We can make it|Former UA players preview todays game
Published 12:12 pm Monday, December 7, 2009
By By Adam Robinson
sports editor
When the University of Alabama football team takes to the field today for the SEC Championship game against Florida in Atlanta’s Georgia Dome, they will be looking to make its first national championship game since 1992.
Saturday’s game marks the second straight SEC championship game that the two schools will face off against each other.
Alabama and Florida both come into the game undefeated at 12-0 with Alabama ranked No. 2 and Florida at No. 1.
Brewton resident and former Alabama football player Roger Chapman was on the 1977 SEC championship team and the 1978 national championship team that defeated Penn State 14-7 in the Sugar Bowl.
Chapman, who kicked off and kicked field goals and extra points, was at Alabama from August 1974 until August 1979.
Speaking of close games, Chapman said he looks for a close game with both teams scoring in the 20s, and Alabama on top in the end, 28-24.
Chapman said a good corner blitz with a blind side hit would also be a good way to start off the first series.
As for the offensive side of the ball, Chapman said the Crimson Tide needs to come out sharp and make no mistakes.
Chapman said playing for a national championship as an undefeated SEC team is almost unheard of in this environment.
Trent Davidson played at Alabama from 2004-2006 and from 2006-2008 had a medical exemption. Davidson played tight end for the Tide during his tenure at Alabama.
Davidson said the Tide’s current season reminds him of seasons under Coach Riggs and the coaching staff, at T.R. Miller when he played for the Tigers in Brewton.
Davidson said what he has seen from Alabama this season are the same things he saw on the teams he played for at T.R. Miller.
As for the game today?
Davidson said Alabama can win and he feels will win if they execute the game plan that the coaches will have laid out for them.
On offense, Davidson said he feels the running game will get the job done, and the defense will be as solid as ever.
He feels its up to the quarterback position and wide receiver unit to play as they are capable of.
Davidson said to play for the Championship continues the tradition and to win sets Bama even farther ahead of all the other schools around the nation.
Last season in the SEC Championship game, Florida defeated Alabama 31-20. This is the first rematch in the championship game since 1994.
Alabama and Florida played in the first three SEC title games in 1992, 1993 and 1994 with Florida and Alabama having met six times in the SEC title game, with the Gators winning four.
The last team to repeat as SEC champion was Tennessee in 1997 and 1998.
The Eastern division team has an 11-6 edge over the Western division teams in SEC history and this is the first time two undefeated teams have played for the SEC title.
Alabama has won 21 SEC titles with Florida winning nine. Alabama is 2-4 in the SEC title game, with all the games against Florida. Florida is 7-2.
The winner of the SEC Championship game will punch their ticket to the BCS National Championship while the loser of the game will more than likely be heading to the Sugar Bowl.
Game time for the SEC Championship game is set for 3 p.m. in Atlanta and will be televised on CBS.