This is it, folks. The final showdown. We've had some surprises, and maybe even a little fraud, but you know what they say: if you ain't cheatin', you ain't tryin'... or some similar tripe.
As has been anticipated for some time, Trent Richardson (66%) was too much for Mark Ingram (33%).
However, in what might have been the upset of the tournament, AJ McCarron (50%) upended Julio Jones (49%) by a measly 13 votes. AJ's buddies? I certainly hope so. When we get our big interview, we'll be sure to ask this burning question.
For now, though, it has all come down to this: Trent Richardson vs. AJ McCarron.
Trent Richardson, RB
Photo credit: Ronald Martinez
Stats
540 carries for 3,130 yards (5.80 yards per carry), 35 touchdowns
68 receptions for 730 yards (10.74 yards per catch), 7 touchdowns
28 kick returns for 720 yards (25.71 yards per return), 1 touchdown
13 tackles (10 solo)
- http://www.sports-reference.com/cfb/players/trent-richardson-1.html
Alabama records
#1, all purpose yards (season) - 2,083, 2011 (1,679 rushing, 338 receiving, 66 kickoff return)
#8, all purpose yards (season) - 1,600, 2010 (700 rushing, 266 receiving, 634 kickoff return)
#2, all purpose yards (career) - 4,580 (3,130 rushing, 730 receiving, 720 kickoff return)
#5, all purpose yards per game in a season - 160.2, 2011 (2,083 yards in 13 games)
#6, all purpose yards per game in a season - 145.5, 2010 (1,600 yards in 11 games)
#5, all purpose yards per game in a career - 120.5 (4,580 yards in 38 games)
#1, total touchdowns in a season (tie with 1999 Shaun Alexander) - 24, 2011 (21 rushing, 3 receiving)
#4, total touchdowns in a career (tie with John Parker Wilson) - 43 (35 rushing, 7 receiving, 1 kickoff return)
#3, rushing attempts per season - 283, 2011
#7, rushing attempts in a career - 540
#1, rushing yards in a season - 1,679, 2011
#5, rushing yards in a career - 3,130
#2, rushing yards per carry in a game (minimum 10-19 attempts) - 15.2 ypc, vs. North Texas, 2011 (11 carries, 167 yards, 3 touchdowns)
#14 (tie), rushing yards per carry in a game (minimum 10-19 attempts) - 10.8 ypc, at Ole Miss, 2011 (17 carries, 183 yards, 4 touchdowns)
#9, rushing yards per carry in a game (minimum 20 attempts) - 9.0 ypc, in the Land of the Auburnite, 2011 (27 carries, 203 yards, 0 touchdowns)
#5, rushing yards per carry in a season (minimum 100 carries) - 6.2 ypc, 2010 (112 carries for 700 yards)
#4, rushing yards per carry in a season (minimum 200 carries) - 5.93 ypc, 2011 (283 carries for 1,679 yards)
#2, rushing yards per carry in a career (minimum 400 carries) - 5.79 ypc (540 carries for 3,130 yards)
#1, rushing touchdowns in a season - 21, 2011
#3, rushing touchdowns in a career - 35
#1 (tied with Mark Ingram), most 100 yard rushing games in a season - 9, 2011
#3, most 100 yard rushing games in a career - 13
#5, rushing yards in a career - 3,130
#2, most kickoff returns in a game - 6, at South Carolina, 2010
#4, most kickoff returns in a season - 24, 2010
#2, most kickoff return yards in a season - 634, 2009
#6, most kickoff return yards in a career - 697
#6, most yards per kickoff return in a season (minimum 10 returns) - 26.4, 2010
#3, most yards per kickoff return in a career (minimum 15 retuns) - 25.8
Awards
Unanimous 1st Team All-American (2011)
Doak Walker Award (2011)
SEC Offensive Player of the Year (2011)
1st Team All-SEC (2010, 2011)
SEC All-Freshman Team (2009)
- http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trent_Richardson
AJ McCarron, QB
Photo credit: Steve Mitchell-USA TODAY Sports
Official Alabama Profile. [That doesn't seem to include his stats from the BCSNCG.)
Stats
460 completions on 609 attempts (66.67%), for 5,956 yards (8.63 yards per attempt), 49 passing touchdowns, 8 interceptions
Passer Efficiency Rating of 160.3
85 carries for -28 yards, -0.33 yards per carry, 3 rushing touchdowns
1 tackle (1 solo)
- http://www.sports-reference.com/cfb/players/aj-mccarron-1.html
Alabama Records
#4 in terms of most yardage in a season (2,612 yards, in 2011, a 13-game season - in next year's book, he will be #3 and #5, since he gained 2,937 yards in 2012, a 14-game season)
#6 in terms of yards per game in a season (200.9 ypg, in 2011 - in next year's book, he will be #6 and #7, since he gained 209.8 yards per game in 2012)
#6 in terms of most passing attempts in a season (328, in 2011 - in next year's book, he will be #6 and #8, since he attempted 314 passes in 2012)
#3 in terms of most completions in a season (219, in 2011 - in next year's book, he will be #3 and #5, since he completed 211 passes in 2012.)
#2 in terms of completion percentage over a season (minimum 200 completions) (66.8%, in 2011 - in next year's book, he'll be #2 and #3, since he completed 67.2% of his passes in 2012)
#4 in terms of most passing yards in a season (2,634, in 2011 - in next year's book, he'll be #2 and #5, since he passed for 2,933 yards in 2012)
#2 (3-way tie) in terms of most touchdown passes in a game (4, against Vanderbilt in 2011 - in next year's book, this will be a 7-way tie, since AJ threw four touchdown passes against Western Kentucky, Tennessee, the Auburnite, and Notre Dame in 2012)
#5 (3-way tie) in terms of touchdown passes in a season (16, in 2011 - in next year's book, he'll be #1 and #5, having thrown 30 touchdown passes in 2012, breaking Greg McElroy's 2010 record of 20)
#3 in terms of lowest interception % in a season (1.52%, in 2011 - in next year's book, he'll be #1 and #4, since only 0.96% of his pass attempts were intercepted in 2012, breaking Greg McElroy's 2009 record of 1.2%)
#3 in terms of most consecutive pass attempts without an interception (152, in 2011 - in next year's book, he'll be #1, having thrown 291 consecutive passes without an interception, breaking Brodie Croyle's streak of 190)
Awards
2012 BCS National Championship Game Offensive MVP (after the 2011 season)