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Throwback Thursday: Florida’s comeback over Alabama in 1994 SEC title game
By Pat Donohue
Published:
No. 2 Alabama and No. 18 Florida are set to compete in the 24th SEC Championship Game at 4 p.m. ET on Saturday.
The Crimson Tide and Gators also played in the conference’s third title game on Dec. 3, 1994. It was the first SEC title game played in its current home, the Georgia Dome (the first two were played at Legion Field in Birmingham, Ala.) and is considered to be one of the greatest games in the history of the annual showdown.
It was the third year in a row that Alabama represented the West and Florida represented the East in the title game with the two teams splitting the first two meetings (Alabama won in 1992, Florida in 1993). Under coach Steve Spurrier, the Gators won the rubber match 24-23 against Gene Stallings’ Crimson Tide team thanks to a fourth-quarter rally by a Danny Wuerffel-led offense and a late interception by Florida’s defense.
The Crimson Tide entered the game 11-0 but found themselves as a 7-point underdog against the 9-1-1 Gators.
Alabama struck first with a 70-yard touchdown pass from QB Jay Barker to wide receiver Curtis Brown. Florida would eventually answer back with a 25-yard TD pass from Wuerffel to Reidel Anthony to tie the game.
After the teams exchanged field goals to make the score 10-10, Florida’s Fred Weary turned the momentum in the Gators’ favor with an interception. But the Crimson Tide’s Deshea Townsend returned the favor with a pick of his own on the ensuing drive to get the ball right back for Alabama.
Two stout defenses held true to their reputation, though and neither team was able to turn those turnovers into points. However, Florida blocked a punt that set up a go-ahead TD for the Gators just before halftime on a 1-yard Wuerffel run.
After holding Alabama to just 15 yards in the second quarter and forcing the Crimson Tide into three consecutive three-and-outs to end the first half, Florida held a 17-10 lead that it would eventually let slip away.
Alabama kicker Michael Proctor, who made a 22-yard field goal in the first half, added 47 and 48-yard field goals in the second half to bring the Crimson Tide within a point.
Then, a pick-6 by Alabama linebacker Dwayne Rudd in the fourth quarter gave the Crimson Tide a 23-17 lead with 8:56 left.
Florida responded by driving down field with RB Fred Taylor and a strong passing attack. Spurrier then showed why they call him the ‘Head Ball Coach’ by calling a gadget play that got the Gators down to the 2-yard line.
Chris Doering caught a toss from Wuerffel behind the line of scrimmage then threw downfield to fellow wideout Aubrey Hill.
Wuerffel went back to Doering on a 2-yard slant moments later for the game-winning TD with 5:29 left.
Trailing by one point, Alabama got the ball back with plenty of time left. The Crimson Tide offense was moving the ball, but Florida’s Eddie Lake came up with an interception with 54 second left to ice the game for the Gators.
Florida DT Ellison Johnson was named the game’s most valuable player.
Pat Donohue is a contributing writer for Saturday Down South. He covers Ole Miss and Mississippi State. Follow him on Twitter @SportsDownPat.
