Three of the past four Sugar Bowls, Alabama has shown little Southern hospitality by defeating Ohio State, West Virginia, and now Florida State by a sum total of 75 points. Maybe the shellacking the Crimson Tide took at the hands of USC in the 2009 Rose Bowl taught Alabama to not leave any room for error during the weeks leading up to New Year's Day games.
Alabama's first drive was a steamroller of 82 yards, capped with an Eddie Lacy run for 20 yards for a touchdown for the early 7-0 lead. Before Florida State could blink, Bama had the ball back, on their way to touchdown pass from AJ McCarron to Michael Williams from 3 yards out, and it was 14-0 Alabama.
The Seminoles were game to try and hang around, and Dustin Hopkins 25 yard field goal made it 14-3, and that is how the first half ended.
Like some kind of mythical scoring machine, Alabama continued driving, which early in the second quarter produced a T.J. Yeldon 1 yard TD run. Florida State's Lonnie Pryor ran it in from 37 yards out, trying to match the SEC champ, cutting the lead to 21-10. That would not be bad way to enter the locker room, but the Crimson Tide does not roll over that easily, and in the last minute of the half, Eddie Lacy's 11 yard pass reception for a TD from McCarron allowed the Tide to roll to the break with a 28-10 lead.
That seemed to take the wind from the sails of the Seminoles, as they did not score in the third, whereas midway through the frame, Amari Cooper caught a 34 yard TD pass from McCarron, and the lead grew to 35-10.
In the early minutes of the fourth, Cooper scored again on a 19 yard throw from McCarron, for the 42-10 cushion. It was time to start thinking Semi-Finals, as Alabama was cruising. Florida State added a late TD, but 42-17 would be the final.
Alabama moves on to try to repeat as national champion. Next locale: Cowboys Stadium. Next opponent: Pac-12 champion Stanford, in their third straight Final Four.
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