LSU-Alabama BCS title game is another win for SEC
One of these coaches will hold the BCS trophy. But the SEC already has won it. (AP photo)
NEW ORLEANS – If it is true, as Socrates once said, that, “Envy is the ulcer of the soul,” every other college football conference in America has been speed-eating Tums for the past six years.
LSU and Alabama play in the BCS championship game on Monday night in the Superdome. But this is sort of like two gladiators battling for the right to be viewed as the favorite son of the emperor. The emperor already has won.
This will make six consecutive BCS titles won by SEC schools. It will make eight championships in the 13 years the game has been played, far exceeding the closest member of the lower class (the Big 12 with two).
One would have to go back to the early 1900s of Ivy League domination to find a conference with such a run. But to wax on about the greatness of Princeton, Yale and Harvard football is sort of like referencing the Tyrannosaurus rex ruling over the animal kingdom. Ivy League football didn’t have a lot of competition back then, unless you count Ivy League crew.
The SEC is 7-0 in championship games. So the irony is it will take two conference schools playing each other for the first time for it to suffer its first loss. The SEC has redefined the blueprint for world domination.
When asked Sunday if he foresaw anything that could derail this train, LSU coach Les Miles said, “Not at this point.”
Feel free to add the words, “… in this decade” or “… in this century,” depending on your perspective.
This is what the 2011 SEC media guide cover looked like. It will need to be updated for next season.
SEC commissioner Mike Slive knew the passion and culture of college football that existed in his conference. He recognizes the SEC’s mega-millions television contracts have enabled athletic departments to lure the best coaches and build Taj Majal-like practice facilities. The obvious ripple effects: better recruits and more wins.
But even he admits this streak was unfathomable. It’s stupid-great. It’s Joe DiMaggio’s 56-game hitting streak, UCLA’s 88 straight wins in men’s basketball and Edwin Moses’ 122 straight hurdles wins great. The six straight titles will have been won by four schools (LSU, Alabama, Florida, Auburn) but that doesn’t diminish the run’s significance.
“It’s one of those records that I think will never be broken,” he said. “I’m an optimist by nature, but I don’t think anybody can have expectations of this. I remember a few years ago thinking, ‘Wow. We won two straight.’”
Slive’s reading list last summer included an appropriate book: “”56: Joe DiMaggio and the Last Magic Number in Sports.”
“That’s when I realized this is a record that in many ways is as phenomenal as DiMaggio’s record, and just hard to imagine in the future,” he said.
Then again: “We could break our own record.”
LSU has a good chance to be a preseason No. 1 next season. Alabama won’t be far behind.
Clearly money is a huge factor, but as Slive points out, “We’re not unique in our ability to develop significant revenue. At least one other conference has been able to do that.”
Slive didn’t come out and reference the Big Ten by name. It’s not polite.
Alabama defensive coordinator and former Georgia safety and Kirby Smart also referenced the conference’s high profile coaches, but said the reason for the conference’s success goes beyond that. “Regionally, high school football, in my opinion, is so great in the SEC states,” he said. “My dad’s a high school coach, and I’ve always believed that. … Everybody talks about the [defensive] line, but there are other skilled players. In the South, if you’re a really good athlete, you may play cornerback. That’s not necessarily true everywhere else — they’re [wide receivers].”
Since the AP poll started in 1936, the previous conference title streak of three was held by the SEC (1978-80) and the Big Ten (1940-42). That has been obliterated. The titles have elevated the conference in the eyes of the nation’s top recruits.
Recalling his days as a high school recruit, Alabama linebacker Courtney Upshaw said his top three signing choices all were recent national champions from the SEC.
“I just felt like my main thing was to get to an SEC school if I wanted to be remembered,” he said. “You know what I’m saying?”
Upshaw is playing in his second BCS title game in three years. Safe to conclude he chose well.
By Jeff Schultz
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417 comments Add your comment
5150 UOAD
January 8th, 2012
8:49 pm
?48 what dIv game is that?
Dawg48
January 8th, 2012
8:54 pm
It’s div 1
Alphare
January 8th, 2012
9:09 pm
Okie State Cowboy,
LSU did play 2 teams of Big12 style: UGA and Arkansas, throwing the all ball all over the place, but once QB is wacked a bit, get out scored by opponents’ defense.
Roll Turd
January 8th, 2012
9:11 pm
Alabama has no business being in this game….period.
Dawg48
January 8th, 2012
9:11 pm
Ark st , the future home of mike dyer.
GTBob
January 8th, 2012
9:14 pm
GT Bob
The BCS should withdraw the ACC automatic bowl bid.
I 100% agree with this.
01HAWK
January 8th, 2012
9:16 pm
Okie State Cowboy ………………………Go back to your hole. You lost to a 6-7 team in IOWA STATE. LOL
How does losing out on BARRY SANDERS JR FEEL ?
Dawg48
January 8th, 2012
9:16 pm
That was dumb!
Dawg48
January 8th, 2012
9:17 pm
Hawk
Bama already lost to LSU!
01HAWK
January 8th, 2012
9:19 pm
GTBOB………………………………….Go back to your crime ridden campus where it is never safe to even stand on your front porch.
How is that Basketball team doing along with your pathetic football team ?
GTBob
January 8th, 2012
9:20 pm
Defenses win championships.
Auburn proved last year that this isn’t true.
01HAWK
January 8th, 2012
9:20 pm
Dawg48………………………………………..BAMA 49………………………..MICH STATE 7
NUFF SAID. LOL
GTBob
January 8th, 2012
9:21 pm
How is that Basketball team doing along with your pathetic football team ?
We are struggling. We gave Duke a good game though. We are recruiting well though so there is hope for next year.
01HAWK
January 8th, 2012
9:23 pm
GTBOB…………………………..You sound like UGA FANS………………………………………..HOPE FOR NEXT YEAR is UGA MOTTO
Dawg48
January 8th, 2012
9:24 pm
Hawk
How are sloppy seconds? Saban at LSU owned bama.
Miles at LSU owns bama!
Bama is getting LSU’s sloppy seconds!
GTBob
January 8th, 2012
9:25 pm
HOPE FOR NEXT YEAR is UGA MOTTO
Nah, I have hope that we will be decent and possibly make the tournament. If I was a UGA fan I would be predicting a final four or a national championship.
01HAWK
January 8th, 2012
9:26 pm
As long as MILES nad SABAN are still in the SEC………………………………..SEC will always be in the BCS Championship I believe.
CNR and UGA can only have this MOTTO……………………………KEEP HOPE ALIVE.
ramguy68
January 8th, 2012
9:26 pm
People who say they won’t be watching this game aren’t College football fans anyway. The two best teams are in it period. A team doesn’t lose to Iowa St.then expect to get in.
01HAWK
January 8th, 2012
9:27 pm
PUPPIES……………………………………….GT has even won a Football Championship in the nineties and UGA is 31 years and counting.
Meme
January 8th, 2012
9:30 pm
Another win for the SEC! Duh!!
Alphare
January 8th, 2012
9:31 pm
To all those who thought BAMA doesn’t belong,
hate to break to you, BCS is a 2-team playoff system, where 2 best are chosen for the marbles. LSU is best team and BAMA is the 2nd best team.
GTBob
January 8th, 2012
9:31 pm
A team doesn’t lose to Iowa St.then expect to get in.
If Alabama had lost to Iowa St and Ok St had lost to LSU then Alabama still would have made the MNC game. Face it, Bama got in because they are Bama. Not for any other reason.
Dawg48
January 8th, 2012
9:34 pm
Alabama the state that buys NC’s……….
Auburn bout one so I guess the tide has to one up em!
Dawg48
January 8th, 2012
9:35 pm
Alphare
So the first game means nothing then?
Wake up man!
01HAWK
January 8th, 2012
9:36 pm
Read it and weep. LSU and BAMA will not be down for a very long time.
The Alabama Crimson Tide’s 2012 recruiting class was one of the nation’s best heading into Thursday night but the addition of two of the country’s top high school prospects may have sealed the deal for Alabama to land the top recruiting class in the nation for 2012.
With the commitments of athlete Cyrus Jones and safety Landon Collins during Thursday night’s Under Armour All-American Game, Alabama moved to the No. 1 spot in the team recruiting rankings for three major recruiting services – Rivals, ESPN, and 247Sports. With the Tide’s top competition in the rankings, Texas and Florida State, largely finished with recruiting, the Tide’s spot atop the rankings seems relatively secure.
The commitment of five-star Collins was particularly key to moving the Tide ahead of Texas and Florida State. BamaOnline’s Tim Watts called Collins’ commitment the biggest recruiting victory of the Nick Saban era at Alabama.
GTBob
January 8th, 2012
9:37 pm
People who say they won’t be watching this game aren’t College football fans anyway.
There isn’t enough coffee in the state of Georgia to keep me awake for another snoozefest between these two teams.
DP
January 8th, 2012
9:38 pm
Okie State Cowboy, your team gave 38 points and 590 yards of offense to a Stanford team with wide receivers who can’t run as fast as the average SEC linebacker. Stanford had 243 yards rushing and was 27-31 passing for 347 yards. And you’re pretending OK State would be competitive against LSU? Be thankful your team lost to Iowa State and spared itself the beatdown.
Tomorrow night will be big boy football with plenty of future NFL stars on both defenses, not the flag football you’ve been watching in the Big 12.
Take up your complaints with the Big 12 commissioner and the Big 12 ADs who opposed a plus one playoff. The SEC commissioner voted for it.
01HAWK
January 8th, 2012
9:38 pm
GTBOB……………………………….You know absolutely nothing about football. If BAMA had lost to a 6-6 VANDERBILT team, there is no way they would be playing in the BCS game.
DP
January 8th, 2012
9:39 pm
“Auburn bout one”, another Dawg education on display.
DP
January 8th, 2012
9:40 pm
GT Bob, how much coffee does it take to sit through one of those Thursday night ESPN games against Maryland in front of a crowd of 35,000?
01HAWK
January 8th, 2012
9:41 pm
BAMA lost to a team that went undefeated and OKIE DOKIE STATE lost to a has been team.
BAMA………………………………NO. 1 RECRUITING CLASS FOR 2012. RICH GET RICHER
Rick James
January 8th, 2012
9:42 pm
@5150 UOAD
When you dont have an argument of substance you always take it to stupid world..
01HAWK
January 8th, 2012
9:43 pm
ACC……………………………..KING OF THURSDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL.
ACC……………………………………………….All…………………….Cissy…………………………….Conference
GTBob
January 8th, 2012
9:43 pm
If BAMA had lost to a 6-6 VANDERBILT team, there is no way they would be playing in the BCS game.
If Bama had lost to Ga Southern they still would have made the MNC game. The Bama name is a higher factor then on the field results.
GTBob
January 8th, 2012
9:46 pm
GT Bob, how much coffee does it take to sit through one of those Thursday night ESPN games against Maryland in front of a crowd of 35,000?
Less then a game with zero offense. The godaddy.com bowl has already been more exciting then the LSU – Bama game.
01HAWK
January 8th, 2012
9:46 pm
LSU 47……………………………WEST VA. 21
WEST VA 70…………………..CLEMSON 33
HOW PATHETIC is that for the ACC as a conference. What a joke. SEC RULES !!!!!!!!!!
01HAWK
January 8th, 2012
9:48 pm
GTBOB…………………………..You are right in some regard in that BAMA is a household name, but there is no way that BMA would have been playing in this game if they had lost to GEORGIA SOUTHERN.
You need to study up a little more.
GTBob
January 8th, 2012
9:49 pm
HOW PATHETIC is that for the ACC as a conference.
The ACC is the worst conference in football. I happily admit that. Luckily I could care less about the ACC.
Special K
January 8th, 2012
9:49 pm
Everyone I talk to is excited about the game so just get over it.
01HAWK
January 8th, 2012
9:50 pm
GTBOB…………………………….No need to worry about not knowing much about college football for GT will never see a BCS Championship game………………………….NEVER.
DP
January 8th, 2012
9:51 pm
GTBob, you should recall from the recent past when your team was humiliated by LSU 40-3 that great defenses tend to slow down good offenses. LSU and Alabama have both put up plenty of points on everybody else they’ve played this year and if either of them played an ACC team they’d put up 50.
So if you don’t like defense does that mean you have no respect for Bobby Dodd? He was the coach back when Tech football was relevant and I think he was a pretty defensive minded guy.
01HAWK
January 8th, 2012
9:51 pm
GTBOB………………………..The ACC is the worst conference in football. I happily admit that. Luckily I could care less about the ACC.
Why are you even on here this blog ?
GTBob
January 8th, 2012
9:53 pm
He was the coach back when Tech football was relevant and I think he was a pretty defensive minded guy.
I have no problem with defense as long as some offense is played as well.
GTBob
January 8th, 2012
9:54 pm
Why are you even on here this blog ?
To voice my opinion on this pointless game. Why are you here?
Misty From Macon
January 8th, 2012
9:54 pm
GTBob: They held the #73 offense in the country to 9 points. I’m really impressed
Bob maybe you don’t know that much about football, but when LSU played Oregon (first game of their season), Oregon was ranked #1 and had the #1 Offense in the country. LSU beat them 40-20. They also beat another high powe offensive team, West Va.; and then another one, Arkansas, and they beat them by outscoring them and keeping them from scoring, (that’s called offense and defense).
So you may sneer at LSU 9 points when they played Alabama, but it just proves that you don’t know what the heck you’re talking about.
I guess watching Clemson get manhandled in the Orange Bowl by WVU must’ve unhinged you a little bit. I understand.
Mister Pants
January 8th, 2012
9:56 pm
1: LSU beat 5 ranked teams this year, 4 on the road, 2 conference champs who also were bcs bowl winners (Oregon and WVU). Bama played 2 ranked teams, lost one at home. LSU should be the champ unless Bama blows em out.
2: Nobody outside of the south actually is excited for this game.
3: Schultz, I guess rooting for the SEC makes you feel better than rooting for your team.
DP
January 8th, 2012
9:56 pm
GT Bob, you’re either disingenuous or an idiot, or perhaps both.
GTBob
January 8th, 2012
10:00 pm
I guess watching Clemson get manhandled in the Orange Bowl by WVU must’ve unhinged you a little bit. I understand.
I hate Clemson. I laughed all night. I’m not a big VT fan either so the BCS games have been fun for me.
01HAWK
January 8th, 2012
10:00 pm
All SEC teams should be happy that 2 teams from the SEC are playing because the earnings are split amongst all SEC teams.
Every SEC team benefits.
Alabama and LSU receive about $5m, the other bowl eligible schools receive $4.3m, and the bowl ineligible schools receive $3.3m.
Misty From Macon
January 8th, 2012
10:01 pm
The Bama name is a higher factor then on the field results.
If that’s true, then why didn’t bama play in last year’s championship game?
Honestly GTBob, you’re just grasping at straws — don’t worry, hold your head up high and proud, GT may not be a football school, but they’re pretty relevant in basketball.