AJC > Sports > Blog > Archives > 2008 > November > 24
Monday, November 24, 2008
SEC champ will still play in BCS title game
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Five things we learned over the weekend:
1. SEC champ will still play for the BCS title: I know some Florida fans who were nervous Sunday night when the new BCS Standings were released and the Gators were No. 4 behind Alabama, Texas, and Oklahoma. They were worried that if Florida beats No. 1 Alabama in the SEC championship game on Dec. 6, they could get squeezed out when Texas and Oklahoma move into the top two spots and play in the big game.
First of all, what the Gators and their fans should be worried right now is Saturday’s trip to No. 20 Florida State. Consider this early warning stat: Florida has traveled to Tallahassee five times to play the week before appearing in the SEC championship game. The Gators are 1-3-1 in those games. Florida State was pretty impressive in beating Maryland on the road 37-3.
If Alabama beats Auburn on Saturday and then beats Florida, the Crimson Tide is obviously in. If Florida beats No. 20 and beats No. 1 they are in and here’s why: Remember that only one of the Big 12 teams ranked ahead of Florida can play in the Big 12 championship game. If No. 3 Oklahoma beats No. 12 Oklahoma State on Saturday, I think it will be the Sooners. The other Big 12 team will not be playing on Dec. 6. Remember last year when Georgia, who was idle on Championship Saturday, saw all those teams that played in conference championship games jump over them in the final standings? The same thing happens here. So if Oklahoma wins the Big 12 championship and Florida wins the SEC championship, the Gators will benefit from a better record (12-1) and jump over Texas (11-1) into No. 1 or No. 2.
I’ll break down top five teams in the BCS and how they can get to the big game in Tuesday’s blog.
2. If Georgia’s players are not concerned about Saturday’s game in Athens, they probably should be: Georgia Tech has a couple of big things going for them on Saturday against Georgia. No. 1, the Yellow Jackets are going to be very excited about playing this game. I could be wrong, but I just don’t get the sense that the Bulldogs are that jacked up about playing the state rival. No. 2, any team that can run for 472 yards against a pretty athletic defense like Miami’s is to be respected. Georgia has had a week off to get rested and to prepare for Tech’s option attack. And if Georgia plays with a lot of energy, the Bulldogs have more talent and should win. But if Georgia thinks it can get by on talent alone, it will be a long afternoon at Sanford Stadium.
3. Dabo Swinney is close to getting the Clemson job: Tommy Bowden is a good guy but there is no question that Clemson has been playing with a little more zip since Dabo Swinney took control of the program in October. The Tigers went on the road Saturday and beat Virginia to go 6-5. Clemson must beat South Carolina at Death Valley to qualify for a bowl because the Tigers had two Division I-AA teams on their schedule this season. If Clemson beats South Carolina, I think Swinney is a lock to get the job. If the Tigers lose but play tough, he still could get it.
4. Tennessee fans might want to rethink Mike Leach: Don’t get me wrong. I like to watch Leach’s Texas Tech teams play. And the Red Raiders have had a wonderful season. But Saturday night at Oklahoma it was time to play big boy football on the road and the Sooners destroyed Texas Tech 65-21. Understand that in the SEC you have to play three or four of these types of games every season. These are physical football games where finesse tends to get overwhelmed by brute strength. Alabama will be that kind of team as long as Nick Saban is there. Leach is a good coach but not a fit for Tennessee or the SEC.
5. Houston Nutt is going to be the SEC coach of the year: The guy that a portion of the Arkansas fan base ran out of town is probably going to take Ole Miss to a very good bowl. Nutt’s Rebels just destroyed LSU on Saturday and a win at home over Mississippi State probably puts them in the Cotton, Outback, or Chick-fil-A bowls. Yes, Nutt made some mistakes at Arkansas and he has been justly criticized for them. All I know is that he took a group of players who couldn’t get out of their own way last season and build them into a pretty good team—the only team to beat No. 4 Florida this season.
