Crimson Tide is glad Eryk Anders stuck around

Eryk Anders wouldn’t have been there for Alabama if his father wasn’t around when he needed someone most.

After the Crimson Tide linebacker didn’t play during Alabama’s Independence Bowl victory over Colorado in 2007, his father pleaded with him to stick with the program. Hours later, Gayle Anders died of an apparent heart attack.

His father’s words still resonating more than two years later, the senior made one of the biggest plays in Alabama’s 37-21 victory over Texas on Thursday night at the Rose Bowl in the Bowl Championship Series title game.

With the Crimson Tide trying to preserve a 24-21 lead with a little more than three minutes left, Anders hit backup quarterback Garrett Gilbert in the back, forcing a fumble that was recovered by Alabama’s Courtney Upshaw. The Crimson Tide scored three plays later.

“Eryk landed a good one,” defensive end Marcell Dareus said. “He’s a playmaker and made a play that we definitely needed.”

Anders, who blazed a direct path to Gilbert, credited Crimson Tide defensive coordinator Kirby Smart with the play call.

“We had game-planned that all week,” Anders said. “We had a feeling they would slide that way and leave somebody unblocked and in that particular circumstance it was me.”

It was a surreal sequence for a player who easily could have played his final college years elsewhere.

“I think everyone dreams about making plays like that,” said Anders, who also had a sack, a pass breakup and two tackles for losses. “It’s something else when it comes true.”

ben.bolch@latimes.com