BAMATIME’s Halftime Tidbits

ALABAMA 33, Florida 16

PREGAME

  • Today marks the 25th SEC Championship Game. Of the 25 games, Alabama-Florida is by far the most frequent matchup with 9 meetings. The second-most played title game is LSU-Georgia with three meetings.  
  • The line closed at kickoff with Alabama being a 24-point favorite, following a year ago when the Tide was favored by 16½ points over the Gators in the SEC Championship Game. Before 2015, Florida had been favored over Alabama for six consecutive conference title games (1993, 1994, 1996, 1999, 2008, and 2009) by an average of 7½ to 8 points.

OFFENSE

  • Although Alabama netted minus-7 total yards in the first quarter, or 99 fewer than Florida, the Crimson Tide led the Gators 16-9 at the end of the first stanza.
  • A 6-yard touchdown catch by receiver Gehrig Dieter in the second quarter was just his 14th reception of the season, but his fourth resulting in a touchdown.
  • Alabama’s 33 points scored in the first half were the most totaled by the Crimson Tide entering halftime in seven games since scoring 35 against Arkansas in early October.

DEFENSE

  • Florida’s touchdown drive to open the game resulted in the Alabama defense allowing a touchdown in the red zone for only the seventh time in 19 opposing trips inside the Tide’s 20-yard line.
  • The first-quarter interception returned for a 44-yard touchdown by Minkah Fitzpatrick—Alabama’s second of three picks in the first half—was his seventh interception of his two-year career, the fourth of which was returned for a score.
  • Between the Gators’ two touchdown drives to open and close the first half, they totaled only 20 yards on 23 offensive plays in 7 possessions.

SPECIAL TEAMS

  • Fitzpatrick’s interception return and Josh Jacobs’ return of a blocked punt for a touchdown were Alabama’s 12th and 13th non-offensive touchdowns of the season, but the first time in five games (Texas A&M game on October 22) the Tide had scored in such a manner.
  • Adam Griffith made 2 of 3 field goals in the first half, the first of which was his ninth successful field goal in a row.