The BCS National Championship Game could not have started any better for the Texas Longhorns as Alabama turned the ball over on an interception while attempting a fake punt on its initial possession. Five plays later, good fortune turned to tragedy for the team from Texas. Senior quarterback Colt McCoy kept the ball on an option play and took a hit that ended his game and his college career prematurely. The Crimson Tide took it from there, winning 37-21 to capture the national title.
Two Big Plays By Marcell Dareus Changed the Game
The hit on McCoy was the first of two huge plays by Alabama linebacker Marcell Dareus that had a major role in the Crimson Tide's winning effort. It looked innocent enough, but the shot to the signal caller's right shoulder and arm left it numb and rendered McCoy unable to throw the football.
Dareus put his signature on the contest even further with three seconds remaining in the opening half. As Texas tried to move the ball just before intermission, freshman quarterback Garrett Gilbert's shovel pass bounced off the hands of his intended target and into the mitts of Dareus, who shook off Gilbert's attempted tackle and rumbled 28 yards for a touchdown. The score put the Crimson Tide up 24-6 at halftime.
Early Coaching Decisions and Mistakes Don't Hurt Crimson Tide
While most of the postgame talk was about the decision by Texas coach Mack Brown to throw the ball, even by way of a seemingly safe shovel pass, so late in the half with his young backup quarterback, that was not the only interested sideline decision.
After his team was stopped deep in its own end on its first offensive sequence, Alabama coach NIck Saban elected to go with a highly suspect fake punt. The pass was intercepted, giving the underdogs from Austin a short field to begin the game. The Longhorns moved the ball well, but after the Dareus hit, McCoy took himself out of the game, turning the reins over to Gilbert, who had thrown fewer than 30 passes in this, his freshman season.
Alabama stopped Texas near the goal line and forced an 18-yard Hunter Lawrence field goal.
The Tide made another huge mistake on the ensuing kickoff, failing to field a short kick, which Texas recovered. Unable to move the ball, the Longhorns settled for another field goal and a 6-0 lead.
McCoy Injury Changed the Texas Intensity
When it became apparent that their four-year starter at the quarterback position was not coming back onto the field, the air seemed to leak out of the Texas sails. Beginning on the next Alabama possession, the Tide running game took over, pounding at the Longhorn defense on the way to the first of two Mark Ingram touchdown runs.
The early returns on Gilbert were not good, but some of that may have been attributable to the play calling. The Texas coaches treated the No. 1 quarterback in the 2009 recruiting class with kid gloves, running on first and second downs and then leaving him to pass only on difficult third-and-long situations.
Before they knew what hit them, the Longhorns were down 24-6 at halftime after a 49-yard Trent Richardson scoring dash and a Leigh Tiffin field goal that immediately preceded the ill-fated shovel pass. The Texas receivers did not do their young passer many favors with a few dropped passes along the way.
Texas Catches Its Second Wind
The Longhorns were able to catch their breath at halftime and came out with a whole new look behind Gilbert, who found something during the break. While Alabama was content to run the ball (Tide quarterback threw just 11 passes and passed for only 58 yards in the game) and chew up clock, and Texas took advantage.
Gilbert hit Jordan Shipley with a 44-yard scoring toss with 1:31 to go in the third period and found him again from 28 yards out with 6:15 left in the game. Following a two-point conversion, the Longhorns were within three points at 24-21. Thee minutes later, after another defensive stop, Gilbert and his offense had the ball with a chance to put toghether a long game-winning scoring drive.
Alabama Made the Big Plays at the Big Moments
After having delivered signature moments in the first half, the Crimson Tide made one more on the defensive side to seal the deal. Linebacker Eryk Anders came in hard from Gilbert's blind side and knocked the ball free from the Longhorn quarterback. The Tide recovered at the three, and Ingram took it in from there. Alabama added one more Richardson touchdown after a late interception to set the final tally at 37-21.
Heisman Winner Delivers
Ingram became the first Heisman Trophy winning running back to win the national title in his Heisman season since Pittsburgh's Tony Dorsett in 1976. His most impressive characteristic, his ability to pick up runs after being hit, was on full display in this game.
The 20-year-old sophomore did not have any single run longer than 19 yards, but carried 22 times for 116 yards in the game to earn MVP honors. In total, Alabama ran for more than 200 yards against a highly regarded Texas run defense. It did take 51 carries to get those yards.
McCoy Injury Leaves Fans Wondering What Might Have Been
There is no way of knowing what might have happened had McCoy been able to play this one out. Would he have been able to get at least one of those first two Texas possessions into the end zone, and in doing so, perhaps changed the Alabama game plan? Or would the Crimson Tide have continued its run of domination even with the all-time NCAA leader in wins by a quarterback under center for the Longhorns?
It should not detract from an impressive performance by Alabama, but it would have been nice to see how this one would have played out with both teams at full strength. At the end of the day, the best team in college football collected the sport's biggest prize.
Kurt Johnson - Kurt Johnson is a freelance writer based in Sacramento, Calif. With a degree in communications and a background in business management and ...
