Tide marks first shutout in BCS history - NBC12.com - Richmond, VA News

The Alabama Crimson Tide has taken their 14th National Championship in the college's history and the second under head coach Nick Saban with a shutout win over LSU, 21-0. The poignant win comes less than a year after a devastating EF-4 tornado tore through UA's hometown of Tuscaloosa.

The Crimson Tide made their first strike in the game on their second possession. Alabama's Marquis Maze returned a LSU punt for 49 yards, before limping off the field with what appeared to be a hamstring injury. The Tide pushed on, but found themselves stopped by the Tiger defense at the 6 yard line. Jeremy Shelley was called on to the field and kicked the field goal with five minutes remaining in the first quarter.

Alabama returned to the red zone on their next possession, but was again held out of the end zone by the LSU defense. The 12-play drive came to an end at the LSU 25 with Jeremy Shelley attempting a 42-yard field goal. Unfortunately for the Tide, the attempt was blocked by Tiger Michael Brocker.

Shelley would find himself called on again before the half. With 4:18 remaining in the 2nd quarter, Shelley wrapped up an 11-play drive for Alabama's second field goal of the game. As the Alabama defense continued to dominate the LSU offense, the Crimson Tide took control of the ball again with just 1:59 left in the half. Squeezing 9 plays into a hurried drive, Jeremy Shelley took the field again and kicked a field goal with no time remaining on the clock. The 41-yard kick set Alabama up with a score of 9 over the scoreless Tigers as they headed into the locker room.

Alabama's momentum continued coming into the third. After receiving the ball, 6 plays put the Tide at LSU's 18 yard line. For the fifth time in the game, kicker Jeremy Shelley returned to the field. A successful 35-yard kick at the 12:49 mark bumped the score up to 12 for the Tide.

LSU's offense began to show bigger cracks in the 3rd quarter. Quarterback Jordan Jefferson lost the favor of the LSU fans when a short pass was intercepted by C. J. Mosley at the LSU 27. Alabama failed to capitalize on the turnover, pushing only four yards, and Shelley's attempt at a 41-yard field goal went just right of the posts. LSU fans voiced their disapproval as Jefferson took the field again. Three plays saw the Tigers lose 6 yards before the punt.

Alabama put running back Eddie Lacy to work with back-to-back first down rushes. Stopped at the LSU 27, the Crimson Tide kicker Jeremy Shelley added a 44-yard field goal with 22 seconds remaining in the 3rd quarter.

In the fourth quarter, the LSU offense began showing some pep. After two first down conversions, Jefferson rushed for 18 yards to cross into Alabama territory for the first time in the game. The momentum was lost, though, after a 5 yard False Start was incurred on the Tigers and two Jefferson passes were incomplete. This was topped off by a Dont'a Hightower sack that forced a fumble. The ball was recovered by Alabama's Nick Gentry at the 50 yard line.

The turnover created a window for Alabama to score without a Jeremy Shelley field goal. Four plays in, Trent Richardson managed to break free for a 34-yard touchdown with 4:36 remaining in the game. Jeremy Shelley's extra point bounced off the uprights and was not good for the extra point. This gave the Crimson Tide a score of 21 and would end the scoring in the game.

This ends a season for Alabama and LSU where the only losses for both teams were to each other. 

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