SEC Championship Game: 5 most important players
By John Buhler
The No. 1 Alabama Crimson Tide will play the No. 15 Florida Gators in the 2016 SEC Championship Game. Here are the five most important players for the game.
The 2016 SEC Championship Game will be between the No. 1 Alabama Crimson Tide and the No. 15 Florida Gators. Kickoff from the Georgia Dome in Atlanta will be at 4:00 p.m. ET on Saturday, Dec. 3. CBS will have the telecast.
Alabama is poised to reach its third-straight College Football Playoff. The Crimson Tide are the only undefeated team left in the Power 5 and are a massive 24-point favorite over the Gators. For Florida, a shocking upset of Alabama would ensure the Gators a trip to New Orleans to play in the Sugar Bowl.
For either team to win on Saturday, their star players are going to have to shine bright. Here are the five most important players competing in the 2016 SEC Championship Game.
Alabama offensive coordinator Lane Kiffin has plenty of weapons to choose from in his creative play calls. While he could call on players like running back Bo Scarbrough, tight end O.J. Howard, or wide receiver Calvin Ridley, his most explosive perimeter weapon has been ArDarius Stewart.
Kiffin has discovered that Stewart can blaze opponents’ front-sevens in the well-executed jet sweep. He’ll catch the brief toss from Heisman hopeful quarterback Jalen Hurts and take it all the way to the end zone from any spot on the field.
Stewart is a reliable receiving target that Hurts can find easily in the flats, deep outside the numbers, or between the hash marks on a slant route. He is essentially guaranteed to have five catches a game and one of those be an explosive 40+ yard play.
Florida is stout defensively but will have to pay great attention to wherever Stewart lines up on the field on Saturday afternoon. Playing on the Georgia Dome turf will only allow Stewart to be more explosive with the ball in his hands. He is one of many dynamic playmakers Kiffin has to work with this season at Alabama. Stewart has been key in bringing Hurts right along in 2016.