Crimson Chapters: Chapter 11

An oral history of the University of Alabama’s football season, as told by the people who lived it

Champions Again Alabama head coach Nick Saban and the Crimson Tide celebrate their SEC title win over Missouri.

Alabama won, 42-13. The win solidified their spot in the first College Football Playoffs.

Staff photo | Erin Nelson

By Aaron Suttles Sports Writer

Alabama claimed its 24th SEC championship with a dominating 42-13 win over Missouri, catapulted by a 21-point fourth quarter.

The victory all but guaranteed the Crimson Tide's spot in the inaugural College Football Playoff, but there was still a matter of seeding.

Austin Shepherd, senior offensive lineman: The opening drive I think we ran seven or eight plays, probably six of them are fastball. You can just tell a difference when you run that against a defense because you can feel the D-line getting tired the further the game goes on.

ation, my first time winning a ring actually For a video look back at the in my whole career playing football. stretch run of Alabama’s 2014 football season, go to www.tuscaTrey DePriest, loosanews.com or www.tidesports. senior linebacker: com After the Ole Miss loss, nobody thought we Nick Perry, were going to win the SEC championship. For senior safety: us to do that was sweet.

In my opinion that's one of the hardest things to do is win the SEC. To be able to Ryan Kelly, win that, that's a blessing. We definitely junior center: believe this is the hardest conference and We came in and knew they had a great we definitely believe we're in the hardest defense. I think we had some different setdivision in college football. ups where if Blake (Sims, quarterback) had some looks he had the ability to throw it.

Leon Brown, We wanted to get him out of the pocket senior right guard: because he can do great things outside of It meant a lot, my first SEC championship the pocket. ring. It was my first time being in that situcontinued

Jonathan Allen, sophomore defensive end: We felt like we had the right mentality to not let anyone run the ball on us. I believe we came out here and made a statement defensively.

They were physical up front but I felt we did a good job being aggressive and we were def i n itely physica l out there.

DePriest: I didn't actually hold the trophy. I let the rest of the guys do that.

Perry: To be able to go out there and win the West and win the SEC, it's a great feeling. We were very excited for that one because it's tough to do.

DePriest: Xzavier Dickson, I went and got my son. It was senior outside linebacker: awesome. That's the second It meant a lot. To win it in time he's been down on that my home state meant a lot. field. I went and got him after the Virginia Tech game last Shepherd: year. Him being able to walk It was unreal. It was kind of now, it was awesome feeling to a dream come true for me be- have him down there with cause I never got to play Geor- me. gia so it was kind of like my homecoming. It was awesome Perry: to finally be able to play in the We celebrated that and had Georgia Dome for something fun with that for 24 hours. We that wasn't just the first game just got backed and got focused of the season. on Ohio State.

staff photos | Robert Sutton

Above: Alabama defensive lineman Jarran Reed (90) and Alabama defensive back Nick Perry (27) tackles Missouri running back Russell Hansbrough (32).

Below: Alabama defensive back Eddie Jackson (4)

and offensive lineman Austin Shepherd (79) high five.

Geno Smith, Brown: junior defensive back: Once the 24-hour rule is over, To win an SEC champion- we've got to get back to busiship is definitely a blessing. ness.

To go back home and play in the Georgia Dome, that's a big After celebrating on the Georgia thing for me.

Dome field, Alabama went back to Tuscaloosa and awaited the word Shepherd: on who and where it would play in I think I had 22 tickets. continued

staff photo | Robert Sutton

Above: Alabama wide receiver DeAndrew White (2) had four catches for 101 yards and a touchdown.

BELOW: Derrick Henry had 20 carries for 141 yards and two touchdowns.

the College Football Playoff. The team gathered for the selection show to find out it had garnered the No. 1 seed and would face Ohio State in the Sugar Bowl.

Allen: My thought was let's get it.

Perry: They announced the first (seed) first and we were first so we were just sitting back and seeing. When they announced Florida State was going to be third, oh man, who are we going to play? I think we welcome all challenges so we just want to play a great team.

Reggie Ragland, junior linebacker: I always wanted to play Ohio State. You hear about all of those big-name guys that have been there. They have a great football tradition there. It's going to be crazy. They have good fans, I heard, crazy fans. Our fans and their fans in this Dome will be very loud and it's going to be very entertaining and I can't wait for the experience.

Dickson: I felt great, man, to be given another opportunity and to be one of the final four teams to be fighting for a national championship felt awesome.

T.J. Yeldon, junior running back: I don't think too many guys really wanted to come back (to New Orleans) after what happened last year (in a loss to Oklahoma in the Sugar Bowl), but I feel like that was motivation and we know what we have to do. We know we want to be the first team to win the College Football Playoff and now we just have to take care of business.

Perry: We knew going in that we probably were Staff photo | Erin Nelson (in the playoff) since we won our championship game. It was kind of surprising beShepherd: tween Baylor, TCU and Ohio State to see Just excited to able to say you're apart what they would do. I think the committee of the f irst College Football Playof f, got it right, and we're going to play a great you'll be able to have that with you forOhio State team. ever.

Perry: We're playing a great Ohio State team with a lot of tradition and a lot of pride. I definitely do think we're in the best conference and the best division, but we know there are other great teams out there, too, in other conferences. We just believe we're the best.

Staff photos | Erin Nelson

Above: Blake Sims completed 23 of 27 passes for 262 yards and two touchdowns.

Below Left: T. J. Yeldon had 14 carries for 47 yards and two touchdowns.

Below right: Alabama offensive lineman Cam Robinson (74) and Alabama tight end Brian Vogler (84) celebrate with Alabama running back Derrick Henry (27) after Henry scored a touchdown.