SEC Championship: a matchup for the history books

It's been a long, tumultuous season in the 2009 college football campaign. And it's only going to get crazier as Championship Week is upon us. Featuring ranked rivalry matchups that determine the Rose Bowl and National Championship bids, this week is a college football fan's dream.

No. 1 Florida vs. No. 2 Alabama (played at Georgia Dome in Atlanta): The game of the year. It's been anticipated for most of the season, and this SEC championship game has all the makings of an ESPN Classic rerun for years to come.

On one side, there's senior quarterback, two-time national champion and Heisman winner Tim Tebow (160 QB Rating, 2,166 yards, 30 Total TDs) with the undefeated Florida Gators.

On the other side is coach Nick Saban, a trio of NFL hopefuls on offense (running back Mark Ingram, quarterback Greg McElroy and wide receiver Julio Jones) and the also-undefeated Alabama Crimson Tide.

You can break it down any way you want: the athletic ability of Gators linebacker Brandon Spikes versus Alabama's stout pass blocking; the big play ability of Heisman hopeful Mark Ingram versus Florida's undersized secondary; or the quarterback matchup between experienced vet, Tim Tebow, and the new guy, McElroy.

Sitting on a neutral turf, nearly exactly between the two campuses, home field advantage is taken out of the picture. Pure talent, execution and game plan will be the deciding factor in Saturday's contest.

After breaking down the statistics and the past few matchups, it would be easy to say the Gators will take this one and head to the National Championship against Texas. But hold onto your horses, NYU — this game is going to the Alabama Crimson Tide. To avenge last year's heartbreaking loss, this squad will pull out a close one and force Tebow to end his SEC career in defeat.