The University of Alabama football team worked indoors once again Wednesday afternoon, practicing in full pads for two hours at the Hank Crisp Indoor Facility.
 
The Crimson Tide continued preparations for facing the conference’s top-ranked pass defense, allowing an average of 158 yards per game through the air. The Gators also rank second in the SEC in total defense at 291.6 yards per game, second only behind the Tide. Alabama and Florida will battle for the conference championship at the Georgia Dome this Saturday at 3:10 p.m. CT. CBS will once again carry all the action with Verne Lundquist, Gary Danielson and Allie LaForce working the broadcast.
  
Alabama and Florida will meet for the 40th time in the series, with the Crimson Tide owning the all-time advantage, 25-14 (26-14 actual). The two teams will meet for the ninth time in SEC Championship Game history and the fourth time in the past nine years. In the most recent matchup at the 2015 SEC Championship Game, Alabama came away with a 29-15 victory over Florida. Heisman Trophy winner Derrick Henry rushed for 189 yards and a touchdown on his way to MVP honors while Jake Coker threw for 204 yards and two scores.
 
Alabama and Florida met as the No. 1 and No. 2 teams in the 2008 meeting, with Tim Tebow leading the Gators to a 31-20 win in Atlanta. The Crimson Tide countered the very next season with a 32-13 win to send top-ranked Florida home and earn No. 2 Alabama a trip to Pasadena, Calif., for the 2009 BCS National Championship Game. The Tide took down Texas in that game to earn Nick Saban his first national title at Alabama.
 
Thursday will mark the final full practice for Alabama before the team heads to Atlanta on Friday. The individual awards season begins the next week, with numerous members of the Crimson Tide due to appear at various ceremonies in hopes of bringing home hardware for the Alabama football program. 

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