The Tampa Tribune from Tampa, Florida • 38

uj'iua'i iii in r.1 9. nw si r'p-y wiiT'irrT I'll wrpiirp iii u1 in1 ri srpi ij 1 11 -v -'V i i -fc V- 8-Sports The Tampa Tribune-Times, Sunday, December 6, 1992 LaBgharai's pickoff energizedlow Tide Alabama 7 7 7 728 Florida 7 0 7 721 First Quarter Florida Rhett 5 pass from Matthews (Davis kick), 4:57. Driva: 77 yards, 11 plays, 4:57. Key plays: Rhett 13 pass from Matthews on third-and-3; Dean 13 pass from Matthews; W. Jackson 17 pass from Matthews; Dean 13 pass from Matthews.

Florida 7, Alabama 0. Alabama Lassie 5 run (Proctor kick), 9:53. Drive: 72 yards, 10 plays, 4:56. Key plays: Houston 3 run on third-and-1; Palmer 17 pass from Barker. Florida 7, Alabama 7.

Second Quarter Alabama C.Brown 30 pass from Barker (Proctor kick), 10:11. Drive: 42 yards, 5 plays, 2:32. Key plays: Palmer 20 punt return, plus 15 face mask penalty vs. UF; UF illegal substitution penalty on fourth-and-1. Alabama 14, Florida 7.

Third Quarter Alabama Lassie 15 run (Proctor kick), 9:56. Drive: 66 yards, 4 plays, 1:33. Key play: Palmer 39 pass from Barker. Alabama 21, Florida 7. Florida W.

Jackson 4 pass from Matthews (Davis kick), 13:39. Drive: 68 yards, 8 plays, 3:45. Key plays: Keller 19 pass from Matthews; W. Jackson 4 pass from Matthews on fourth-and-1; Rhett 14 pass from Matthews. Alabama 21, Florida 14.

Florida Rhett 1 run (Davis kick), 6:51. Drive: 51 yards, 9 plays, 3:39. Key plays: Diehl 19 punt downed at UF 49; Rhett 4 run on third-and-1; W. Jackson 16 pass from Matthews. Alabama 21, Florida 21.

Alabama Langham 27 interception return (Proctor kick), 11:44. Alabama 28, Florida 21. A 83,091. TEAM STATISTICS 1 1 -4 AM Tribune photograph by STEPHEN M. DOWELL Fla.

Bama Total first downs 22 15 By Rushing 5 9 By Passing 16 5 By Penalty 1 1 Rushing attempts 30 41 Yards gained rushing 80 176 Yards lost rushing 50 44 Net yards rushing 30 132 Net yards passing 287 154 Passes attempted 49 18 Passes completed 30 10 Intercepted 2 0 Total offensive plays 79 59 Total net yards 317 288 Avg. gain per play 4.01 4.85 Return yards 23 58 Fumbles-lost 0-0 0-0 Penalties-yards 4-30 11-75 Interceptions-yards 0-0 2-27 Punts-yards 7-279 1 0-322 Average per punt 40.0 32.6 Punt returns-yards 4-23 3-31 Kickoff returns-yards 5-71 3-14 Possession time 31:20 28:40 3rd-down conversions 4-15 2-13 Sacks by-yards 3-23 3-21 RUSHING Florida No. Yds. Lost Net TD Lg Rhett 22 72 13 59 1 15 Randolph 1 0 0 0 0 0 Malone 1 0 4 -4 0 0 Edge 1 0 12-12 0 0 Matthews 5 8 21 -13 0 4 Totals 30 80 50 30 1 15 Alabama No. Yds.

Lost Net TD Lg Lassie 21 121 4117 2 25 Houston 6 22 0 22 0 6 Anderson 2 9 3 6 0 9 Williams 1 2 0 2 0 2 Barker 8 21 25 -4 0 12 Palmer 3 1 12-11 0 1 Total 41 126 44132 2 25 Lassie dives into the end zone for Steve Spurrier had them well prepared." Spurrier tried to dodge any comparison between Florida State, winners over the Gators last week and in a rankings battle with Alabama. Asked first if he would vote Alabama No. 2 behind Miami, he hedged, then said "yeah, yeah I would." Asked the question again 4 By TOM McEWEN Tribune Correspondent BIRMINGHAM, Ala. The first SEC championship game balls went to Alabama coach Gene Stallings, 'Bama running back Derrick Lassie and the pride of Town Creek, Antonio Langham. Stallings' coaching helped turn back the Florida Gators' threat, 28-21.

Lassie gained 117 net yards on 21 carries, scoring the third Alabama touchdown on a 15-yard run for a 21-7 Crimson Tide lead in the third quarter, and broke clear for a 25-yard run late in the game to get Al Stallings abama out of a hole with the game tied at 21. That set up the winning defensive score by cornerback Langham. With the score tied at 21, Langham crouched behind Gator wideout Monty Duncan, stole the pass thrown by Shane Matthews and returned the ball 27 yards for the winning touchdown with 3:16 to go. This game ball will go nicely with the one Langham won last week. That was when he broke 'Bama out of a scoreless tie against Auburn with an interception and 61-yard return for a score.

Alabama won, 17-0. Langham got the Tide rolling. "It's a great feeling to do it once, greater to do it twice," said Langham, especially this time "against a great quarterback like Shane Matthews. I gambled. I came up close and squatted in hiding.

If he had seen me, he could have thrown deep. He didn't. Coach told us we would have to win it on defense THE FINAL TALLY The record book on Shane Matthews was officially closed Saturday, following Florida's 28-21 defeat against Alabama in the Southeastern Conference Championship Game. Matthews threw for 287 yards, against the Tide and in doing so moved in front of Louisiana State's Tommy Hodson to become the league's all-time passing leader with 9,287 yards. Hodson set the previous mark of 9,1 1 5 in 44 games, Matthews in 35.

Despite playing on a sore big toe, the Florida quarterback set five other SEC records Saturday: career attempts offensive plays total offensive plays total offense per game (264.0), single-season yards passing "I'd cut my toe off if we could have a win in this game," said Matthews, the only player in conference history to throw for over 3,000 yards in two seasons and the holder of three of the SEC's top four single-season totals. He exits his career with 18 SEC records and 47 school records. SHARING BLAME In his post-game news conference, UF coach Steve Spurrier was obviously troubled by the manner in which his team lost: a 27-yard interception return by Alabama cornerback Antonio Langham with Just over three minutes to play. Spurrier said Matthews threw a bad pass, but also dressed down reserve wide receiver Monty Duncan, who was in for injured Jack Jackson, because of his lack of aggression in going after the pass. "They were in a soft two-deep zone and the defensive back really was just back there watching Shane," Spurrier said.

"Our ouy has to step in front of that and fight for the ball. That's what he has to do. He can't just stand there and wait on it. He has to be in there and feel the guy coming after the ball." Said Duncan: "No words can describe how bad I feel. I tried to step up, then I felt somebody come by me.

That's all I can remember." CHALK UP ANOTHER Alabama won Its 20th SEC football championship. The Crimson Tide, who first won the league title in 1933, also became the first team In SEC history to win nine conference games. Only three other SEC teams have won eight league games: Tulane (1934) and Alabama (1964 and 1973). LANGHAM MVP Langham's heroics will make for an interesting trivia question down the road: Who was the first MVP of an SEC title game? i i I -v if jf PASSING Florida AttCmp. Int Yds.

TD Lg. Matthews 49 30 2 287 2 19 Alabama Art. Cmp. Int Yds. TD Lg.

Barker 18 10 0 154 1 39 the touchdown. 'Bama or FSU, which is better? he said, "you guys decide. They would have to play each other." Stallings didn't hesitate "Sure, we should be No. 2. We've beaten everybody we have played.

And we look forward to playing Miami." FSU's only loss was 19-16 to Mi Alabama 20 Tennessee 11 Georgia 10 Louisiana State 7 Ole Mist 0 Auburn 5 Georgia Tech 5 Tulane 3 Kentucky 2 Florida 1 Mississippi State 1 denotes former SEC member batted Matthews' pass high into the air. The ball hit off the hands of UF's Harrison Houston and Alabama's George Teague before dropping into the waiting arms of linebacker Michael Rogers with 2:52 left. "I wouldn't have thought we'd give up 21 points," Tide coach Gene Stallings said. "We had to have a big defensive play to win," It was fitting. 'Bama had relied on its defense throughout the season and suddenly appeared vulnerable against a UF team that ran up 317 yards, the most against the Tide this season.

The Gators opened the game with a 77-yard, 11-play statement-making march on their first possession, with Rhett (10 receptions, 82 yards) scoring on a 5-yard shovel pass. Alabama need Just 10 plays Alabama running back Derrick when Florida got the ball back and somebody would have to do something big. I guess I did." Stallings said when he saw Langham "break on the ball I knew what was going to happen. I can't tell you how wonderful it is for us to represent the university and the SEC in the Sugar Bowl and to beat a fine team like Florida. Coach His return was Langham's second touchdown of the season off an interception, tying school single-season and career records.

In 1952, Cecil "Hootie" Ingram, now athletic director at Alabama, and in 1966 Bobby Johns also ran back two interceptions for scores. Langham, who had a career-high eight tackles against the Gators, also blocked a punt and returned it for a touchdown in 'Bama's 30-21 win at Mississippi State last month. FRESHMEN PASS True freshmen Reggie Green and Jason Odom stood up admirably in their much-anticipated matchups against a fearsome Alabama defensive front starring senior All-Americans Eric Curry and John Copeland. Matthews was sacked three times, once by Copeland. Curry finished with one tackle.

"They held their own," offensive line coach Rich McGeorge said. "That was a valuable experience those two young men will remember for the rest of their lives." "We thought if we could maintain some inside control that we could hold out Curry and Copeland," Green said. LONG POINT-AFTER Personal foul and illegal procedure penalties on an Alabama extra-point forced Crimson Tide kicker Michael Proctor to try and make it from 45 yards out. It barely cleared the crossbar. Proctor's longest field goal of the season was 46 yards.

FLY BOY Florida defensive tackle Ellis Johnson flew to Birmingham with the team Friday. Johnson had driven with team managers to the Gators' last two out-of-state road trips to Mississippi State and Vanderbilt after UF's return charter from the Sept. 19 Tennessee game tost cabin pressure and had to make an emergency landing at Atlanta. Johnson, from Wildwood, had received counseling for his fear of flying. "He was fine," UF spokesman Steve McClain said.

"He sat there with a headset on a read." ODDS AND ENDS Temperature was 46 degrees at kickoff, with winds ranging from 10-15 mph. Florida now trails in Its series with Alabama 17-8. Florida lost center Gantt Crouch (knee), cornerback Del Speer (pinched nerve In the neck) and wide receiver Jack Jackson to injuries. Tide quarterback Jay Barker is 15-0 as a starter. CHRIS HARRY j-.

'w- ami at the Orange Bowl on Oct 3. FSU beat Florida last weekend, 45-24. Asked to describe his feelings, Stallings, sounding like the late Bear Bryant of Alabama, drawled, "Aw, I don't have the words to describe that. You guys can do that. Just find some words and say I said it" -to t.

nine of them runs to even the score, as Derrick Lassie (21 carries, 119 yards) danced in from 5. The Tide added another touchdown in the second quarter on a 30-yard Jay Barker-to-Curtis Brown strike and seemed to have taken control of the game when Lassie went untouched from 15 yards for a 21-7 'Bama lead at the 5:14 mark of the third quarter. But Matthews rallied the Gators to a pair of touchdowns. Florida immediately answered Lassie's score by moving 68 yards in eight plays seven passes capped when Jackson snagged 4-yard yard slant-in with 1:21 to play In the period. Riding the momentum provided by its defense, Florida tied the game eight minutes later when Rhett (22 carries, 59 yards) slammed in from a yard out "There was no doubt in my mind we were going to win," UF linebacker Monty Grow said.

"Everything was going our way," senior linebacker Carlton Miles said. "We had built up confidence and were believing in each other." Until one errant throw. "I had a chance to lead us to another SEC title and threw a stupid pass," Matthews said. "It came down to one big play and I didn't make IL I felt In my heart we were going to win. One bad mistake." li AM nj A Tribune photograph by STEPHEN M.

DOWELL Florida's Errict Rhett goes airborne for a 1-yard score in the third quarter. Tide still unbeaten after 28-21 win RECEIVING Florida No. Yds. TD Lg. Rhett 10 82 1 18 Jackson 9 100 1 19 Dean 3 31 0 13 Randolph 3 31 0 17 Keller 2 26 0 19 Houston 2 10 0 6 Everett 17 0 7 Totals 30 287 2 19 Alabama No.

Yds. TD Lg. Palmer 5 101 0 39 Williams 2 16 0 11 Brown 1 30 0 30 Lee 15 0 5 Anderson 12 0 2 Totals 10 154 1 39 PUNTING Florida No. Yds. Avg.

Lg. Edge 7 279 40.0 48 Alabama No. Yds. Avg. Lg.

Diehl 10 326 32.6 50 PUNT RETURNS Florida No. Yds TD Lg. Duncan 4 23 0 14 Alabama No. Yds TD Lg. Palmer 3 31 0 20 From Page 1 Steve Spurrier said.

"It's one thing to get beat. It's another thing to give the game away." Matthews, who completed 30 of 49 passes for 287 yards and two touchdowns, drove the Gators into the teeth of the nation's top-ranked defense to bring the Gators back from a two-touchdown deficit to tie the game at 21 midway into the final period. An inspired UF defense, which held the Tide to 119 second-half yards, forced a 'Bama punt and sensed their offensive counterparts were geared up for a game-winning drive. "They were shocked," Matthews said. "We caught them completely off guard." But on first down from the 21, a simple 6-yard hitch route ended in disaster when Langham stepped in front of reserve wideout Monty Duncan for a season-making and for UF, a heartbreaking play.

"I was squatting down back there so Matthews couldn't see me," Langham said. "The ball hit me right in the hands and It was all over after that." Especially for the Gators. On their next possession, with better than 70,000 Tide fans cheering wildly, Matthews hit Willie Jackson for 17 yards to the Tide 39. But on second down, linebacker. Derrick Oden KICKOFF RETURNS Florida Houston Alabama Harris Williams Total No.

Yds. TD Lg. 5 71 0 19 No. Yds. TD Lg.

2 14 1 0 3 14 0 10 0 0 0 10 INTERCEPTIONS Florida No. Yds. TD Lg. Langham 1 27 1 27 Rogers 10 0 0 Total 2 27 1 27 TACKLES-ASSISTS Florida White 7-3, Kennedy 6-4, Miles 7-2, Oliver 7-1, Grow 2-3, Gun-ter 2-3, Church 3-1, Robinson 3-1, Carter 4-0, McMillian 3-1, Johnson 2-2, Archie 1-3, Speer 0-2, Gilmor 2-0, Smith 1-1, Campbell 2-0, Hanks 1- 0, Pearson 1-0, Walters 1-0, Malone 0-1. Alabama Donnelly 6-3, Brown 7-1, Langham 6-2, Oden 5-3, Johnson 4- 2, Teague 5-1, Shade 5-1, Nunley 2- 4, Copeland 5-1, Hall 3-2, London 5- 0, Roger 1-2, Pin 1-1, Curry 1-0, Conn 1-0, Swlnney 1-0, Harrl 1-0, Bevelle 1-0, Ausmus 1-0, Gaston 0-1..