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LSU-Alabama
11/07/09 - 10:04 PM
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By JOHN ZENOR
AP Sports Writer
    TUSCALOOSA, Ala. (AP) - Julio Jones left defenders grasping at
his heels and Alabama’s defense was typically immovable. The
Crimson Tide is riding that combination to the SEC championship
game for the second consecutive season.
    The popular Jones made the biggest play of what has been a
relatively quiet sophomore season, breaking free for a 73-yard
touchdown in the fourth quarter, and No. 3 Alabama locked down No.
9 LSU in a 24-15 victory Saturday.
    Leigh Tiffin booted a 40-yard field goal with 3:04 left to seal
it and the Tide (9-0, 6-0 Southeastern Conference) earned a rematch
with No. 1 Florida for the league championship.
    The hard-hitting affair left the Tigers (7-2, 4-2) without
injured quarterback Jordan Jefferson and running back Charles Scott
for most of the second half.
    “It was a tough, physical game,” said Alabama coach Nick
Saban, who beat his former team for the second straight year.
“Man, those games are fun to be a part of.”
    The win touched off another big celebration for Alabama, which
survived a 12-10 victory over Tennessee two weeks ago with Terrence
Cody’s two blocked field goal attempts in the fourth quarter.
Tiffin came up big in that one, too, with four field goals.
    Jefferson had an ankle injury and Scott hurt his right shoulder
in the third.
    LSU coach Les Miles, who said Scott’s injury was probably the
more serious, didn’t shed much light on their status.
    On Jefferson, Miles said the quarterback was “trying to get
back in the game. We felt like it would be best that he sit.”
    “I still like our chances, injuries or not. No excuses,” he
added.
    LSU would have taken control of the West. The Tigers, whose only
other loss came to the Gators, took a 15-10 lead into the fourth
but managed only 9 yards in the quarter. They had won four straight
games at Bryant-Denny Stadium.
    Once again, though, LSU is left taking a backseat to its former
coach.
    Saban & Co. moved a step closer to their second straight perfect
regular season. The Tide outgained LSU 452-253, and narrowed the
number SEC national championship contenders to two.
    Alabama is 9-0 for a second consecutive season, which hasn’t
happened since 1973-74 under Bear Bryant.
    Greg McElroy completed 19 of 34 passes for 276 yards with two
touchdowns and an interception as the Tide aired it out 25 times in
the first half against a defense that was putting extra defenders
near the line.
    The second half was more typical Tide. Mark Ingram gained 106 of
his 144 yards after the half to continue to mount a strong campaign
for Heisman Trophy consideration.
    Jones had his best game of the season, with four catches for 102
yards, including his second touchdown.
    “We practiced that all week,” he said. “A situation like
that, I feel like I should just step up and make the play. I did
what I had to do.”
    And the Tide defense - as it has all season - came through in
the end.
    Needing two scores, backup quarterback Jarrett Lee and LSU
couldn’t get it to midfield in the final minutes.
    Alabama hadn’t left them much time, anyway, milking more than
six minutes off the clock in setting up Tiffin’s final kick, made
possible when a running into the kicker call led Saban to go for it
on fourth-and-1 just across midfield.
    Ingram got the first down after taking a direct snap.
    “That gives everybody confidence,” McElroy said. “It’s coach
Saban having faith in us.”
    Tiffin, who became Alabama’s all-time leading scorer in the
game, also had a 20-yarder early in the fourth after a drive that
took nearly six minutes.
    LSU had failed on a 2-point try late in the third quarter trying
to push its lead to seven points. Trent Richardson’s 2-point run
after Jones’ touchdown made it a two-score game at the end.
    Alabama gave fans two things they covet in the process: The lead
and big plays from Jones, who hasn’t made as many as he did in his
fantastic freshman year.
    He caught a short pass from McElroy, juked a defender and
sprinted down the sideline for a touchdown.
    “Put it in his hands, and you never know what’s going to
happen,” McElroy said.
    Then Richardson made it 21-15 Alabama.
    Alabama forced the short-handed LSU offense into a
three-and-out, then pushed the ball across midfield.
    After Patrick Peterson nearly picked off McElroy’s pass - he was
ruled out of bounds - Jones’ catch converted a third-and-7 to help
move the Tide into field goal position.
    “There’s not one part of the team that didn’t play well,”
Saban said. “The offense played extremely well. Greg played well.
The receivers played well. We ran the ball. The offensive line did
a fantastic job.”
    Jefferson and Scott were thriving before going to the sidelines.
    Scott ran for 83 yards and his 34-yarder was the longest run
play given up by Alabama this season. Jefferson passed for 114
yards and also had some success running the option.
    “Losing those two guys was a big blow to our offense,”
receiver Terrance Toliver said. “It was a letdown to lose both of
them, but Jarrett came in and played hard.”
    Lee was 4 of 10 for 44 yards with an interception on a
fourth-down play at the end, and the Tigers were held to 95 yards
rushing.
    LSU’s defense held its own through three quarters. Drake Nevis
sacked McElroy in the third quarter for a safety, cutting Alabama’s
lead to 10-9.
    Fullback Stevan Ridley bounced off 354-pound nose guard Terrance
Cody for an 8-yard touchdown run and the 15-10 lead. Scott’s big
run set up the TD, but also ended his day. The pass for 2 did not
connect.