Impacts: The Games That Will Define the SEC in 2008, Part 1

Florida vs. Georgia, Nov. 1, Jacksonville, FL
The game formerly known as the world’s largest outdoor cocktail party should be an all out war in which both teams quickly go nuclear. Up until game time, I fully expect WOPR to ask if we wouldn’t just prefer a nice game of chess, because this will be violent, nasty, and fought to the end. In other words, everything we love about college football.

Florida brings to the table a Heisman winning quarterback whose middle name is guts, a supposedly more diverse offense and a bloodthirst for revenge after Georgia beat them last year in a game that saw the death of Anakin Richt and the emergence of Darth Richt.

Georgia brings nought but a Cadillac Williams reincarnation in Knowshon Moreno and one of the league’s more experienced quarterbacks in Matthew Stafford. Richt’s turning over the playcalling duties last year to Mike Bobo was a masterstroke, a sign that every good Sith Lord gives his apprentice some responsibilities.

The only drawback to the game is that it occurs relatively late in the schedule, on November 1. By that time, both teams will have ample opportunity to suffer crippling injuries, losses, or both. Both must face SEC West titan LSU, but the Gators get them in Gainesville on October 11, while Georgia has to go to LSU on October 25th. In fact, the Bulldogs face Florida in the middle of a road-grader of a six-game stretch that includes Tennessee, Vanderbilt, and trips to LSU, Kentucky, and Auburn. If Georgia comes out of that stretch undefeated, they will deserve to be ranked number 1.

Alabama at Tennesee, 25 Oct
The Third Saturday in October, always a hate-fest for the two constituencies, is a pivotal game in the SEC this year. The Tide’s dismantling of the Vols last year gave Bama fans an unholy optimism which was quickly crushed by bad losses to Mississippi State and Louisiana-Monroe. For the Vols, though the loss was their second blowout defeat to an SEC school, they lucked into the SEC East championship anyway.

Both coaches have something to prove this year, as Tennessee just gave Fulmer a lengthy contract extension, despite the clamor of voices who claim the program is in general decline. The Vols haven’t won an SEC title since 1998, and really haven’t played meaningful January football since that time either. Fulmer needs to have a good year this year to settle the restless natives; and since they will lose to Florida, Bama is an opponent that they must beat.

For Bama, the honeymoon for Saban continues, and even if they lose this game, he will still be .500 against Tennessee. But this year will be a stern test for the ‘Saban process.’ And they have had a rocky offseason, culminating with the arrest of Jimmy Johns for cocaine distribution. The Tide face tough early conference season tests going to Arkansas and Georgia to go with their opener against Clemson. Even going 1-2 in those games does not mean the Tide season is over, and they could got a long way to getting it back on track with a strong showing against the Vols in Knoxville.

LSU at Auburn, September 20
This millennium, one of these two has represented the West in every championship game except for two. Further, there are two national titles and one undefeated season in the last 7 years. Two years ago, the game finished with a pedestrian 6-3 score, but the game was a physical war that almost resulted UN sanctions. Last year’s game was decided on a incredibly gutsy (or insane, depending on your point of view) call by Les Miles.

This year, the clash comes early in the schedule for both teams. And both are undergoing significant transition. Tuberville is breaking in new coordinators on both sides of the ball, as well as a new quarterback. LSU has new co-Defensive Coordinators, and new quarterbacks, linebackers, cornerbacks, and safeties. How well each team manages these transitions will determine how the game goes.

The game should be another war. It will be in Auburn, always a tough place to play for LSU. And Auburn will be have a chip on their shoulder after thinking that last year’s game was rightfully theirs. Tuberville’s teams always play with like an badger with a hangover and LSU has proven to be one of the conferences most consistently physical teams. This game should play out like an episode of World’s Scariest Police Crashes. The team that loses isn’t out of the SEC West race, but it will be a crippling blow.

Tomorrow, we will take a look at Part 2, where we will examine some perennial SEC doormats, new coaches, and a Nutt.