ATLANTA, Ga. - Derrick Henry and T.J. Yeldon each rushed for two touchdowns as the Alabama Crimson Tide downed the Missouri Tigers 42-13 in the 23rd battle to determine the best of the Southeastern Conference Saturday.
Henry carried for 141 yards on 20 rushes for Alabama (12-1, 7-1), adding two scoring strikes in a fourth quarter that found the Tide outscore Missouri 21-0.
Yeldon's 47 yards came on 14 carries and scores from 1 and 2 yards out in the first half.
Alabama outrushed Missouri 242-41, including a 44-3 advantage after the first quarter, and the 92-21 edge at the halftime break.
Missouri outscored the Tide 10-0 in the third quarter to bring the Tigers within 20-13, but Blake Sims would lead Bama down on a 17 yard toss to Christion Jones, who finished the drive 5 seconds into the final session with a 6 yard scoring reception.
Sims finished 23-of-27 for 262 yards and two touchdowns, his 85 percent completion rate ranking as the all-time best in that league's championship game, beating Jason Campbell's previous record of 77 percent for Auburn.
"I don't know if I've ever seen a player go through any more than Blake went through for four years, and never once did he ever not do whatever he needed to do to help the team," Alabama coach Nick Saban said of his quarterback.
DeAndrew White hauled in a 58 yard touchdown reception from Sims 12 seconds into the second period. Sims faked the play-action and rolled right before launching the scoring ball into the waiting arms of White, who easily outraced the corner and split two safeties on the play.
Sims was tackled hard and lifted off his feet when Missouri end Shane Ray hurled himself into the quarterback. Ray was called for targeting and disqualified from the contest.
White caught 4 passes for 101 yards for Alabama. Amari Cooper finished with 89 yards on 12 receptions, a record for catches in the 23 year history of the game.
Missouri (10-3, 7-2) was outgained in total yards 101-21 after the first quarter and would only find the end zone three minutes into the third.
Jimmie Hunt hauled in a 63 yard reception to the Alabama 1 after Maty Mauk was pushed out of the pocket to his left, hurling the prayer for Hunt on a 3rd-and-10 attempt.
They fared poorly on their first three goal-to-go plays and Mauk nearly lost a fumbled exchange, though would find Bud Sasser on the 4th-down from a yard out.
Hunt's night ended with 6 catches for a 169 yards for Missouri.
Hunt answered another prayer on their next possession, a mirror-image of their previous charge as, once more, Mauk rolled left and launched to the receiver, for 47 yards to the Bama 17. Andrew Baggett kicked from 33 yards when the drive bogged down.
But the Tide rolled in the final session, sending a record-24th Southeastern Conference title to Tuscaloosa, where they would say it belongs.
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