SEC Nuggets to Know for Week 14: Stats and historical context
Here’s a look at some eye-popping stats and historical context for Saturday’s SEC Championship Game between Alabama and Florida.
No. 2 ALABAMA vs. No. 18 FLORIDA
Alabama and Florida will be meeting for the eighth time in the SEC Championship Game since it was established in 1992. Considering this is the 24th SEC title game, that means these two programs have met in exactly one-third of the games. There’s only one other pair of schools that have even met three times, and that’s Georgia and LSU. Here’s a look at all the teams that have met multiple times in the title game.
It’s also worth noting that Florida (11) and Alabama (10) are 1st and 2nd, respectively, in SEC Championship Game appearances.
TEAMS | NUMBER OF MEETINGS | SERIES W-L |
---|---|---|
1. Alabama-Florida | 8 | FLA 4-3 |
2. Georgia-LSU | 3 | LSU 2-1 |
T3. Arkansas-Florida | 2 | FLA 2-0 |
T3. Auburn-Tennessee | 2 | Tied 1-1 |
T3. LSU-Tennessee | 2 | UT 2-0 |
Alabama coach Nick Saban has been nearly unbeatable in championship games of any kind. Saban is a combined 9-1 in SEC title games and national championship games in his time as a head coach at LSU and Alabama. His only loss came to Tim Tebow and the Gators in the 2008 SEC Championship Game, but he’s won each of the last six games since then.
SEASON | TYPE OF CHAMPIONSHIP | RESULT |
---|---|---|
2001 | SEC Championship Game | Won (LSU def. UT, 31-20) |
2003 | SEC Championship Game | Won (LSU def. UGA, 34-13) |
2003 | BCS National Championship | Won (LSU def. OKLA, 21-14) |
2008 | SEC Championship Game | Lost (FLA def. ALA, 31-20) |
2009 | SEC Championship Game | Won (ALA def. FLA, 32-13) |
2009 | BCS National Championship | Won (ALA def. TEX, 37-21) |
2011 | BCS National Championship | Won (ALA def. LSU, 21-0) |
2012 | SEC Championship Game | Won (ALA def. UGA, 32-28) |
2012 | BCS National Championship | Won (ALA def. ND, 42-14) |
2014 | SEC Championship Game | Won (ALA def. MIZZ, 42-13) |
Alabama RB Derrick Henry set numerous records after his performance last week in the Iron Bowl. However, he’s eyeing a few more records today against Florida, including the SEC single-season records for rushing yards and rushing TDs.
PLAYER | RUSHING TDS | SEASON |
---|---|---|
T1. Tim Tebow, FLA | 23 | 2007 |
T1. Tre Mason, AUB | 23 | 2013 |
3. Derrick Henry, ALA | 22 | 2015 |
T4. Trent Richardson, ALA | 21 | 2011 |
T4. Johnny Manziel, TAMU | 21 | 2012 |
PLAYER | RUSHING YARDS | SEASON |
---|---|---|
1. Herschel Walker, UGA | 1,891 | 1981 |
2. Darren McFadden, ARK | 1,830 | 2007 |
3. Tre Mason, AUB | 1,816 | 2013 |
4. Derrick Henry, ALA | 1,797 | 2015 |
5. Bo Jackson, AUB | 1,786 | 1985 |
Meanwhile, Florida is hoping its running back, Kelvin Taylor, can carry his unprecedented success against the Gators’ rivals this season over to the SEC title game today. Taylor is the only Florida back to post 100-yard rushing efforts in each of the school’s three traditional rivalry games against Tennessee, Georgia and Florida State in a single season. That will be crucial as the Gators have gone 8-0 this season when outrushing their opponents, but they’ve gone 2-2 when they haven’t.
DATE | RUSHING YARDS | OPPONENT |
---|---|---|
Sept. 26 | 102 | Tennessee |
Oct. 31 | 121 | Georgia |
Nov. 28 | 136 | Florida State |
Florida’s offense may be going through significant struggles, but the Gators’ defense has been spectacular all season. UF is the only FBS school to be ranked in the top 10 in each of the following categories:
STAT CATEGORY | FBS RANK | AVERAGE |
---|---|---|
Scoring defense | 5th | 15.5 |
Total defense | 5th | 283.6 |
Rushing defense | 7th | 111.3 |
Passing defense | 9th | 172.3 |
Sacks per game | T-5th | 3.2 |
Opp. third down conv. | 10th | 30% |