Without Colt McCoy, Texas Goes Down To Alabama In BCS Title Game

Sports News - January 8th, 2010 - Written By Bryan

Despite getting out to a good start, the Texas Longhorns would have the odds turned against them quickly in last night's BCS National Championship game.

On the fifth play of the game, the Alabama Crimson Tide defense injured Texas QB Colt McCoy, knocking him out of the game. The injury came during the Longhorns' first offensive series, a series with which the Longhorns would only get 3 points on a short field.

With McCoy out, the Alabama defense had a new target, Texas Freshman QB Garrett Gilbert. Like McCoy, Gilbert would get another golden opportunity quickly, when Alabama failed to field the ensuing kickoff after the field goal. Unable to move the ball, Texas would settle for another field goal and 6 to 0 lead.

All scoring in the first quarter belonged to the Longhorns, but the second quarter would be much different. Just :42 into the period, Heisman winner Mark Ingram put the Tide on the board with a 2 yard touchdown run.

On the next Alabama possession, Alabama RB Trent Richardson took a seemingly simple hand off up the middle and turned it into a 49 yard touchdown run. Richardson found a gaping hole, went right past the backers, and split the safeties en route to the long touchdown romp. The score gave Alabama an 8 point lead at 14 to 6.

A 26 yard Leigh Tiffin field goal with :29 remaining was thought to be the last score of the half, but Texas QB Gilbert shot the Longhorns in the foot. With time dwindling, Gilbert reached back and fired an interception to Alabama DE Marcell Dareus who promptly returned it 28 yards to pay dirt. The score now stood at 24 to 6, Alabama.

For most of the third quarter, neither team would accomplish much. Gilbert was struggling and Alabama seemed content to sit on the ball. However, with just over a minute to go in the third, Gilbert would connect with WR Jordan Shipley on a 44 yard touchdown pass/reception. The Longhorns were just down 11 at that point.

Action would go stale again, until with just over 6 minutes to go in the game. Texas QB Gilbert had seemingly found some confidence and began driving his team with a steady passing game. Then, facing a 2nd and 13 from the Alabama 28, Gilbert dropped back and hit a wide open Jordan Shipley who jogged a few yards untouched into the end zone.

Down 5, Texas elected to go for 2. Gilbert dropped back again and connected with Dan Buckner bringing the score to 24 to 21, Alabama.

Texas now had the momentum and would stop the Alabama offensive, forcing a punt with just 3:21 to go. Things had definitely turned for the Crimson Tide who now needed an answer from their defensive unit.

Texas would take the ball on their own 7 yard line. On the first snap of the series, the Alabama defense was called for defensive holding, costing them 10 yards, and a fresh set of downs. Though they'd just gotten dinged, the Alabama defensive remained agressive as Alabama LB Eryk Anders blitzed off the blind-side. Anders blew around the line untouched, immediately forcing a fumble when crushing Texas QB Garrett Gilbert. Alabama would eventually recover the ball at the Texas 3.

It took Alabama three plays, but 'Bama RB Mark Ingram would not be denied. From 1 yard out, Ingram fought and clawed his way to the endzone just before his knee touched the ground. The touchdown effectively sealed the game for Alabama, giving the Crimson Tide their eighth National Championship.

Texas would take the field again, however it was only to turn the ball over again. Alabama DB Javier Arenas picked off a tipped ball, and promptly went down at the Texas 27, untouched. On three plays, RB Trent Richardson would gain all 27 yards himself leading to yet another Alabama touchdown. The score was the last of the game, as Alabama K Leigh Tiffin would miss the extra point making the final score 37 to 21.

"We back," said Ingram, who was voted the games' offensive MVP

On the night, the tandem of Alabama RBs Mark Ingram and Trent Richardson dominated the game on the ground, accumulating over 200 yards rushing, and accounting for four touchdowns between the two of them. The effort earned Alabama the fifth highest rushing total in BCS Title game history with 205 yards.

The game was defined by several keys plays, and none bigger than the injury to McCoy in the first quarter, when he was hit hard in the shoulder by Alabama lineman Marcell Dareus.

"I just heard a thump when I hit him," the Dareus said to the AP in the post-game conference. "I did lay it down pretty hard. I didn't try to, but it felt great."

Colt McCoy never entered the game again. Though McCoy wished to re-enter the game during the second half, doctors confined him to the sidelines. McCoy ended up watching the last and biggest game of his collegiate career as a helpless spectator, only able to offer encouragements to his teammates.

"I would have given anything to be out there because it would have been different," McCoy said in a post-game interview.

The Texas quarterback said he was not in pain, in fact he could not feel his throwing arm at all, which was the cause for concern. Texas head coach Mac Brown decided to play it safe and rely on the true freshman Garrett Gilbert.

The inexperienced QB would eventually give his team a chance to win the game, despite throwing four interceptions on the night.

"It was like we'd won the game at halftime," Alabama head coach Nick Saban said. "But you can't accept being average. You're playing a team (Texas) in the national championship game that knows how to win."

"We said, 'It's on us, the defensive line,'" Alabama defensive lineman Terrence Cody said. "We had to make plays to finish it off. There was no doubt in our huddle. We knew what we can do."

With the win, Saban becomes the first coach in the BCS era to win a National Championship with two different teams. He won with LSU back in 2003.

"I think there's a lot of people who are responsible for that," Saban said in the post-game conference to the AP. "Our administration made a commitment to rebuild Alabama, to do something everyone could be proud of."

Alabama was a 3 1/2 point favorite entering the match-up according to College Football Betting Lines. Alabama easily covered the spread with their 16-point victory. The over/under was installed at 44 1/2 points prior to kickoff and with the total score equaling 58, going to the over.

Now attention will turn to the 2009 NFL Playoffs as the 2009 College Football season has come to an end.