Katherine Webb, girlfriend of Alabama quarterback A.J. McCarron, in spotlight after BCS title game

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. (AP) -- Alabama's routing of Notre Dame for its second straight national championship has been overshadowed in part by a new breakout star -- Katherine Webb, girlfriend of quarterback AJ McCarron and Miss Alabama USA 2012.

Webb gained tens of thousands of Twitter followers during and after Monday night's game.

ESPN cameras visited and revisited Webb in the stands, and announcer Brent Musburger piled on the compliments.

He said, "Wow, I'm telling you quarterbacks: You get all the good-looking women."

Tuesday afternoon, ESPN released a statement saying that the commentary "went too far" -- and that Musburger "understands that."

As of noon Tuesday, Webb had more than 142,000 followers, trumping McCarron's 102,000. Before the game, she had only a few hundred.

Among those who noticed Webb was Arizona Cardinals defensive end Darnell Dockett. He tweeted her his telephone number and suggested that they meet after the game. He later tweeted that he meant to message her privately.

McCarron responded after the game, telling Dockett on Twitter to "keep dreaming."

The couple met through the social media site and went public with their romance just before the new year.

Webb finished in the top 10 of the Miss USA competition. Her pageant biography says she studied business at longtime Alabama rival Auburn University.