ATLANTA - Alabama's fifth Southeastern Conference championship game triumph under coach Nick Saban was its most lopsided yet.
Despite a disastrous first quarter offensively, the top-ranked Crimson Tide returned an interception and a blocked punt for touchdowns to ignite a 54-16 dismantling of No. 15 Florida inside the Georgia Dome. Saturday's 38-point margin of victory ranks second among the 25 SEC title contests, trailing only Auburn's 56-17 drubbing of South Carolina in 2010.
The Crimson Tide's tailback trio of Damien Harris, Bo Scarbrough and Josh Jacobs combined for 212 rushing yards on 25 carries, while Alabama's defense headed by title-game MVP Reuben Foster held Florida (8-4) to zero net yards on 30 rushes. Florida's ground total included four sacks of Austin Appleby, who also threw three interceptions.
"Obviously, you're not going to beat anybody giving them the ball four times," Florida coach Jim McElwain said, "especially a team like Nick has put together, which in my opinion, is the best team top-to-bottom that he's had since he's been there."
McElwain was Alabama's offensive coordinator for Alabama's national championship teams in 2009 and 2011, and a national title is two games away for this season's Crimson Tide. Alabama will be the top seed in the four-team playoff when the pairings are revealed today, and the Tide (13-0) are assured of playing their semifinal in the Georgia Dome.
Alabama won its 25th consecutive game to notch its 26th SEC title, and the Tide now double their next closest league competitor, Tennessee, which won its 13th league crown in 1998. The Tide have won three straight SEC titles for the first time since 1977-79 under the legendary Paul "Bear" Bryant.
"To do this three years in a row really is a significant accomplishment," Saban said.
Alabama was held to minus-7 yards in first quarter yet led 16-9. Inside linebacker Shaun Dion Hamilton started the Tide's interception barrage by returning an errant Appleby throw 40 yards to Florida's 12-yard line, setting up Adam Griffith's 31-yard field goal that pulled Alabama within 7-3.
With 5:06 remaining in the opening quarter, defensive back Minkah Fitzpatrick intercepted Appleby and returned it 44 yards for a touchdown and a 10-7 lead. Alabama took a 16-7 lead late in the first quarter when Derrick Gore blocked a Johnny Townsend punt that Josh Jacobs returned 27 yards for Alabama's 14th non-offensive score.
"We've scored more non-offensive touchdowns this year than any team I've ever been associated with," Saban said. "I think it speaks to the playmaker-type guys that we have and the good job our coaches do of putting them in position.
The blocked punt returned for a touchdown was the first in SEC title-game history, but Griffith's extra point was blocked, and Florida's David Reese scooped up the ball and returned it for two points to make it 16-9.
Alabama's offense erupted for 179 yards in the second quarter, taking a 23-9 lead on a 6-yard pass from Jalen Hurts to Gehrig Dieter that capped a seven-play, 88-yard drive. A five-play, 62-yard drive that ended with a 6-yard touchdown run by Jacobs extended the Crimson Tide's advantage to 33-9 with 3:47 before halftime.
"We didn't do well at first, but a guy like Jalen keeps us in the game," Harris said. "We're not focused on what we're not doing right. We're focused on how we're going to get it corrected."
Florida opened the game by marching 64 yards in 10 plays and taking a 7-0 lead on a 5-yard touchdown pass from Appleby to Antonio Callaway. Appleby converted a third-and-14 and two third-and-6 opportunities during the drive, which resulted in the first touchdown allowed by Alabama since the third quarter of the Texas A&M game Oct. 22.
The Gators awoke again late in the half, driving 92 yards in 10 plays and pulling within 33-16 on a 25-yard pass from Appleby to DeAndre Goolsby.
Florida opened the second half with a 12-play drive that reached Alabama's 1-yard line, but the Gators lost a yard on third down and then threw incomplete. After the change in possession, Harris gained 9 and 23 yards to kick-start an eight-play, 98-yard drive that ended with a Scarbrough 2-yard touchdown that made it 40-16.
"I think that was the turning point in the game," Saban said. "I felt like we were a little flat in the locker room at halftime, and we came out and went three-and-out on offense. We had the great goal-line stand and then took the ball 98 yards, and I think that was the turning point psychologically for our team and for their team."
Said Foster: "It was a rough start, but we had to overcome it, show mental toughness and just dominate. We don't like giving up points. We don't like giving up first downs."
Contact David Paschall at dpaschall@timesfreepress.com or 423-757-6524.