LEADING OFF

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Photograph by Pouya Dianat

Championship Ring Lining up inside the circular SEC logo at midfield, Alabama quarterback AJ McCarron (top right) waited for the shotgun snap from center Barrett Jones during the first quarter of the conference championship game in Atlanta last Saturday. McCarron finished 13 for 21 for 162 yards—including a 45-yard touchdown pass to Amari Cooper that put the Crimson Tide ahead for good with 3:15 left in the game—as No. 2 Alabama defeated No. 3 Georgia in a 32--28 thriller and secured a berth in the BCS title game against Notre Dame in Miami on Jan. 7 (page 98). To see more great photos from this weekend's college football action, go to SI.com/Top25

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Photograph by David E. Klutho

They're Not Crazy. Their Mothers Had Them Tested Duke fans taunted Ohio State forward Sam Thompson as he waited to inbound the ball during the Blue Devils' 73--68 victory at Cameron Indoor Stadium in Durham, N.C., on Nov. 28. Thompson scored only four points in the game, but that did not induce the Cameron Crazies to show him any mercy.

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Photograph by Jeff Haynes/Reuters

End Over End Zone Bears wide receiver Earl Bennett did a flip over Seahawks linebacker Bobby Wagner (54) and strong safety Kam Chancellor (on the ground) to score a touchdown in the first half of their game in Chicago on Sunday. Seattle went on to win 23--17 in overtime.