2016 SEC Championship Game: Facts & figures

There was plenty of history made as Alabama romped Florida in the SEC Championship Game, 54-16, on Saturday in Atlanta to cement its No. 1 seed in the College Football Playoff.

For starters from a team perspective, history was nearly made with this 38-point win as it fell just shy of Auburn’s 39-point annihilation of South Carolina in 2010 for the largest margin of victory in the game.

From a player perspective, Jalen Hurts is the first true freshman QB to start and win the SEC Championship Game. The only redshirt freshman to do it previously wore orange and blue, Rex Grossman, who led Florida to the 2000 crown.

On the opposite sideline, Florida quarterback Austin Appleby was on the opposite side of history, matching the game’s record for interceptions thrown … in the first half (3).

Let’s take a look at some notable facts and figures to focus on after the Crimson Tide’s commanding win.

FACTS & FIGURES

As Alabama’s done throughout Nick Saban’s entire tenure in Tuscaloosa, the Tide threw up a brick wall that their opponent had no chance of going through. Alabama allowed exactly 0 yards on the ground, an SEC Championship Game record.

In fact, Alabama’s last two wins over Florida make up two of the three most dominating performances in this category.

FEWEST RUSH YDS ALLOWED IN SEC TITLE GAME

Of course, Saban has fielded some outstanding units, but none of them — and none in the SEC — can match what his 2016 group is doing against the run since 2000.

FEWEST RUSH YPG ALLOWED IN SEASON SINCE 2000

After a four-game hiatus, Alabama’s defense got back on the scoreboard with Minkah Fitzpatrick’s 44-yard interception return for a touchdown in the first quarter.

That brings the Tide’s total to 10 defensive touchdowns on the season, which means this year’s crew is tied for second-most of any school since the turn of the century. Bama still has some games to set the mark.

MOST DEFENSIVE TDS IN SINGLE SEASON SINCE 2000

This is the first time that Alabama has led the SEC in scoring offense (40.5) and scoring defense (11.8) since 1980, which was during Paul “Bear” Bryant’s final years. However, if we just focus on leading the SEC in scoring, you still have to go all the way back to 1989.

Their average this second is only outdone by the Tide’s 1945 team that averaged 43.0 PPG.

Seasons Alabama led the SEC in scoring since 1980
2016: 40.5
1989: 29.8
1983: 30.5
1980: 29.3

Speaking of the Bear, no one is going to touch his 14 SEC championships as a coach. However, Saban did move into sole possession of second place on the all-time list, moving past the Head Ball Coach and two others.

COACHES WITH MOST SEC CHAMPIONSHIPS

But another record is within Saban’s reach. He extended the Capstone’s current win streak to 25, which is now only four wins away from the all-time conference record.

LONGEST WIN STREAKS IN SEC HISTORY