Missouri coach Gary Pinkel thought the Tigers could potentially neutralize Alabama quarterback Blake Sims game with a pass rush in the SEC Championship game.
But Pinkel also knew it wouldn’t be easy, pointing out the difficulty Friday during interviews.
Turns out, it was almost impossible Saturday as the Tide led from the start — which allowed them do mostly what they wanted on offense — and rolled to a 42-13 victory at the Georgia Dome.
“They didn’t have to (drop back and) pass,” Missouri defensive end Markus Golden said. “We coudn’t pass rush because they were getting the ball out so quick.”
The Tigers finished with just two sacks and three hurries.
As a result of the lack of pressure, Sims completed 23 of 27 passes for 262 yards and two touchdowns.
It shouldn’t have been a surprise — and likely why Pinkel said before the game that it would be an interesting battle — the Tigers had trouble.
Alabama’s opponents have had trouble all season because of the combination of Alabama’s offensive line and the quick-pass offense preferred by coordinator Lane Kiffin. The Tide had given up an SEC-low 11 sacks before the title game.
Not only could the Tigers, one of the nation’s best teams at getting to the quarterback with an SEC-leading 40 sacks, rarely got close to Sims, they had to try to do so for most of the game without their best player.
Shane Ray was ejected in the second quarter after hitting Sims in the chest and chin.
Ray, a 6-foot-3, 245-pound defensive end, posted an SEC-leading and school-record 13 1/2 sacks this season.
He was closing in for a sack when Sims unleashed a 58-yard touchdown pass to DeAndrew White to give the Tide a 14-0 lead with 11:48 left in the first half.
Ray lowered his helmet and hit Sims, driving him backward and eliciting loud boos from the mostly pro-Alabama crowd after the replay was shown.
After reviewing the play, the officials ejected Ray for targeting. Ray was called for a late hit on the Arkansas quarterback last week in a 21-14 win in which the Tigers failed to post a sack for the first time this season.
Ray disputed the call, saying it wasn’t helmet to helmet.
“I’m not a dirty player,” he said. “I made a hit as soon as he released the ball. I led with my hands. If there was any ill intent, I would have led with my helmet. I played legally within what I was supposed to do.”
Pinkel disagreed with Ray.
“Our coaches upstairs saw it and they agreed with it (the call),” Pinkel said. “So that’s what it was.”
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