Gators Grab Sec Crown

Thanks to Danny Wuerffel and Texas, Florida will get an improbable second chance to win its first national championship.

Wuerffel threw for 401 yards and six touchdowns in a Heisman-like performance and the No. 4 Gators set up a Sugar Bowl rematch with top-ranked Florida State by beating No. 15 Alabama 45-30 for the Southeastern Conference championship Saturday night.

A week after their devastating loss to Florida State, the Gators (11-1) took the field for the SEC championship knowing No. 3 Nebraska had been upset by Texas, 37-27, in the Big 12 title game. That gave Florida a chance to slide into the Sugar Bowl, and the Gators took advantage.

Wuerffel, making a strong case that he deserves the Heisman, threw for more touchdowns in one night than Alabama (9-3) had given up the entire season. The Tide came in having surrendered only five scoring passes with the top-ranked pass defense in the country.

None of that seemed to matter to Wuerffel, who endured several big hits behind a makeshift offensive line but managed to throw three touchdown passes to Reidel Anthony and one each to Elijah Williams, Ike Hilliard and Jacquez Green.

Florida won its fourth consecutive SEC title, one short of the record held by Alabama.

Alabama is likely to play in the Outback Bowl.