Here are some quick thoughts on No. 2 Alabama’s 29-15 win against No. 18 Florida at the SEC Championship Game on Saturday:

What it means: Alabama has repeated as SEC champion and presumably will again be the league’s sole representative in the upcoming College Football Playoff. It is the sixth time that the Crimson Tide has taken home the league’s trophy since the the championship game was instituted in 1992. Only Florida, with seven, has more championship game wins. As for the Gators, it means the team with a championship caliber defense just didn’t have enough offensive firepower to get things done when it mattered, losing its final two games after beginning the season 10-1.

What I liked:

  • Crimson Tide RB Derrick Henry was rewriting the record books on Saturday. The junior was able to tie former Florida QB Tim Tebow and former Auburn RB Tre Mason for the SEC record for rushing touchdowns scored in a season when he ran in his 23rd touchdown in the second quarter. He also surpassed Herschel Walker’s SEC record of 1,891 yards rushing in a single-season.
  • Alabama’s special teams performance shaped this game from the early going. The Crimson Tide blocked a punt and a field goal within the first eight minutes of the game, earning two points and saving another three.
  • Speaking of special teams, the Gators got into the act of capitalizing on those opportunities in the second quarter. Antonio Callaway took an Alabama punt back 85 yards to give Florida a 7-2 lead. It was the longest punt return touchdown in SEC championship game history.
  • Florida’s defense really did put forth a pretty solid effort, but the scoreboard did not show it. The Gators defense was left on the field entirely too long during the second and third quarters, likely leaving them fatigued. That’s on the offense.
  • It was said that the play of Alabama QB Jake Coker would be a key to whether or not the Crimson Tide wins this game easily, and he passed a tough test with flying colors. He made a couple of nice throws on touchdown passes, found Calvin Ridley deep, made some tough interior runs and did not turn the ball over. Mission accomplished.
  • We knew it was a possibility after reports surfaced that he had been back on the practice field, but it was still nice to see Alabama RB Kenyan Drake back on the field for the championship game after breaking his arm during a win against Mississippi State on Nov. 14.

What I didn’t like:

  • Treon Harris just didn’t get things done for Florida. The sophomore quarterback had the tough assignment of making a sputtering offense “go” against an elite Alabama defense, and the results were predictably unfavorable for most of the afternoon.
  • Florida knew it couldn’t afford to “give away” any points if the Gators were going to pull the upset. Getting a punt blocked out of the back of the end zone on their second offensive possession of the game was a breach of that mindset early on.
  • Speaking of giving away points, or at least the opportunity to score them, what in the world was Florida coach Jim McElwain thinking when he sent his field goal unit onto the field in the first quarter? Austin Hardin’s attempt was blocked. The Gators’ kicking game has been a running joke among SEC fans, and it was presumed they may take anything but a chip shot out of the game plan.
  • Nick Saban was as a little too conservative for my taste at the end of the first half. First, with three timeouts at his disposal, he failed to call a time out when Florida was facing a 3rd-and-long deep in its own territory. Then, he decided to sit on a 12-7 lead after a block in the back penalty on the ensuing punt return.
  • Florida LB Jared Davis carelessly drew a roughing the passer penalty after hitting Alabama QB Jake Coker late following an incomplete pass on 3rd-and-10 during the opening drive of the second half, which gave the Crimson Tide a first down and was effectively a turnover for the Gators.
  • Things got chippy between both teams once the outcome was in hand for Alabama in the fourth quarter. That was a bad look for what is supposed to be a celebration of the league on a national stage. Players have to rise above those emotions during the big moments.

Who’s the man: Alabama RB Derrick Henry. He’s like the Energizer bunny. He just keeps going and going and going. He followed a 46-carry game against Auburn with 44 carries in the championship game for 189 yards and a touchdown.

Key play: With under three minutes remaining in the third quarter and the Crimson Tide facing a critical third down and nursing a one-possession lead, Alabama QB Jake Coker found WR ArDarius Stewart for a 32-yard touchdown pass to extend the lead to 22-7.

What’s next: For Alabama, the College Football Playoff awaits. Entering this game as the No. 2 team in the committee’s rankings, the Crimson Tide should have no concerns about securing a spot in the final four. It is just a matter of who they play and where. Florida faces a much more uncertain bowl future. There is a chance that the Gators could be selected to represent the SEC in the Sugar Bowl, but presumably Ole Miss could be in play for that as well. Florida’s destination and opponent will be one of the more interesting revelations for the league’s postseason.