Basketball: Alabama’s Horn glad to be back after last season’s knee injury. 11C
Sports
S U N D A Y , N O V E M B E R 25 , 2012
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Alabama crushes Auburn for its fourth shutout; turns attention to SEC Championship Game By Cecil Hurt Sports Editor
TUSCALOOSA | In defiance of Mapquest, Alabama showed the easiest route from Tuscaloosa to Atlanta was to go right through Auburn. The Tigers didn’t even provide a noticeable bump in the road in the regular-season fi nale for the Crimson Tide on Saturday, with Alabama rolling to an easy 49-0 blowout to clinch the Southeastern Conference Western Division title and what amounts to a BCS semifinal game against Georgia next Saturday. It was the second-most lopsided win in series history, surpassed only by Alabama’s 55-0 win in 1948, and could have been far worse if Nick Saban had been less merciful. The Crimson Tide led 42-0 at the half, pulled its starters after one series in the third quarter and halted its final possession by taking a knee at the Tiger 5-yard line. The loss ended a miserable season for Auburn, which fi nished 3-9 overall, 0-8 in the SEC. The Tide has outscored AU 91-14 in the past two meetings and Auburn has not scored an offensive point in either game. Embattled Auburn coach Gene Chizik, who has a 4-12 SEC record over the past two seasons, SEE A LABAMA | 5C
STAFF PHOTO | ROBERT SUTTON
In total control Alabama offense has its way with Auburn defense | 5C
Quarter glance Breakdown of each quarter | 5C
STAFF PHOTO | ROBERT SUTTON
Throttled
It’s hard to realize just how dominant UA has been the last few years
Auburn can’t find a way to penetrate Alabama’s defense | 6C
No comment Auburn coach Gene Chizik doesn’t discuss his future at Auburn | 6C
TUSCALOOSA or the fourth time in five years, the University of Alabama football team has beaten Auburn. And for the fourth time in fi ve years, it won’t even stop to celebrate because there are bigger fish to fry. That is the measure of where Nick Saban has brought the Alabama program. Four times in five years, Alabama’s regular season has been a prelude to bigger things in the postseason. In 2008, Alabama came within a play or two of upsetting Florida and making it to the BCS NaCECIL tional Championship Game but HURT could not overcome Tim Tebow that time. The next year, it did, and finished the run in Pasadena, Calif. After one interruption in 2010, Alabama made it again in 2011 without even having to go through Atlanta. So the Tide’s current situation, in control of its own destiny, is exciting but not new. If anything, it is status quo. SEE HURT | 6C
F STAFF PHOTO | ROBERT SUTTON
Alabama notebook Tide shifts focus quickly to Georgia and SEC title game | 7C
Alabama Analysis Tide offensive line comes through with dominating performance | 7C PHOTO | JASON HARLESS
For video and a photo gallery of Saturday’s game go to www.tidesports.com
Alabama receiver Amari Cooper (9) makes a leaping catch in front of Auburn defensive back Jonathon Mincy in the first quarter of Saturday’s game at Bryant-Denny Stadium. Cooper caught five passes for 109 yards, including two for touchdowns, in the Crimson Tide’s 49-0 rout.
Valdosta State knocks UWA out of playoffs
Notre Dame beats USC, earns national title shot By Greg Beacham
By Ed Hooper Special to The Tuscaloosa News
VALDOSTA, G A . | West Alabama entered Saturday’s game looking for another monumental win over conference foe Valdosta State. Instead, the Tigers were routed by the Blazers, 49-21, in the second round of the NCAA Division II playoffs in Valdosta.
“Obviously, it is a very disappointing day for West Alabama,” Tigers head coach Will Hall said. “It is a very disappointing day for us. We had hoped to perform better today, but I told those guys in there that we did four things this year that had never been done in the history of the world and that is something to hold our heads high PHOTO | ED HOOPER, VALDOSTA (GA.) TIMES about. Getting to the sweet 16 West Alabama quarterback Gary Johnston (with the ball) is SEE UWA | 4C tackled by a host of Valdosta State defenders.
The Associated Press
LOS ANGELES | The Fighting Irish punched their ticket to Miami. Theo Riddick rushed for 146 yards and a touchdown, Kyle Brindza kicked five field goals, and No. 1 Notre Dame secured a spot in the BCS championship game with a 22-13 victory over Southern California on Saturday night.
Everett Golson passed for 217 yards as the Fighting Irish (120) completed their fi rst perfect regular season since 1988, earning a trip to South Florida on Jan. 7 to play for the storied program’s fi rst national title in 24 years. Although they did little with flash on an electric night at the Coliseum, the Irish woke up more echoes of past Notre Dame greats with a grinding effort in SEE T ITLE | 4C
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