Will SEC championship also be the national championship?
Here’s a simple question for you to ponder this morning: Florida and Alabama are ranked 1-2 in the Associated Press media poll. Based on what you have seen thus far, if Florida and Alabama both run the table, will the SEC championship game ALSO be the national championship game as well?
We know that technically it won’t be because the SEC champ will have to play somebody in Pasadena in January to get the crystal football. But if Florida and Alabama are both 12-0 on Dec. 5, will that decide the national championship in your mind?
Here is the final question: Knowing the history of the SEC, it is crazy to even suggest that both of these teams can run the table between now and then? Here are the schedules. You decide:
FLORIDA
Oct. 17– vs. Arkansas. Hogs have a great offense with Ryan Mallett.
Oct. 24—at Miss. State. Urban Meyer and Tebow vs. Dan Mullen, their old OC
Oct. 31—vs. Georgia in Jacksonville. Don’t see much of a threat from Dawgs.
Nov. 7—vs. Vanderbilt. Vandy is really struggling now
Nov. 14—at South Carolina. Gamecocks have a very good defense. They could make it interesting.
Nov. 21—FIU. Please.
Nov. 28—Florida State. This will be Tebow’s last home game. It could also be Bobby Bowden’s last game as the Florida State head coach.
ALABAMA
Oct. 17—South Carolina. Bama defense should bottle up South Carolina offense.
Oct. 24—Tennessee. Vols aren’t as good as they looked against Georgia.
Nov. 7—LSU. Tigers have no offensive identity.
Nov. 14—at Miss. State. Undermanned in Dan Mullen’s first year.
Nov. 21—Chattanooga. Tuneup for Auburn.
Nov. 27 (Friday)—at Auburn. It’s at Jordan-Hare, so it could be interesting.
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200 comments Add your comment
TrueCrimson
October 13th, 2009
7:11 am
In a word… yes.
George G.
October 13th, 2009
7:18 am
No…there is too much time between the SECCG and the BCSCG. With over a month to prepare, a good coach (take Pete Carroll for example) will have any potential opponent very prepare, and it a position to win.
Ron Mexico
October 13th, 2009
7:28 am
The Dawgs stay within 6 touchdowns of the irvin myers go gaiters. BOOK IT.
TrueCrimson
October 13th, 2009
7:32 am
Any football team can win any game on any given day. That said, recent college football history will render the BCS Championship game little more than an afterthought if Florida and Alabama meet in the Georgia Dome with perfect regular season records. For most of college football history, the post-season games were considered nothing more than exhibition games. The Championship was determined by the results of regular season play.
That said, there is still a lot of football to be played in the regular season, and as I said, any team can win any single game on any given day.
Dadgummit
October 13th, 2009
7:40 am
When are we going to discuss last Saturday’s games?
I’m sure the Jacket fans are eager to opine regarding their monumental victory over the Mighty Seminoles on their home turf. After all, this is the first time they’ve encountered a Florida State team that would allow such a disgrace to occur.
Top Dawg
October 13th, 2009
7:42 am
Tony – I love your columns, but I do not understand why you are avoiding the UGA football situation.
Dawggone-It
October 13th, 2009
7:48 am
Texas, Va Tech, and Southern Cal all go down this week…Does that mean that Bama and Fla could play twice provided they stay undefeated?
Gator Nation
October 13th, 2009
7:54 am
IF……They are both undefeated going into the SEC title game then it will be gigantic game (much like last years). But:
1) There is lots of football to be played between now and then. Both teams could lose. The fact that they both have great defenses does make this less likely.
2) Whomever the winner plays in the national championship game will be a very good team that will not just lay down for SEC champ to walk all over.
So….No. It will be just for the SEC title. Which is more valid than the national championship, because it is actually won on the field.
SEC Fan
October 13th, 2009
7:54 am
It’s a good thing for Florida that they started the season at Number 1. If they were to be judged by their body of work this year, then Boise State’s perfect record would place them ahead of Florida in the polls based on each team’s strength of schedule.
Florida’s only quality win this year is against LSU. LSU’s performance against Mississippi State and Georgia, combined with the results of the previous season, left many wondering why they were even in the Top Ten. Georgia’s subsequent performance on Rocky Top only led to more head scratching.
The Gators have an impressive defense. I haven’t yet seen anything to indicate that they have a championship caliber offense. MSU hung 30 on the LSU defense.
Yes… MSU!
crow tastes good
October 13th, 2009
7:58 am
Tony, it would be a great game if 2 undefeated teams meet for the SEC championship. However, just like the Ohio State – Michigan game of undefeated teams from a few years back, it won’t determine the national champion. That comes from the BCS title game as you know (and as Ohio State learned the hard way). So you can consider the SEC championship the title game, but the rest of the planet will consider the winner of the BCS championship game the winner. If the SEC champion loses that game, it will enable you to write a lot of blogs to your fawning SEC followers, but it wouldn’t change the result. That said, if i were a betting man (and I am) i would put my money on the Gators to run the table!
Savadawg
October 13th, 2009
7:59 am
If there were a true NCAA Div 1 NC system rather than the farce we now have then the we would see FL vs Bama twice. Once for the SEC and again for the NC.
DaMan
October 13th, 2009
8:02 am
Bama is playing the most solid football in the country on both sides of the ball. I don’t see anyone beating them.
rhynster
October 13th, 2009
8:04 am
You appear to suggest South Carolina and Mississippi State as challenging games against Florida, but you outright dismiss them against Alabama.
Homer
October 13th, 2009
8:08 am
I am the biggest SEC homer around.
reebok
October 13th, 2009
8:08 am
Alabama has a tougher road than Florida. I figure they will lose once, but still get to the SEC championship. Florida will probably run the table.
Kirby Smart
October 13th, 2009
8:09 am
If momma calls, I ain’t answering !!!!!!!
RTR
SEC Fan
October 13th, 2009
8:12 am
It’s bad enough that the Auburn vs. Alabama game is no longer played in the Iron Bowl. Now they don’t even play on Saturday?
What’s the world coming to?
Will the MSU vs. Ole Miss game now be known as the Egg Beater® Bowl?
Will Jacksonville soon be relegated to hosting The World’s Largest Outdoor Soft Drink Party?
NCDawg
October 13th, 2009
8:15 am
I personally think people are jumping off the GA bandwagon too quickly this year and are causing unnecessary distractions that will hurt our chances of salvaging this season and damage recruiting, which will have very dark long term implications. I think because people don’t have to put their real name on these blogs that they can just yell Fire Willy without actually having a clue how to set up a good defense themselves. Shoot, they looked no worse against UT this year than when they were shellacked 35-14 in 2007, and that was with Stafford and Knowshon.
I will admit that Georgia did not look good against UT, but I feel like this is because too many people were focused on an excessive celebration call when they needed to be focused on a tough game up in Knoxville. Now, we need to get behind this team and get’em ready for a hungry Vanderbilt that is just dying to prove they are not the worst team in the SEC East. This week is the tipping point for the rest of the season. Then in two weeks, mark my words, GA will give Florida every ounce of a fight it can handle! Go DAWGS!
Eric
October 13th, 2009
8:20 am
If F and A are both undefeated, ranked 1 and 2, meet in the SEC Championship and play a very close game, it’s conceiveable that the voters may just keep them ranked 1 and 2 and they’ll meet again in Pasadena. It wouldn’t surprise be even a little bit. Here’s hoping they both get knocked off before that scenario has a chance to play out.
JB
October 13th, 2009
8:24 am
I promise you, if the Dawgs had started #1, played Florida’s schedule exactly as they have, Dawgs would be 3rd or 4th…….Meyer can thank Tebow. He is good. He is proven. But last Saturday, the live reports all day from Baton Rouge about him was something I could not believe. Even the Obama handlers were mad. They were touted as world beaters, and they are just a pretty good football team. I assume they get “well” against my Dawgs, but that proves nothing really.Our pedigree has turned to mixed breed. not a big deal, at he moment.
Saint Crompton
October 13th, 2009
8:24 am
((((( 45 19 ))))) hahahahahahahaha
Crompton for Heisman!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
RedKneckerson
October 13th, 2009
8:24 am
WHAT? No article from Tony about the arse whopping in Knoxville?Kinda skimmed right over that one didn’t he?
meee
October 13th, 2009
8:25 am
George P. You are totally correct. The entire bowl system is a joke not even bc we need a playoff but bc there is so much time between the last game and the bowl games that the teams arent the same functioning teams they were in the season.
toga
October 13th, 2009
8:26 am
Tony – What if Alabama loses to Florida 10-9 in a epic SEC showdown. Florida goes on and gets beat badly in Pasadena and Alabama smashes Texas in a BCS bowl. Could Alabama win the NC?
Starring Peter Graves as Capt. Over
October 13th, 2009
8:27 am
Ron Mexico: Way to go out on a limb.
SEC Fan
October 13th, 2009
8:28 am
NCDawg,
I admire your loyalty, but living in NC seems to have destroyed your football perspective. Vols fans would LOVE to have the 2007 squad over the team that they’re fielding this year.
Georgia might be a trap game for Vandy, since they face South Carolina the following week.
Florida will be amped up for Georgia — it’s their marquee game this season.
Al
October 13th, 2009
8:29 am
It took a missed extra point from Fla from tying Ole miss and going to Ot and likely winning. So it nearly happened last year. The question is who will play the winner.
KR
October 13th, 2009
8:30 am
It really all depends on what everyone else in the nation looks like at that point. There’s a lot of football to be played between now and then…
Alabama looks incredibly strong, but I haven’t yet seen them play what looked like a strong team. Even so, I’d bet they make it to the SEC Championship Game undefeated. And I’m an Auburn guy.
Florida has looked less strong to me. I could see one of their remaining opponents rising up to beat them, although the odds aren’t very good.
I have to admit: if we see undefeated Alabama take on undefeated Florida in the SEC Championship Game, I really won’t have much interest in the BCS Championship Game. It would most likely be a letdown.
Eric
October 13th, 2009
8:33 am
Regarding what we say on this blog, I’m pretty sure there are no SEC coaches or players reading any of it. So our comments are pretty much irrelevant to everyone except us.
RAMBLE ON!!!
October 13th, 2009
8:35 am
Well we know you’re going to do everything in your power and pen to make that happen Tony.
Head in the sand...
October 13th, 2009
8:38 am
Curious that the two obvious stories of the state of the UGA program and Bowden’s train wreck get no mention from Mr. CFB. Bias maybe? After the celebration penalty we got a quick post and tons of investigative journalism with the SEC officials. Yesterdays topic was fine and timely but today we get a mid-April type topic.
Interesting that dog fans are getting better coverage about the current state from Mark Bradley of all people instead of one of their own.
Dink
October 13th, 2009
8:38 am
IMHO
Javier Arenas and Jordan Shipley are the two most under-rated players in the country.
Got 12?
October 13th, 2009
8:39 am
Eric,
Just like other college students, football players do read blogs and other sports articles. Coaches do too but they won’t admit it. Hopefully, they are not affected by the stuff we say.
BTW, how does it feel to come back to Earth?
TrueCrimson
October 13th, 2009
8:40 am
KR,
Arkansas looked like a pretty “strong team” last Saturday.
RTR!!!
JB
October 13th, 2009
8:40 am
NC DAWG………………….I hear you………………but, we are not good at any phase of the game, and for the first time, I felt they “laid’ down last week. We were over matched on the Field and coaching, by a program who supposedly in a flux of rebuilding. Tennessee was inspired, well coached, prepared for our schemes and just wanted it more. We ALL love our dawgs. IT is just not the Tennessee game, it been coming from last year. You look at this team as a business you frequent and over time you see a trend of that business slipping. It’s not one bad game. there is a problem. We won 10 games last year, but we still struggled and could of lost against some VERY AVERAGE TEAMS. I’m not happy. We have the most fertile talent state in the SE, more money than all but say Florida and fan support, facilities, we have it all……..We have a management problem. We can’t dance around it.
Dadgumit = Cry me a river
October 13th, 2009
8:42 am
Way to be a sore loser Dadgumit. Your team sucks, get over it. Oh, and have a nice day
Hokie in waiting
October 13th, 2009
8:45 am
Bama vs VT for the MNC, mark it down. Tech goes to the Gator Bowl after we spank em this weekend.
Eric
October 13th, 2009
8:46 am
Maybe they do, but it seems like a colossal waste of time to me. You’d think they’d have plenty of important things to keep them busy.
Dadgumit = Cry me a river
October 13th, 2009
8:47 am
Enter your comments here
JB
October 13th, 2009
8:48 am
Glad to see most of that Florida Defense leave and Tebow, but watch Florida respond. There are expectations……………………..and there are excuses……………………………………………….
UGA is the BEST
October 13th, 2009
8:49 am
The dawgs are still going to beat the socks off those nerds on North Avenue! i don’t care that we had a bad game against Tenn, we will expose that mickey mouse 500 yrd rushing offense for what it is. I mean who can’t beat FSU this year?
GOOOOOOO DAWGS!!!!!!!!!!!!!! bark bark bark bark
N SABAN
October 13th, 2009
8:50 am
I WILL, dye my hair again before the SEC Championship Game. I know i should have gray at this age coaching Div 1 football, But I love this “chestnut’ brown dye”.
Dave R
October 13th, 2009
8:53 am
BCS #2 seems to win the BCS title game about as often as BCS #1, even when #1 is a huge favorite going in, so I’d say regarding the BS national championship game, err, the BCS national championship game as a fait acompli seems like a bad idea.
SecIsFootball
October 13th, 2009
8:53 am
KR……you say…”Alabama looks incredibly strong, but I haven’t yet seen them play what looked like a strong team.” ??????
#4 ranked Virginia Tech says hello. And, if Arkansas is not a good team, what does that say about AU after this past weekend?
Got 12?
October 13th, 2009
8:54 am
Keep doing whatever you’re doing (recruiting, coaching, and dying your hair), Coach!
RTR!
Got 12?
October 13th, 2009
8:56 am
…and we just beat Ole Miss.
Geez, you just can’t please some folks.
Secondguesser
October 13th, 2009
8:56 am
That’s right. Everybody jump on that bama bandwagon. This is just about the time last year that UF took off as an offensive juggernaut. Granted they’ve lost Harvin and Murphy which are two big losses. As I remember everybody was on that tide high last year as well. I think they were ranked number one when gators met them last year, weren’t they? ………………..Hey JB, you guys tried that “startin out number 1″ last year didn’t you? Didn’t work to well for ya did it?
gatorrashad
October 13th, 2009
9:01 am
Bama/Florida II Saban v. Meyer it should make for another great match up and winner would be favorite to take the crystal….I see Florida winning close tho…..24-17
KR
October 13th, 2009
9:01 am
True Crimson: Actually, I’d say Auburn looked pretty weak last week. Different view, same outcome.
SEC is Football: when VT played Bama, they did not look all that strong. They have improved over the last 5 games.
Ba'ii
October 13th, 2009
9:02 am
Were we not hearing the same thing about Michigan and Ohio State in 2006? Florida and Alabama may be the best two teams in the country, but the gap between them and USC, Virginia Tech, and Texas is not so great as to assume that they’ll easily get win number 14.
Trade School Junkie
October 13th, 2009
9:03 am
Folks, isnt it ALL juts too plain to see.
“Mr. College Football” is a complete HACK with no credibility left.
Two of the MOST NOTEWORTHY games of the year over the past weekend for both of the LOCAL/STATE teams…and not one word.
What a COMPLETE HACK.
Marta Evangelist
October 13th, 2009
9:06 am
When a UGA fan’s (Tony) team is doing poorly, he tries to talk about how good the SEC is to make himself feel better. UGA is losing because the SEC is so good. Unfortunately for UGA, none of their losses are to two the SEC’s only good teams. By the way, in what fantasy land would the SEC championship be considered the national championship? Alabama is most likely a GREAT team…but Florida is most likely only a very good team. If Florida loses in the Championship game (or stumbles before) they should be viewed as no better than OSU, USC, VT, UM, Cinn, or Oregon. Either one of these 1 losses (there or more) or an undefeated TCU would have the legitimate claim to challenge Alabama for the national championship. And yes Tony (and all UGA fans), the national championship is a way bigger deal than an SEC championship.
NCDawg
October 13th, 2009
9:07 am
SEC Fan and JB,
Thanks for the comments and logical explanations for some of the feelings that fans are having.
Just a couple of points, last year was last year and UGA should never have been rated #1 with an Offensive Line starting 3 Freshmen. Setting up those unrealistic expectations immediately makes last year a disappointment.
GA has had some flashes of real potential this season on both offense and defense. I’ll admit that UT made the plays to pull away in the game last week, and we could not stop a play action pass to save our lives. However, we are at the midpoint of the season. We can either choose the path of 2007 and do our best to pull ourselves back up.
Or….. we can go in toilet and start crying for our legendary coach to pack it up (FSU). We can fire our offensive coordinator mid-season and see his family packing up his truck in the middle of the season (Auburn). Even with far worse coaching staffs in the 90s, we at least had enough respect as a program to operate in the right way. Shoot, Donnan even still lives in Athens. Richt has given us the longest run of success in SEC football we’ve seen since the early 80s, I think we give him a little more credit for knowing how to run a football team than some of the posters on these sites do.
Maybe I’m too optimistic and I’m sure St. Simons just wet his britches with laughter, but I still think this team has potential they can realize this season. Maybe I’m wrong, but what if maybe I’m right?
GSU Eagle 91
October 13th, 2009
9:07 am
I think Texas is the wild card this year. Their game against OK this weekend will be tough, but they’ll squeak by. Before the year started, I thought it would be FL/TX for the trophy. I still do. How about AL/USC in the Sugar Bowl, Boise St/VA Tech in the Orange Bowl? FL trips up Texas 24-20 in the BCS title game…
Gator Mike
October 13th, 2009
9:11 am
Thus far, it has been a very interesting season in every conference. Anything can happen in the SEC between now and the evening of 28 November. The Gators still have a lot of tough games ahead of them in the SEC. The UGA loss was a fluke, and they will be back. The SEC is still dangerous.
I also find GA Tech to be very interesting. They are very well coached.
Go Gators!
NCDawg
October 13th, 2009
9:13 am
SEC Fan,
Also, Florida won’t take GA seriously until its too late. It’s great to be a Gator Hater! Ok, time to do some work….
Gen Neyland
October 13th, 2009
9:19 am
There might be a bunch of Texans that disagree by December. Let’s play the games and see what shakes out…
jumbeauxtiger
October 13th, 2009
9:24 am
SEC Fan,
State did not score 30 on LSU it was 26. Further, LSU took an intentional safety and on another occasion the ball was snapped over the punter’s head and the Bulldogs took over on downs at the Tigers’ 1 yard line. That’s 9 points basically gift wrapped so the 26 points scored is deceptive.
LSU arguably has the 3rd best D in the SEC right now and if they can turn the offense around, they can have a very good season.
On paper Bama and Florida are by far the best teams in the SEC and should run the table. But as other posters have pointed out, anyone can be beat on any given day so you just never know.
Geaux Tigers
Go SEC
jp
October 13th, 2009
9:26 am
sec fan you are an idiot for even suggesting that boys bronco be listed ahead of fl .I am a ga fan but fla would beat boys bronc 55-0
Joey
October 13th, 2009
9:27 am
I have to admit I’m more than a little jealous of the UF program these days. Our stars from last year’s team never even won their division, then bolted a year early to the NFL. UF’s stars, and they have many 1st and 2nd rounders all decided to stay and try to win another national title. Is it character or love of you coach or what? I don’t blame Knowshon and Stafford a bit for leaving. I just wished they would have waited and declared their intention to win a title, a la Tebow and Spikes. I just wonder what the difference is. Is one coach’s players more inspired by him than the other’s?
Got 12?
October 13th, 2009
9:39 am
Joey,
You are right. Stafford and Knowshon made the right decision, the smart decision. They knew they weren’t going to win the division this year either. That probably has as much to do with Florida’s dominance as it does Richt’s staff’s ineptitude.
Spikes should have left for the NFL.
Tebow really didn’t have a choice but to stay. Sure he loves the Gators and Meyer but he also needed to increase his stock as an NFL quarterback. That really hasn’t panned out so far.
Otto
October 13th, 2009
9:54 am
In short yes and even if they both come in with 1 loss they are still the top 2 in the country. UF may stumble. Tebow was not 100% against LSU but the defense played lights out. Bama is clearly better than anyone on their schedule but upsets can happen.
IWANNA KNOW
October 13th, 2009
9:56 am
HEY TONY …HAVE YOU HEARD FROM TEE”MONEY TRAIL” MARTIN YET??!!
IWANNA KNOW
October 13th, 2009
9:57 am
Enter your comments here
G8R GRAD
October 13th, 2009
9:58 am
Yes, emphatically!
The national championship WILL be played on Dec. 5th.
A rematch if the game’s close?
Never happen.
The Big 12/PAC 10 would burn the house down.
Most likely: the SEC champ v. Texas in Pasadena.
im4bama
October 13th, 2009
9:59 am
Without a doubt I believe that will be the real Championship game. Whoever wins that will take the whole thing regardless who the final opponet is in January.
slaw_dawg
October 13th, 2009
10:05 am
both teams have “hammer dropping” defenses
Alabama: watch out for USCar, LSU, Auburn
– I think Alabama goes undefeated
Florida: watch out for Miss State, UGA, USCar, FSU
– MSU is trickey b/c UGA is the next week…look ahead? Anyway, who likes a trip to
Starkville?
If I had to pick either Florida or Bama to go undefeated in regular season play, I’d pick Alabama
Vol Navy
October 13th, 2009
10:11 am
“Tennessee. Vols aren’t as good as they looked against Georgia.”
BUT, They are better than Georgia!
im4bama
October 13th, 2009
10:12 am
I am so glad I didn’t have to go into meltdown this week because if Texas would have stayed at #2 ahead of Bama I would have lost it. I think the quality of wins are way better. As far as some people making the comment “on paper” about Bama, that’s crap. Bama is proving were better on the field. Right now, I say were playing better than Florida too; but we still have a lot more improving to do and business to take care of, so we get our chance to prove it to everyone.
Atlanta Gator
October 13th, 2009
10:12 am
On paper, and assuming no key injuries, the Crimson Tide and the Gators should win every remaining game on their schedule, but this is the SEC. The SEC does not crown a champion; the SEC conducts a blood-letting. On any given Saturday, just about any team can beat any other team. We don’t need to look any further than last year’s Florida-Ole Miss game for an example of what happens when an SEC “leader” does not play lights-out, relatively mistake-free football against an SEC opponent.
If both the Tide and Gators arrive in Atlanta undefeated in December, the hype surrounding the SEC championship game will be deafening. Again. No predictions on the outcome of a rematch of last year’s game. Despite the Tide having replaced their quarterback and several star players who graduated or left early for the NFL, the Tide appears to be an even better team than last season. The Gators do not appear to have reached their full potential on offense, and the verdict is still out despite their number one ranking.
And, as Gen Neyland quite rightly said above, “let’s play the games . . .” and see what happens. There’s still a whole lot of football to be played, and from the standpoint of this long-time Gators fan, my team’s path is strewn with interesting little land mines, any one of which could still explode unexpectedly in their faces and derail their title hopes.
hsf
October 13th, 2009
10:18 am
Bama will have their hands full with Tennessee. This is an upset in the making.
Heavy Dawg
October 13th, 2009
10:20 am
We are not out of this race yet people. We only have two losses. If Florida can loose a game and then when we beat them we will be in first place and that will put us into the champship game with LSU again because they are not going to loose another game and they will also beat Alabama.
And ya’ll leave Tony alone becuase he don’t talk about one game. My Dawgs lost, it was one game and we are still in it. He probably has a stack of things to write about that is 3 feet tall and the fact that you people are saying mean things about him because he don’t talk about just one game is stupid to me. Where are all the people yelling about how he don’t write about Arkansas beating Aurburn!
elcubismo
October 13th, 2009
10:25 am
ummm, doesn’t this post only prove what crazy m has said all along? that the sec is florida, bama, and 10 wannabes? after all, let’s be honest here–no sec team has given bama the heartburn that vatech did. as of now, no sec team has even made it a game. considering that bama is weaker–having lost hightower–that’s even more of an indictment on the competition.
if bama blows out lsu, m looks like a genuis (though a tortured one at that)
Got 12?
October 13th, 2009
10:26 am
This week’s game against S. Carolina is trap game for us for several reasons:
1. It’s homecoming for UA. No matter what Saban does, there will be distractions.
2. We have UT next week. UT is down but it’s still a big rivalry game.
3. The media says Bama is the best team in the country. What if we start to listen?
4. S. Carolina is definitely capable of pulling the upset if we have an off day.
Logical Call
October 13th, 2009
10:28 am
They both could have a loss in the SEC championship game. Yet, the winner still goes on to win the NC!!! Alabama still has 5 legitimate teams capable of winning if they do not bring their A game. More than likely they stumble or fumble away one game.
Florida has four teams capable of pulling an upset, unfortunately one of those four is not Vandy or UGA. I personally would not be surprised to see them lose to MSU, S Car., Ark or especially FSU. UF defensively has looked impressive but Tebow just does not appear to have the weapons from years past. Those four teams each have the offense to score enough points to make the games interesting. UF may lose multiple games before the CG in Atlanta but will still get to the game providing it beats S. Carolina since everyone else will have more than two losses. Looks like the SEC West is the much stronger section this year with LSU, Ole Miss, and Auburn being stronger than the SEC East number two team.
Got 12?
October 13th, 2009
10:30 am
elcubismo,
Va Tech did not give Bama heartburn. Bama gave Bama heartburn.
And it’s not Bama, Florida, and 10 wannabes. It appears to be Bama, Florida, and 118 wannabes.
Greg
October 13th, 2009
10:30 am
Look for SC to pull the upset this weekend. It will catch everybody by surprise but if SC can shore up its d-line, I believe the SC offense has found some momentum with its new Wideout in Alshon that could cause some problems for bama. I’m 75% certain that Bama will come out on top but I would not be surprised one bit if SC came through with a “W” to go 6-1 then loose next week to Vandy at home.
G. Kassing
GO BIG ORANGE
October 13th, 2009
10:31 am
A couple of comments on and off the topic.
Florida and Alabama are probably the best two teams in the country. Since the Vols have played Florida, I noticed one thing that is hard to deny…as great as Tebow is, the team really misses a player to fill Percy Harvin’s shoes. With Harvin still on the team, I suspect that that “beatdwon” everybody seemed to want for Lane Kiffin might have occurred. Every team needs two strong offensive alternates. Tebow alone could (not saying he will, saying he could) be stopped.
Regarding the GA controversy, sometimes it takes the wheels totally coming off before changes will be made. Many people, me included, thought that Fulmer should have stepped down voluntarily several years before he was fired. I liked Fulmer, but his tried and true methods had been left behind by the likes of Meyer, Sabin, even Richt. Tennessee may be finally the catalyst for change that has been needed in Athens for awhile. Martinez and probably Bobo will never get you to the promised land as long as Florida can just reload and GA steps on one or two of those landmines every year. To illustrate what I am saying, think about it…if memory serves mecorrectly, my Vols have tripped you up three of the last four years, and four of the last six. Not one time in that period did TN have the calibr of players you had top to bottom. Your ship is taking on water and truthfully Richt has been just rearranging the deck chairs on the Titanic for awhile.
Got 12?
October 13th, 2009
10:32 am
Florida misses Harvin and Murphy but they miss Mullen even more. If he was still the OC, he’d find a way to get production from the WRs.
GO BIG ORANGE
October 13th, 2009
10:34 am
@ Got 12
True, I could not remember all of thee names, just the half a hundred they kept putting up on my Vols.
Got 12?
October 13th, 2009
10:38 am
Charlie Strong gets a lot of credit for UF’s success (and rightfully so) but Dan Mullen was also a big part of it. Everyone looks to Tebow and Meyer but Mullen engineered that offense. I’m glad he’s gone. lol
jjbamaman
October 13th, 2009
10:40 am
No one else in the SEC looks as prepared as Alabama and Florida to win their divisions. Which team wins the SECC game is a toss-up at this point. Whoever loses will drop to #3 or #4. Whoever wins will take the NC.
T
October 13th, 2009
10:43 am
I love the way Tony is staying away from “The Georgia Topic” this week… LOL… too funny… to hot to touch there Tony??
homer
October 13th, 2009
10:44 am
Both of them should go undefeated. They don’t have anything left on the schedule but a few weak SEC teams and a couple of throw-away games. With those schedules should either one be ranked that high? Tell me again why the SEC is so powerful…is it because they have two good teams and a bunch of stiffs? Guess so.
murfdawg
October 13th, 2009
10:47 am
Everyone in the country wants a playoff and the SEC and the Big 12 deliver. You have to play each team in your division, and three teams in the other division and then the two winners play for a championship. For the MNC, the winner of the SEC plays the winner of the Big 12. The conference runners-up play each other in a BCS bowl. This gives you teams 1-4. After that…..who cares.
If Texas runs the table, they deserve to be in the MNC. With all due respect to the loser of the SECCG, Texas would deserve a shot and it would be earned on the field. Would a one loss Fla or Bama be better than Texas? Possibly. Let’s hope Texas wins out, because we sure don’t want HoHo St and the other USC voted into the MNC.
Sam
October 13th, 2009
10:48 am
George G: UF/Bama would also have a month to prepare. Meyer has shown that he can take apart a team in a week.
GO BIG ORANGE
October 13th, 2009
10:50 am
@ Homer
“it because they have two good teams and a bunch of stiffs?”
Who is deeper/different, the Pac 10, the Big 10, the ACC. Even if I believed what you said was true, which I don’t, who is different?
Yellow Fuzz
October 13th, 2009
10:50 am
Georgia = Gymnastics, Equestrian, Park & Leisure Services degrees
Tech = Football, Basketball, Baseball & Engineering degrees
Georgia = Few athletes can spell Calculus
Tech = All athletes take it
Georgia = Fits the mold
Tech = Makes the mold
Georgia = Tech’s bitch
Tech = Georgia’s daddy
Georgia Tide
October 13th, 2009
10:51 am
Bama beats Florida in the SEC title game—mark it down. Bama’s D will shut down florida’s offense, which doesn’t have a deep threat. Bama beats Texas easy for the national title: Bama 33 Texas 20
13 titles!!!
Tide Rising
October 13th, 2009
10:52 am
We are more likely to lose than UF because of schedule. I think Carolina is a big trap game for us, LSU will be tough, and despite what happened Saturday the Auburn game is in Auburn, they are still a good team that can score, and anything can happen in a rivalry game. And if MSU can score and almost beat LSU then they can do the same to us. They’ve done it before.
But even if we lose 1 or UF loses one or we both lose one in the regular season the seccg will still be the true national championship game. The winner will absolutely be given a shot at the national title game over a 1 loss team from any other conference. That is a precedence that I feel has certainly been set.
Besides, when I look around the country and look at all the good teams left I can still see a lot of teams like VT, Ohio St, and USC losing a 2nd game. Texas is the only team I can realistically see getting through the season either unscathed or with just one loss.
UGADawg83
October 13th, 2009
10:53 am
Alabama seems to be the more solid team at the moment, spectacular at nothing but good at everything, Florida obviously is more head shot away from disaster.
Gator Nation
October 13th, 2009
10:53 am
By the end of the season and prior to the SEC championship game Bama and Florida will have played 7 common opponents. We will then be able to jaw-jack back and forth about who is the better team. Until then we don’t know. Our only common opponent has been Kentucky and we both squashed them. Let’s hope both teams win out. It will be one hum-dinger of a game!
Jefferson
October 13th, 2009
10:54 am
No, but you can declare anything you want — maybe someone will listen.
PTC DAWG
October 13th, 2009
10:55 am
If either team had chosen to play more than 1 team from a BCS conference OOC, it would be a fairly good validation. As it stands, if VT wins out, Bama’s game with them looks very strong, the other 3, not so much. UF didn’t even bother to leave the state, much less the region for an OOC game. I realize they don’t have control over the strength of FSU, but they did have control over the other 3 teams they scheduled.
In short, UF won’t be standing undefeated anyways…BAMA has a chance…..
TommyP
October 13th, 2009
10:55 am
There is NO WAY the 2 teams in the SEC championship game should play again in the national title game.
The system is already a sham but if that happens, it’ll take this joke of a system to a new level.
It’s absurd…and stupid to even write about.
FireMarkRicht
October 13th, 2009
10:56 am
Well, at least it’s a dilemma Mark Richt will never have to worry about.
TommyP
October 13th, 2009
10:56 am
And I agree with another poster….when the hell you gonna chime in on the Georgia situation? Are you friggin’ kidding me, Barnhart? This is the biggest story in the state of Georgia and not a word from you YET?
stoopid
October 13th, 2009
10:57 am
I just had a scenario i was curiuous about, if anyone could help me out…
First of all, lemme start by saying we looked god awful saturday and in no way do i think this would ever happen but just enlighten me…
So we lost to UT, what if from here, we beat UF and run the table, UT loses to another east team and we have the win over the gators.. where does that put us?? Do we sneak into the championship or what?? I realize this is crazy talk but im just going over things in my head! Anyone care to help me sort it out??
Tide Rising
October 13th, 2009
10:57 am
Precedent not precedence.
One other thing that’s interesting statistically even if the Carolina game scares me to death.
Ryan Mallett and Jevan Snead are both good qbs. But the 2 worst performances in the NCAA this season where a qb had 30 or more pass attempts were the 2 games these 2 qbs had against the Bama Defense. They were both something like 11 of 35 and 12 of 34 for something like 140 and 130 yards each. I’m scared of Garcia still but looking at that stat especially in light of the way Mallett has lit up other defenses makes me thing our D really is that good.
Has me feeling good but we’ll see. Lot of football yet to be played.
North FLA Falcon
October 13th, 2009
10:58 am
Florida needs to mix it up a little bit. They have not left the state for a non-conference game since 1991 (at Syracuse). Their schedule is a JOKE. Playing FIU in November is a DISGRACE! If they are so great, go on the road and prove it and I don’t mean going to Jacksonville. UGA, Tennessee, and Alabama have done it — going to Arizona or California even. Instead, they sit back and say “we’re in the SEC” … please … they are the Ohio State of the South. They are doing what Oklahoma and Nebraska did back in their “dynasty days”: fluff schedule with 1-2 tough in-conference games, half of which are at home. I can’t wait until next year when they lose EVERYONE and the Gator nation comes back to reality. ROLL TIDE.