Alabama wins 13th championship in unruly fashion

It has been almost nine years, and Greg McElroy still has not lost a football game. The Alabama quarterback led his team to the 2010 BCS national championship, beating the Texas Longhorns 37-21 Thursday night, and he did it the hard way.

McElroy was sacked five times against the Longhorns while completing only 6-of-11 passes.

Though it was a tough night for the McElroy in the passing game, he left the dirty work up to his running game. Powered by a 116-yard, two-touchdown performance from Mark Ingram, Alabama dominated the Texas on the ground for 205 total rushing yards.

As far as normality goes, don’t look to this game for a good example of such. On the game’s first possession, Alabama faked a punt from its own 20-yard line. Punter P.J. Fitzgerald lofted an underthrown pass towards an open receiver, and Blake Gideon intercepted it at the Alabama 37-yard line.

It was a bit of ironic redemption for Gideon, whose dropped interception in the Longhorns’ loss to Texas Tech in 2008 eventually cost them a chance to play in last year’s title game.

Fans barely had a chance to discuss one of the most questionable play calls in BCS history before the biggest play of the night would take place. Colt McCoy kept the ball on an option play, but was stopped for no gain. At the end of the play, McCoy took a hit to the right shoulder from Tide defensive linemen Marcell Dareus.

McCoy, who has been the face of Texas football for the last four seasons, left the field in apparent pain. In one of the most unceremonious ends to a star quarterback’s career ever, McCoy would never return to the game.

In came Garrett Gilbert, a true freshman who was ranked the second-best quarterback recruit in the country in 2009. Despite all of the high regard, he had attempted just 26 passes all season.

How’s this for a welcome-to-college-football moment? Gilbert took over the reigns for a living legend in Texas lore, not to mention facing the task of beating the nation’s top-ranked defense in the national championship game.

Alabama seized its golden opportunity. With the Texas offense flustering, the Tide grabbed a 17-6 lead with less than a minute to play in the second quarter. Texas faced a second down with half a minute remaining, when Mack Brown outcoached Saban in a bad way, topping the questionable fake punt call with a risky shovel pass.

Gilbert’s shovel bounced off of several players in a cluttered play, when Dareus eventually grabbed the ball in midair and returned it 28 yards for a touchdown. All of a sudden, a 17-6 deficit that still seemed to have a breath of hope turned into a 24-6 nightmare. The rout was on.

At least that’s what the Tide seemed to believe. In an uninspired third quarter for the Tide, Gilbert slowly gained the confidence of his coaches and of himself, leading a touchdown drive late in the quarter to draw the ‘Horns within 11 points.

It’s never easy for a team that feels comfortable with a sizable lead to revitalize itself if the lead shrinks. Alabama spent the beginning of the fourth quarter adjusting to the idea that the game was once again competitive.

Texas recovered an onside kick following the touchdown, but was held to a three-and-out. Alabama held strong, but failed to deliver on the following drive. Thanks to two 15-yard penalties by the Texas defense, Alabama drove to the Texas 35-yard line before being held to a fourth down.

With a two-possession lead and facing an unproven quarterback, Saban could have very easily elected to try to punt the ball and pin Texas deep in its own territory. Instead, he turned to the program’s all-time leading scorer Leigh Tiffin for a 52-yard field goal. He narrowly missed the kick wide left, opening the door for another Texas scoring drive.

Gilbert delivered just that. In a nine-play succession, he instantly went from overwhelmed rookie to Tom Brady in a burnt orange uniform. Texas never took the ball out of Gilbert’s hands on the drive in which he completed 7-of-8 passes for 64 yards, culminated by a 28-yard touchdown strike to Jordan Shipley.

He wasn’t quite done, either. Trailing 24-19, Gilbert stepped back on the field for a two-point conversion. He delivered a laser to a smothered Dan Buckner in the back of the end zone to draw Texas within a field goal of the lead.

With six minutes and some change left to play, a game that at one point looked to be a snoozefest all of a sudden had the chance to be an all-time great.

Texas’ defense, led by end Sergio Kindle’s fierce pass rush, allowed the Tide only one first down before forcing a punt.

Fitzgerald, who played a great game when he was left to his normal punting duties, pinned Texas back at its own 7-yard line.

The stage was then set for potentially the most memorable drive in college football history. On the same field just four years earlier Vince Young led Texas back from certain defeat to win one of the most memorable championship games in history.

Garrett Gilbert had a chance to out-Vince Young Vince Young. The odds were against him, but it’s not like he’d been playing with house money to that point in the game. He took the snap on the first play and came up with an incomplete pass, but before the ball hit the turf, a yellow flag beat it to the punch.

Defensive holding against Alabama gave the Longhorns some breathing room out to their own 17-yard line.

On the following play, Gilbert returned to earth when he held onto the ball in the pocket one second too long. Alabama defensive coordinator Kirby Smart came with a blitz from Gilbert’s blind side and rocked the young quarterback, knocking the ball loose. The ball rolled free before Alab Courtney Upshaw at the three-yard line for the Tide.

That’s as close as Gilbert came to college football immortality. The Tide took three plays to punch the ball into the end zone and seal their 13^th national championship in program history.

11 of the 25 incomplete passes Gilbert threw were dropped by his receivers, including two of his interceptions. The final interception came on a deflected pass down field that bounced off his receivers’ chest, which was not the quarterback’s fault.

Alabama was given the biggest break they ever could have received with the loss of McCoy, and they still had to work hard for the victory.

What they did instead was nearly commit the most monumental collapse in championship game history, before reawakening at the last possible moment to claim the victory.

McElroy, meanwhile, curiously represented the team he led to the win Thursday night. He was not spectacular, and he left the door for a Texas comeback wide open, but in the end, he just doesn’t lose.

Alabama 24, Texas 13, start of 4th quarter

We have a Garrett Gilbert sighting!

After a 1-for-10 performance in the first half, the backup quarterback on whose shoulders rest the hopes of Longhorn Nation came out firing late in the third quarter, connecting on a 44-yard touchdown with Jordan Shipley.

There is no reason that Alabama should not have already run away with this game by now. Texas is playing a true freshman at quarterback who clearly had no confidence when he was abruptly inserted to the lineup after Colt McCoy’s injury.

Instead, the Crimson Tide seemed to be satisfied with their 18-point lead and did not manage to threaten to score on any possessions in the third quarter.

After the late Texas touchdown, the Longhorns pulled a surprise onside kick and recovered. However, Gilbert had two passes dropped and Texas went three plays and out.

Alabama needs to regain some of the edge it played with in the first half, especially offensively. A few drives that chew precious minutes off the clock should be enough to hang on in a game where all the excitement was packed into the first half.

Alabama 24, Texas 6 – Halftime

James Cameron could not have written a more unpredictable script to Thursday night’s national championship game.

Alabama, facing a third-and-18 from its own 20-yard line, faked a punt on its first possession. Blake Gideon intercepted the pass, and Texas took over on the Tide 37.

On third down, Colt McCoy suffered an apparent shoulder injury.

Garrett Gilbert entered, and the drive ended with a field goal. Thanks to a recovered pooch kick by Texas on the ensuing kickoff, Gilbert had another chance to lead the offense. He failed to produce a first down, and Texas kicked another field goal.

Greg McElroy, the Alabama quarterback, was sacked three times in nine plays.

The second quarter provided much more glory for the Tide. Thanks to dominant running from Mark Ingram and Trent Richardson, not to mention an interception return by a defensive lineman, Alabama is in control 24-6.

Trailing 17-6 with under a minute to play, it looked like Texas had done enough to stay within striking distance going into halftime. Although the offense had failed to move the ball very well, the defense was doing all it could to keep the ‘Horns in the game.

Then Gilbert threw a shovel pass into a crowd of linemen. The ball was batted around before defensive tackle Marcell Dareus took the ball in midair, and rumbled 28 yards for the final score in the half.

McCoy’s injury is undisclosed at the moment, but nothing short of a miracle will let Texas win this game even if he returns. Texas’ running game has been as successful as possible when they have absolutely no threat to pass the ball, running for 86 yards on 18 carries.

Gilbert is 1-for-10 passing for minus-4 yards and two interceptions. Late in the half, offensive coordinator Greg Davis opened up his playbook slightly and allowed Gilbert to make a few throws downfield. He had a touchdown pass knocked away, intended for Malcolm Williams. It was a very good throw, and the defensive play on the ball was simply spectacular.

Trailing 14-6, Gilbert lofted a fade pass to a wide-open Jordan Shipley, but it fell just out of reach.

Mark Ingram is on his way to the best performance for a Heisman winner in the national title game since Matt Leinart in the 2004-05 season. He has 90 yards on 13 carries and a touchdown so far.

Gilbert, a true freshman and the Gatorade athlete of the year in 2008, will have brighter days, but tonight’s task is simply over his head.

Texas 6 Alabama 0: end of first quarter

So there you have it. It’s been 32 days since Alabama and Texas were selected to play in the national championship game. Those days have been filled with bookoos of prognostication and predictions.

Three minutes had not gone by in tonight’s game before it was all for naught. Colt McCoy, the Texas quarterback, better known as the Longhorns’ Only Hope, left the game with an apparent shoulder injury and has not returned.

Garrett Gilbert is McCoy’s backup, and he took over on the first drive, leading Texas to a field goal.

Too bad Nick Saban can not see into the future. The usually conservative coach called a fake punt on fourth down with 18 yards to go from his own 20-yard line. The pass was intercepted by Blake Gideon at the 37.

It was a ironic redemption play for Gideon, who dropped an easy interception last year against Texas Tech, ultimately costing Texas an undefeated season and spot in last year’s national championship game.

After the Hunter Lawrence field goal, Alabama muffed a pooch kick and the Longhorns recovered. That was perfect for Gilbert, who was limited to mostly handoffs on the drive. Texas added another field goal after failing to convert a first down.

Alabama responded with a drive down to the Texas 3-yard line as the quarter came to an end. They seem poised to score a touchdown and take a 7-6 lead.

The Crimson Tide’s offense struggled prior to this most recent drive. Greg McElroy was sacked three times in nine plays and was clearly rattled in the pocket. If he settles down, and the Tide commit to running the ball down Texas’ throats, it’s highly unlikely the Longhorns’ offense can keep up if McCoy does not return.

Texas needs big plays from its defense and special teams to have a chance. Turnovers and field position become the biggest factors, bar none.