Big games to look forward to
Friday 8/17/01
The biggest thing college football fans look forward to is their team’s big-time games. There is nothing like game day. Well since I was looking at each team’s schedule in my feature article I figure I would point out some of the biggest games of the year here. Let’s start with week #1…
Saturday September 1:
UCLA at Bama.
This is by far the biggest game the first week of the season. Lots of good side stories to it as well. The first being, of course, the debut of new Bama coach Dennis Franchione. The next biggest story before the game will be about the game last year where UCLA started Bama’s downhill slide. After such a bad year last year I think Bama is really going to want to this one. The stadium should be absolutely packed and ESPN’s Gameday crew will be there as well.
Saturday September 8:
South Carolina at Georgia.
The first big conference game of the year. A lot at stake early here. Beating Georgia started South Carolina’s coming out party last year. Also this will be Mark Richt’s SEC debut. Both teams are going to want this one bad. This game is an absolute must if either team hopes to push Florida or UT.
The “Clash of the Titans”. This has been the biggest game in the SEC for awhile and it doesn’t look like things will change anytime soon. Florida should be a big favorite so that ought to help UT. However this will be Casey Clausen’s first visit to “The Swamp” and there is not a harder place to win in the SEC.
Saturday September 22:
South Carolina at Miss St.
These two teams played a classic last year in South Carolina. It should be another good one this year. Both teams are extremely physical teams so it should be a very hard fought game. It will feature two veteran senior QBs and some great defensive players. There are a couple of other big games as well this weekend including Arkansas at Bama and Auburn at Syracuse.
The best in the West visit the best in the East. Florida will be chomping at the bit to get at Miss St after the beating State laid on them last year. Miss St better baton down the hatches in that one. You have almost the same story line in the other game, LSU beat UT in an incredible game in Baton Rouge last year.
A couple of key divisional games here. Georgia has a very good chance of being undefeated coming into this game if they can get by South Carolina. UT will be looking to keep pace with or stay ahead of Florida. Very big game for both teams. Auburn and Miss St will most likely have taken some hits by now. Both teams will need this game very bad to stay in the SEC West race. State has been really putting it to Auburn recently so I look for Jordan-Hare to really be rocking for this one. The biggest interdivisional game of the weekend will be Florida at LSU. This game could be a preview of the SEC Championship game.
A rematch of last year’s SEC Championship game. This has been the biggest game of the last decade at Auburn attendence-wise other than Alabama. Tommy Tuberville has continued to recruit a lot speed in the secondary to try and prepare for this game. Florida has dominated this series since Auburn last won in 1994.
Coach Franchione will be introduced to one of the biggest rivalries in the SEC here. It has always been a series of streaks. Currently Tennessee’s streak is six in a row. Franchione will probably get a contract extension if Bama can win this one. Bama’s current futility against Tennessee and the NCAA mess have almost made this rivalry bigger to Bama fans than Auburn. Meanwhile the SEC West could be on the line in Starkville. LSU has been Jackie Sherill’s nemesis in the SEC but he has them at home. It should be very rowdy in Starkville…
The “World’s biggest cocktail party” commences again in Jacksonville. Georgia head coach Mark Richt had plenty of success against Steve Spurrier at Florida St but will he have any at Georgia? He will probably handle it better than Jim Donnan. The is Florida’s biggest SEC rival game outside UT. It should be a great atmosphere and a great game. Also, South Carolina will be visiting Tennessee this weekend. This weekend will go a long way toward deciding the SEC East.
Ah November… It is very big if you are a Bama fan and the reason Bama is always in the West race. Bama plays LSU, Miss St and Auburn the first 3 weekends of November and these teams are usually the other contenders for the West. Bama kicks off this string with LSU. LSU should be a contender so this should be a big one. Meanwhile Tennessee goes to the “hallowed ground” at South Bend. Anytime an SEC team plays Notre Dame it is a big game.
The oldest and closest rivalry in the South resumes this weekend in Athens. This game is almost always a good and well played. Last year’s game was the second of the series to go to OT. Meanwhile Miss St and Bama play another big SEC West game. State has won 4 out of the last 5 so T-town should be rocking.
Saturday November 17: Florida St at Florida/Bama at Auburn/Clemson at South Carolina
Florida St vs. Florida has turned into one of the biggest games in the entire country. Bowden and Co. have controlled the series for the last few years but for the first time in awhile Florida might have a better team. It should be a wild one. Meanwhile Bama travels to Auburn for the first time since breaking their decade-long losing streak there in 1999. Starting the season this game doesn’t look to have championship implications but it is always a big one. The same could be said of South Carolina and Clemson. South Carolina fans still have a bitter taste in their mouths after last year’s miracle comeback by Clemson.
Ole Miss/Miss St has become sort of a new Thanksgiving tradition. This year the game is in Starkville. After last year’s debacle in Oxford, I think it is a sure bet that State will more than ready for this game. Meanwhile the other set of Bulldogs head to Atlanta. Georgia fans might be a little patient with new head coach Mark Richt when it comes to Florida and UT but I bet they want order restored in this series immediately. Tech has dominated recently winning the last four games.
Saturday December 1: SEC CHAMPIONSHIP GAME