Who won the 2010 BCS National Championship Game? Revisiting the Alabama vs Texas game

When Alabama lost 31-20 to the Florida Gators in the SEC championship game in 2008, no one thought that it would lead to the beginning of a dynasty.

When Nick Saban rocked up in Tuscaloosa from the Miami Dolphins, many expected him to make the Crimson Tide immediate contenders. However, it took Saban a few years, including the painful loss in the SEC title game, to get there.

The Gators with the help of their quarterback Tim Tebow had won two of the last three SEC (Southeastern Conference) and national championships. However, Alabama beat them in December with an impressive score of 32-13.

Next up was the 2010 BCS national championship game against the Texas Longhorns in the Rose Bowl, Pasadena. Texas was the reigning Big 12 champion.

Alabama's standout player was Heisman Trophy winner, running back Mark Ingram who rushed 22 times for 116 yards including one touchdown.

Texas' best player, quarterback Colt McCoy, was injured early when he got aggressively tackled by Alabama defensive end Marcell Dareus, forcing him out of the game.

Garrett Gilbert, McCoy's replacement, was hit and forced into a fumble, which was one of the game's most pivotal moments when the score was down to 24-21.

The Crimson Tide beat the Longhorns 37-21 in Pasadena and completed a 14-0 perfect season with that win.

Nick Saban got a statue erected on the Walk of Champions outside the Bryant-Denny Stadium.

The building of the Alabama dynasty

When Nick Saban arrived in Alabama in 2007, they were nowhere as good as they are now. The dominant team in the SEC back then was Florida, two-time champions of the conference and the nation.

Saban's first season brought a disappointing 6-7 record before he began turning the program around, including beating the Gators in the 2009 SEC title game.

Quarterback Greg McElroy, who was there from the beginning as a redshirt quarterback, couldn't believe his eyes when they won the national championship,

"If you had said two years ago that we'd be here, I would have called you the biggest liar and just really completely discredited everything you ever said to me."

McElroy credited Saban in his post-match debrief,

"What Coach Saban did, it was all him. He made us believe. He made us believe that it's all about the mindset, and we finished the job tonight. This is all because of him."

Nick went on to win five more national championships with the Crimson Tide. The team has come a long way since its first match against the Texas Longhorns.