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AJC > Sports > UGA > Blog > Archives > 2007 > September > 06
Thursday, September 6, 2007
Spurrier at USC: It’s not the same
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
As college football rivalries go, UGA vs. South Carolina has always been sort of one-sided when it comes to the fans.
Sure, it’s often a tough, close game (though the Dawgs have ruled the past five meetings). But it probably means more to the players (both teams having a lot of folks from the other side of the Savannah River) and coaches (who recruit each other’s states aggressively) than it does to most of the Bulldog Nation.
Even the addition of Steve Spurrier to the mix hasn’t really jacked up the Gamecocks into major rival status for most fans. Sure, we’ve loved beating him the past two years (especially last year’s shut-out) and want to keep on beating him. But it’s not quite the same as if he were still with the hated Gators and it was Jacksonville, now is it?
If the Prince of Darkness being on the South Carolina sideline hasn’t made this into a major rivalry, I doubt it ever will be.
Carolina folks key on this game all summer long, but UGA fans merely view it as the beginning of the SEC wars and usually the first challenge (though far from the biggest one) of the season. It’s no more important than any other game against an SEC East opponent.
Folks certainly get more excited about this game than, say, the Mississippi schools or Kentucky or Vandy (even taking into account last year’s stumble against the latter two). But it’s no UT. Or Auburn. And certainly not even remotely on the scale of Florida. Or even the nonconference insects from North Avenue. Or, for that matter, schools like Alabama and LSU that we don’t play every year. Heck, even Clemson, now just an occasional opponent, means more to the Bulldog Nation in terms of rivalry.
Like I said, we still hate Spurrier. But while still dangerous and at times brilliant and certainly capable of beating any team in the conference if he could get the talent, it’s not like when he was in the prime of his career and sneering at the rest of the world.
It’s Spurrier Lite.
