defense that was dominant all season.
Notre Dame would then take the ball and start driving, but a 3rd down catch would be called incomplete and the Irish were forced to punt. Alabama would then use the running game, once again, to get it into the red zone. It would be topped off by a McCarron to Michael Williams strike to make it 14 – 0 8:46 into the contest.
Another punt by the Irish led to a Crimson Tide 8 play, 80 yard drive in 4:41 for another rushing TD to start off the second quarter. Alabama would finish the first half scoring with a 9 play, 71 yard drive with under 3 minutes left in the half, ended by a McCarron 11 yard pass to Lacey. Alabama was in control as they went into the half up 4 scores. Notre Dame had a total of 118 yards in the first half, 191 fewer than the Crimson Tide.
Notre Dame went into the half with many missed tackles (T’eo with a couple himself) which led to the Alabama success.
The Irish started the second half off driving the ball into Tide territory, but Everett Golson tried to thread the needle deep and paid by throwing a pick setting up another Tide possession. Bama would then drive the ball down for a 34 yard pass to Amari Cooper to make it 35 – 0 Tide half way through the third quarter.
The Irish would finally get on the board with a 9 play, 85 yard drive that culminated in a 2 yard TD run by Colson to make it 35 – 7.
Alabama would then eat a lot of the 4th quarter clock with more running by Eddie Lacey, who finished with 140 yards and a score (His teammate, T.J. Yeldon would finish with 108 yards). They would finish the drive with a 19 yard pass to Cooper to put the dagger in the coffin at 42 – 7.
Notre Dame would score again by way of a 6 yard pass from Golson to Theo Reddick to make it 42 – 14 but it would be too little too late as Alabama would run the clock off making them the back-to-back BCS National Champions. The first team to do so in the BCS era (Fla. St and Miami failed to repeat). Nebraska was the last time to repeat as National Champions (1994 & 1995 National Champions).
Congratulations to the Alabama Crimson Tide on their Back-To-Back National Title’s (3 out of 4 years). Alabama is the dynasty of this decade (so far). I don’t see anyone going up against this team for a while.
