FLORIDA AND TENNESSEE STRIKE BACK
Monday 11/4/02
Just as you counted them out, they struck back. Florida and Tennessee haven’t dominated the SEC over the last decade for nothing. The Gators once again stuck it to Georgia while Tennessee took down the Gamecocks on enemy soil. Rex Grossman came up big again completing 36 for 46 with 2 TDs and 2 INTs. Not the greatest but certainly a very good game. Things looked bad for the Gators when All-SEC WR Taylor Jacobs went down however junior WR Kelvin Kight came up huge with over 100 yards receiving. Georgia had some chances but overall just didn’t play well. Many people including myself are pointing to Mark Richt’s strange determination to bring DJ Shockley in the game no matter what. Greene starts out hot but cooled off immediately after Shockley came in. However the topper was when Shockley threw a critical INT that was returned for a TD. That play and not Terrence Edwards’ miss later on was the critical failure by the Bulldogs. I did think Georgia would win this game as I wrote in the picks, I thought Shockley would make a big play, good or bad. He made the bad one and the loss could cost Georgia the SEC East title that is so close yet so far away.
You have to give it to Phil Fulmer. Despite all the criticism, despite the rising heat in Knoxville, despite all the hoopla… Fulmer and UT just go out and play their game. They stayed the course and wore down the Gamecocks. The return of Cedric Houston helped as he had over 100 yards. Jabari Davis added 86 more and UT dominated the time of possession. Meanwhile the UT defense absolutely shutdown South Carolina QB Corey Jenkins. The Vol defense continues to be very stingy. If the Vols can get the offense going next season, they should be right back where they have been. As I have said before I think it is time for offensive coordinator Randy Sanders to go. The UT offense is still averaging barely over 2 TDs in SEC play and it continues to struggle. I think a breath of fresh air could really help. Elsewhere it was down day in Mississippi as Auburn took down Ole Miss and Kentucky came back to crush Miss St.
Well we are down to the home stretch and things got much more interesting this weekend in the East… Georgia still leads but has to win out to go to Atlanta. If they lose and Florida wins out, the Gators would then go to Atlanta. It is pretty much between those 2 teams. It is starting to look like it might be the Gators as they only have Vandy and then South Carolina in Gainesville. Georgia has Ole Miss and Auburn. They should take down Ole Miss and will then play for the SEC East title against Auburn in Auburn.
While most people consider Georgia better than Auburn this year, all you have to do is look at the current history of the series to give Auburn the edge. Georgia hasn’t beaten Auburn since 1998 and it took miracles to win the 92 and 96 games. In 1992 Auburn fumbled on the goal line going in for the winning TD. In 1996 Georgia hit a “Hail Mary” to send it into OT. Georgia is 3-6-1 in the last decade vs. Auburn. Throw in the fact that it will be a huge game for Auburn who is right there in the SEC West race and you have one big game in two weeks at Auburn.
In the West, all eyes will be on LSU as they come down the stretch with 4 straight games against Kentucky, Bama, Ole Miss and Arkansas. Any loss opens the door for Auburn. However Auburn will still have to travel to Tuscaloosa even if they upset Georgia. Two losses by LSU coupled with an Auburn loss opens the door for Arkansas. Arkansas has South Carolina, Miss St and LSU left. It is basically between those three in the West. As everybody thought, though they are ineligible, Bama will be a big factor in who goes to Atlanta as Auburn and LSU both have to play them. Nothing like November in the SEC…