Barring a football miracle, a phenomenon now deeply understood from Athens to Tuscaloosa, the SEC Championship game winner Saturday won’t play for the BCS national championship this season, much less claim the league’s eighth consecutive title.
But coming off two weeks of “Prayers in Jordan-Hare,” it’s hard to count Auburn out of anything just yet.
“We won’t take no for an answer,” said Chris Davis after his improbable 100-yard return of a desperation missed field goal on the game’s final played carried Auburn to a 34-28 victory late Saturday evening against Alabama.
Auburn, ranked No. 3 in the BCS poll, will play equally surprising No. 5 Missouri at the Georgia Dome for the SEC title.
Even those who saw it couldn’t believe the cruel one-punch knockout of the top-ranked Crimson Tide, who were seeking a fourth BCS title in five seasons. Bama dropped from No. 1 to No. 4 in the BCS.
SEC apologists are already making the league’s BCS case. Auburn athletic director Jay Jacobs was in no mood to hear that the SEC champ, even with one loss, shouldn’t be in the title game, saying in an interview that the winner should leap No. 2 Ohio State, winner of 24 games in a row under coach Urban Meyer.
“It’s inarguable,” Jacobs said on SportsCenter. “It would be, quite frankly, un-American for us not to get a chance to go to Pasadena (site of the BCS title game) if we’re able to beat Missouri. And I believe the same about Missouri.”
First, though, the Tigers of Auburn will meet the Tigers of Missouri at 4:30 p.m. Saturday, a match-up of two teams who were lightly regarded in August. They combined for only two SEC victories a season ago and Auburn was 0-8 in the league before bringing Gus Malzahn back as head coach. Neither team was picked to compete for a division title.
Malzahn has engineered the one of the most unlikely turnarounds in college football history, from 3-9 to 11-1 and the SEC West title.
“That’s what you coach for, that’s what these kids play for, to get a chance to win the SEC championship,” Malzahn said.
Missouri won the SEC East by handling Texas A&M and Johnny Manziel on Saturday night to reach 11-1 as well. Despite the win, the Tigers did not budge from No. 5 in the BCS.
“This tells everybody in the whole United States that Mizzou’s the real deal,” wide receiver Dorial Green-Beckham said.
The SEC most likely need an upset if either of these Tigers are to make the BCS title game.
No. 1 Florida State will meet surprising Duke in the ACC championship game in Charlotte at 8 p.m. Saturday and Ohio State will play Michigan State for the Big Ten title Saturday at 8:17 p.m in Indianapolis. If both favorites win, they’ll likely ride the computer formulas to the BCS championship game on Jan. 6 at the Rose Bowl.
The SEC winner will get a consolation trip to New Orleans for the Sugar Bowl. Alabama (11-1) could be headed to the Orange Bowl.
Missouri coach Gary Pinkel and Auburn’s Malzahn were more circumspect about the SEC winner getting into the BCS game than Jacobs, Auburn’s AD.
Pinkel said: “I think that people should look at that and take strong consideration because of the strength of schedule.”
Malzahn said: “Well, all I can say is the SEC is the best football conference in college football and I don’t think that’s debatable. We’re playing a very tough Missouri team and it ought to be a good one.”
About the Author
