Alabama captures US college football title

Jeremy Shelley kicked five field goals to lift the University of Alabama over Louisiana State University 21-0 to win the US collegiate American football national championship game. The Bowl Championship Series title game triumph at the Superdome in New Orleans was the sixth in a row by a team from the Southeastern Conference and the second crown in three seasons for Alabama's Crimson Tide. Louisiana State edged Alabama 9-6 in over-time on November 5 when they met in the regular season and the Tigers finished the campaign unbeaten to top the rankings with Alabama finishing second to earn a rematch in the title game. The Crimson Tide, whose only penalty came with less than three minutes to play, made the most of their second chance and enjoyed their first shutout victory in a bowl game since 1963. "It was a great team win," Alabama coach Nick Saban said. "Our defense did a great job. Our offense controlled the momentum of this game from start to finish." The Tigers were thwarted in their bid for a second crown in five seasons in the last of 35 bowl games for large US college gridiron teams, whose television contracts produce millions of dollars in revenues for schools. "We just out-physicaled them," Alabama defender Courtney Upshaw said. Shelley kicked a 23-yard field goal 10 minutes into the game, added a 34-yarder with 4:18 remaining in the first half and booted a third from 42 yards on the last play of the half, giving the Crimson Tide a 9-0 half-time edge. Shelley kicked a 35-yard field goal 2:11 into the third quarter to boost Alabama's lead to 12-0, but missed wide right from 41 yards seven minutes later. With 22 seconds remaining in the third quarter, Shelley kicked the longest field goal of his career, a 44-yard effort, and boosted Alabama's edge to 15-0. Louisiana State first crossed into Alabama's half of the field with only 7:51 to play and that Tigers drive ended with a lost fumble at midfield. Alabama took over and sealed the victory when Trent Richardson ran 34 yards around the left end for a touchdown with 4:36 remaining, although Shelley missed the conversion kick, hitting the right pole.