The Atlanta Constitution from Atlanta, Georgia • 75

spouts Sunjgy, December 6, 193? F7 3 COLLEGE FOOTBALL: THE SEC CHAMPIONSHIP Alabama defense steps up to meet challenge with game on the linei By Jack Wilkinson STAFF WRITER Birmingham With 3:25 to play, the score tied and the Tide xeeling, Alabama defensive line coach Mike Dubose gathered his defense around him. Rarely have truer words been spoken, needed and heeded. "Coach Dubose got us together," said cornerback Antonio Langham, "and said, 'This is your team. Somebody on this de fense has got to make a play and win the game. For the third straight game, Langham obliged.

He stepped in front of wideout Monty Duncan, intercepted Shane Matthews's pass and ran 27 yards for the touchdown that gave Alabama a 28-21 victory over Florida, the SEC title and a shot at the national championship. "You play football to make the big plays," said Langham. "That's a player's dream, espe cially a corner's dream, if you can go out every game and make an interception for a touchdown. To say it and then go out and do it again is. a heckuva dream." A unique reality at Alabama, too.

Langham is the first Tide defender to score three times in one season. But this was more meaningful than the blocked punt he recovered to score at Mississippi State. And far more urgent than the interception Langham returned 61 yards to break a score less tie with Auburn. This interception was the pick of the lot, and the season, for both its import and style. "Everything has a degree of difficulty to it," said Tide secondary coach Bill Oliver.

"In terms of a diver doing it, it'd be a 10. A great play." Alabama's defense, the nation's best, had already made a collective stand midway through the fourth quarter. After tying the score and forcing yet another short punt, Florida took over at the Tide 40. But Alabama held, forced a punt and nearly reached midfield before punting to the Gator 21. On first down, Matthews tried to hit Duncan on a hitch in the right flat With Alabama in rone coverage, Langham was waiting, scheming, squatting.

Squatting? "They'd been running that play all day," said Langham. "I decided I could play that a little different I squatted. I kind of hid behind the receiver. If I hadn't squatted, Matthews would've seen me." If he had, Matthews might have thrown to the slot receiver running a corner route behind I Langham. "I'm not a betting man," said Oliver.

"But I'd bet I you 10-1 that since he's been at Florida he hasn't had one of: those intercepted." Not with Langham Dreaming. Delivering. Again. The Mania Journal The Atlanta Constitution THE SCENE Matthews expects memory nzel of one that got away to linger THE GATORS' -1 .1 If 1V By Mike Fish STAFF WRITER Birmingham The pass. When it is all over, when Shane Matthews hangs up his helmet for a final time, he says the pass will haunt him.

Forget all the records. The memory figures to linger of Antonio Langham, the Alabama cornerback, picking off his pass in the flat and returning it 27 yards to beat the Florida Gators. "I won't remember all the touchdowns," said Matthews, his head bowed. "This will stay in the back of my mind forever. I could care less about the records and all that.

I'd exchange all of those records for a win." Florida had that chance as Matthews led the "Fun and attack onto Legion Field with 3:25 to play. The Gators had scored two touchdowns to tie the score at 21. But on the first play, Langham stepped in front of backup receiver Monty Duncan and pranced home with the deciding touchdown in Alabama's 28-21 victory. Third-year coach Steve Spurrier could only shake his head. Normally, Jack Jackson would have been the receiver, but he was out with a strained hamstring.

And while Matthews wasn't blameless, Spurrier was miffed that his receiver failed to make a stronger play on the ball. "It's one thing to get beat, but it's another thing to give them one like that," Spurrier said. "First play, with three or four minutes left. I told them all week about not giving them one." All game, Florida had played it safe against the outside pass rush of defensive ends John Copeland and Eric Curry. Matthews dropped the ball off short in the flat and let his receivers make plays, or shoveled it to Er- Associated Press Florida's Errict Rhett is corralled by John Copeland (94) and Derrick Oden of Alabama as Gator teammates David Swain (52) and Reggie Green watch.

SEC: Interception for touchdown sends Alabama to Sugar Bowl JACK WILKINSON 'Happening' both a chill and a thrill Birmingham Crimson ear-muffs. White ski caps. Orange scarves. Blue gloves. Bluer lips.

Fur coats and flasks, blankets and boots and brrm. On a day as raw as it was historic, Birmingham became the Football Capital of the South Pole Saturday. the cold stuff is gone," Ronnie Ramsey said. Dressed to kill the chill in a ski cap, earmuffs and scarf, Ramsey was working a souvenir stand across Graymont Avenue from Legion Field. sold out of scarves, ear-, muffs, men's gloves," said Ramsey, shivering.

"Anything for cold weather." i But nothing not the bitter cold, the blustery wind, the slate-gray skies and tickets as plentiful as Florida shovel passes could detract from the moment The inaugural SEC Championship game. 1 "This is a happening, you know that?" said Joe Schilleci, laughing. "A happening." Schilleci stood outside brother-in-law Joe Covington's motor home in the shadow of Legion Field. So eager were they to see their beloved Alabama play Florida, the Schil-. lecis and Covingtons arrived here Wednesday at noon.

Had to drive all of 20 miles from Center Point to get here, too. "They say it got down to 35 degrees Friday night," said Schilleci, standing beside a propane heater. "Hell, it was colder than that with the wind chill. We had to bring this thing out here it got so cold." But it warmed Schillecis's heart to be here. Charles Seiler's, too, even it his journey took a bit longer.

It's a nine-hour drive from Ocala, where Seiler lives and grows peanuts. But he arrived in style: in his sleeps-10 motor home, adorned with the words, "Gator-Nut" Seiler, his family and several friends were all here to see Flori- da face Alabama on ahem neutral ground. "Yeah, real neutral," said Gerald Dansby of Ocala. "Birmingham, Alabama. And we're the home team." TV killed scalper market The biggest losers Saturday were scalpers.

And this in a place where scalping is legal (but not on Legion Field property). The game was a sellout, 83,091. Some of those people paid $780 for tickets that included a $750 tax-deductible "contribution" and guaran-: teed, among other things, access; to the SEC'8 lavish hospitality, tent The cheapest seats cost At least for those who bought their tickets before lore than two hours before kick-off, there were hundreds of people offering thousands of tickets at reduced prices. How low can you go? "Cheap, cheap," said one scalper, holding four $30 tickets. "I'm just ask- ing for face value.

What'll I take? Five dollars. You go up by the stadium, there's 500 of 'em." "You can't give 'eni away because of the TV," said a scalper named John. "There's 10 million of 'em. TV kills 'em. If not, people would be out here.

And it's warming up, but it's just like last week with the Auburn game. TV game? Kills 'em. Cold? Double kills 'em." And yet come kickoff, nearly1 all the seats in Legion Field were filled. Bama fans in their "Later Gator!" sweatshirts. Florida fans! wrapped in their blankets.

And; outside, a vendor from Tuscaloo- sa named Kabrina Lee awaited; the outcome near her car, the onei with this sign: "Sugar 'Bowl 4j Tickets." How much? Til tell you after the game," she said, adjusting her earmuffs Alabama no lock for No. 2 Ranking depends on voters scrutiny1 By Tony Barnhart COLLEGE EDITOR is Birmingham After losing to Alabama 28-21 in the SEC Championship game, Florida coach Steve Spurrier said he would vote for the Crimson Tide as the (I iiduuii biiu. luuiuau icam. Question is, will sportswrit-ers do the same? 1 The final regular-season Associated Press poll will be released this morning, about an hour before the bowl coalition is scheduled to announce its pair ings in Atlanta (10:30, ESPN). If Alabama holds at No.

2, the Crimson Tide will play No. 1 Miami in the Sugar Bowl on New Year's Day in a game that will de-; cide the national champi-1 onship. 51 But what if the 62 AP voters, who earlier this year moved Florida State-1 (10-1) ahead of undefeated Texas (12-0), decide that Alabama did not beat Florida impressively, enough? What if they de-f cide that Florida State, whose only loss was to Mi- ami, is the nation's second best team? Alabama leads Florida i State by 62 points in the poll, meaning it would take a change of heart by about half the voters to move Alabama to No. 3. That would then take the national championship game away from the Sugar Bowl and put Florida State into the Fiesta Bowl against Alabama's players and' i i coacnes coma not even con- ri v- wcive ui uic yussiuuuy uner-f Saturday's games.

"No, I'm not about something like that at all," said Alabama coach 1 Gene Stallings. Alabama's win put 1 Georgia in the Citrus Bowl against Ohio State. Florida will meet North Carolina State in the Gator Bowl. As of Saturday night, only a few more pieces re-i mained in the bowl Nebraska had a late gameH against Kansas State in To-i kvo. where a win woulcP Big Eight title and a spot in the Orange Bowl.

A Nebraska loss would put Colot rado in the Orange, and oth er bowls would have to be decided this morning. The final mystery to be solved today involves the Cotton Bowl. If Alabama1: and Miami play in the Sugar, logic would dictate-that the Cotton pick No. 3 Flori- fJ da State to play No. 4 Texas But there were ruy mors that the Cotton take No.

5 Notre Dame, tf tha fnttnn tolrao Mnfra 70. Dame, then FSU would go to the Orange Bowl, rji HAUNTED QB rict Rhett in the backfield a play the Gators called at least six times. With the game on the line, what Matthews envisioned as a five-yard gain when he released the ball turned into the Gators' worst nightmare. "When we tied it up, I thought; there was no way we were going to lose," Matthews said. "We were going to kick a field goal or do something to win it.

Then I made one mistake and cost us the ballgame. "This is hard to swallow. I looked out there and thought I'd sling it for five yards. It was just a stupid throw. I saw the receiver over there, and the guy jumps in there." Otherwise, Matthews played well enough to be named his team's player of the game and become the SEC's all-time passing leader.

Unloading the ball quickly against the nation's No. 1 defense, he absorbed just three sacks, and his wonderful execution of the short passing game also took the heat off an offensive line that featured a junior, two sophomores and a pair of freshman tackles. The record shows Matthews threw for 287 yards, but a fair portion of that came after catches. Rhett ran with two shovel passes for first downs and another for the game's first touchdown. "We never used that much in a game, maybe once or twice," Rhett said.

"You had those defensive ends rushing upfield all day, so it helped us a lot. They had a hard time seeing when the ball was flipped." Tony Barn hart Altbtmt: Derrick Lassie 3 run (Michael Proctor kick, Drive: 72 yarded, 10 plays, 4:56. Alabama came right back with a drive that Included nine running plays and only one pass. The lone pass was a 17-yard completion to David Palmer that gave Alabama a first down at the Florida 2S-y8rd fine, lassie then carried the baU four straight times for the touchdown. florlds 7, Alabama 7.

SECOND QUARTER Alabama: Curtis Brown 30 pass from Jay Barker (Proctor kick, Drive: 42 yards, 5 plays, 2:32. Two major penalties set up the Alabama touchdown. Florida was called for a 1 5-yard facemask penalty on a punt return, which gave Alabama a first down at the Florida 42. On fourth and one at the 33, Alabama was stopped for no gain but Florida was called for having 12 men on the field which kept the drive alive. Two plays later Barker hit Brown for the touchdown.

Ala- bama 14, Florida 7. THIRD QUARTER Alabama: lassie 15 run (Proctor kick, Drive: 66 yards, 4 plays, 1:33. After a 51 -yard field goal attempt by Florida was short, Alabama took possession on its own 34-yard line. On the first play Barker rut Palmer for 39 yards down to the Florida 27-yard int. After two straight running plays, Lassie ran around his right end for the touchdown.

At- abama 21, Florida 7. Florida: Willie Jackson 4 pass from Matthews (Davis kick, Drive: 68 yards, 9 plays, 3:53. Matthews completed six of six passes on the drive, Including a three-yarder to Jackson which converted a fourth and one at the Alabama 28-yard line. Rhett took a shovel pass 15 yards down to the 1 1 -yard line and then ran seven more yards to the four, Then Jackson made a one-handed catch for the touchdown. Ala- bama 21, Florida 14.

FOURTH QUARTER Florida: Rhett 2 run (Davis kick, Drive: 51 yards, 9 plays, 3:39. Florida took possession on its own 49 yard line after a 19-yard punt by Alabama The key play was an 16-yard completion from Matthews to Jackson which gave Florida a first down al ttie Alabama two-yard line. Two plays later Rhett scored to tie the game. Alabama 21, Florida 21. Alabama: Antonio Langham 27 Interception return On Florida's first play from Its own 21 Langham stepped in front of a pass intended for Monty Duncan and raced for the score that would win the game.

Alabama 28, Florida 21. INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS RUSHINQ-Alabama, Lassie 21-117, Houston 6-22, Anderson 2-6, Williams 1-2, Barker 8-(minuj 4), Palmer 3-(minus 11). Florida, Rhett 22-59, Randolph 1-0, Malone 1-(minus4), Edge 1-(mlnus 12), Matthews 5-(minus 13). PASSINQ-Alabama, Barker 10-184-154. Florida, Matthews 3049-2-287.

RECEIVINO-Alabama, Palmer 5-101, Williams 2-16, C.Brown 1-30, Lee 1-5, Anderson 1-2. Florida, Rhett 1082, WJackson 9-100, Dean 3-31. Randolph 3-31, Keller 2-26, Houston 2-10, Everett 1-7. Continued from Fl picked off another pass 22 seconds later to clinch the win. The Gators were 10V2-point underdogs and knew coming in that they could not let the Alabama defense, ranked No.

1 nationally in every major category, make the big play. Alabama gave up 317 total yards but made the plays it needed when the game was on the line. "I'm not only disappointed in the loss, but I'm disappointed in the way we lost," said Florida coach Steve Spurrier. "We talked all week about not giving them any cheap touchdowns and making them earn everything. We knew it was going to be difficult." Florida squandered its best chance to win with 6:15 remaining when it got the ball at the Alabama 40-yard line after a short punt.

Three plays netted only three yards, and the Gators punted into the end zone. "That was a huge stop for us," Stallings said, "because I was absolutely convinced they were going to come away with at least a field goal." Florida was a victim of its mistakes all day, and there was no better example than Alabama's second touchdown drive. The Crimson Tide started at the Florida 42 because of a 15-yard facemask penalty. Then the Gators seemingly had stopped the drive on fourth-and-one at the Florida 33-yard line but were called for having 12 men on the field. Alabama scored two plays later to make it 14-7 at halftime.

Jay Barker completed a 39-yard pass to set up Alabama's third touchdown, which gave the Tide a 21-7 lead with 5:14 remaining in the third quarter. Players miss out on title gams revenue Birmingham As often happens in major-college football, everyone but the players seems to cash in. That was evident again with the inaugural SEC Championship game. Top tickets sold for $780. The SEC anticipated banking between $7 million and $9 million from gate receipts and television revenues.

And each conference school is likely to receive approximately $800,000. And the players? Well, they're entitled to a scholarship and little else under NCAA rules. "We should get some of it," said Florida safety Will White. "It's a money-maker. It's a privilege to be in the championship game, but everybody should benefit.

"It's like a pre-bowl game. Yoii get a per diem at a bow) game. Spending money or whatever. We should get it here, too." Mike Fish How the college bowl picture is shaping up The projected college football bowl pairings based on the current Associated Press poll and final conference standings. The bowl pairings will be made official today in Atlanta.

These pairings reflect a projected victory by Nebraska over Kansas State, a game that did not begin until 1 1 p.m. Saturday. Bowl Site Date Time TV Projected matchup Peach Atlanta Jan. 2 8 p.m. ESPN North Carolina vs.

Miss. State Rose Pasadena, Calif, jan. I 5 p.m. ABC (2) Washington vs. Michigan Sugar New Orleans jan.

I 8:30 p.m. ABC (2) Alabama vs. Miami Cotton Dallas Ian. I I p.m. NBC (I I) Texas vs.

Notre Dame or FSU Orange Miami an. I 8 p.m. NBC (I I) Nebraska vs. Florida State or Notre Dame Fiesta Tempe.Ariz, Jan. I 4:30 p.m.

NBC (I I) Colorado vs. Syracuse Citrus Orlando Jan. I 1:30 p.m. ABC (2) Ohio State vs. Georgia Hall of Fame Tampa an, I 1 1 a.m.

ESPN Tennessee vs. Boston College Blockbuster Miami Jan. I 1:30 p.m. CBS (5) Penn State vs. Stanford Gator Jacksonville Dec.

3 1 6 p.m. TBS Florida vs. N.C, State Hancock El Paso, Texas Dec. 31 2:30 p.m. CBS (5) Baylor vs.

Arizona Liberty Memphis Dec. 31 8 p.m. ESPN Mississippi vs. Air Force Independence Shreveport Dec. 31 12:30 p.m.

ESPN Wake Forest vs. Oregon Holiday San Diego Dec. 30 8 p.m. ESPN Illinois vs. Hawaii Copper Tucson, Ariz.

Dec. 29 8 p.m. ESPN Washington State vs. Utah Freedom Anaheim, Calif. Dec.

29 9 p.m. Raycom Southern Cal vs. Fresno State Aloha Honolulu Dec. 25 3:30 p.m. ABC (2) BYU vs.

Kansas Silver Reno.Nev. Dec. 18 8 p.m. ESPN Bowling Green vs. Nevada Ala Fla First downs 15 22 Rushesyards 41-132 30-30 Passing 154 287 Return Yards 58 23 Comp-Att-Int 10184 30-49-2 Punts 1033 7-40 Fumbles-tott 00 O0 Penalties-Yards 11-75 4-30 Time of Possession 28:40 "31:20 Alabema 7 7 7 7-28 Florida 7 0 7 7-21 HOW THEY 8C0RED FIRST QUARTER Florida: Errict Rhett 13 pass from Shane Matthews (Judd Davis kick, Drive: 77 yards, 1 1 plays, 4:57.

Matthews hit six of six passes for 67 yards In the opening drive of the game, which ended with shovel paee to Rhett for the core. Florida 7, AlabamwO..