SEC title game arrives for Auburn, South Carolina

AJC ^ | 03 Dec 2010 | Ken Sugiura

[Hoodat]

This December, it's a different kind of drama.

The past two SEC championship games were 3 1/2-hour commercials for the league's dominance. Powerhouses Florida and Alabama squared off in de facto national championship semifinals. Both games starred past or eventual Heisman Trophy winners, neither with a whiff of controversy, and two coaches with reputations of success exceeded only by their capacity for grimness.

The 2010 version tastes a little different. South Carolina is coached by one of the conference's most despised (and successful) coaches. Auburn brings a perfect record, a shot at a national championship and a Heisman candidate, runaway favorite Cam Newton. Of course, there's this one little detail about Newton and alleged recruiting issues that you may have heard about.

"Each year seems to have a new level of excitement," former SEC commissioner Roy Kramer said. "Certainly this year is another one."

Interest has scarcely waned. On Thursday, tickets on the re-sale website stubhub.com were going for an average of $460. It's a drop from last year, but on par with 2008 prices. This season, CBS has drawn higher ratings in its coverage of the SEC than it did last year with its season-long homage to Florida quarterback Tim Tebow.

The culmination, held in the Georgia Dome for the 17th year, figures to provide a suitable conclusion to a regular season rife with strange turns. Which is to say that even if Auburn loses to drop to 12-1, it could still make the BCS championship game.

[northwinds]

C’mon Carolina....beat Auburn and the SEC is locked out of the National Championship game!

[MissEdie]

AMEN to that!! GO COCKS!!!

[MissEdie]

Currently we’re ranked 19th. Earlier in the season we made it as high as #10 and then we played Kentucky :0)

[panthermom]

And if the Scam Newton thing does play out, it is a plague on the entire SEC! If you ask me with their new coach Gene Chizik, they appeared totally classless all season. Fish rots from the head down!

BTW, I am a diehard GA Fan, so I love the SEC...they are the best of the best, but I hate to see Auburn represent us with the Scam Newton scandal hanging over our heads.

[Benchim]

“Two sources who recruit for Mississippi State said that Cecil Newton and his son, quarterback Cam Newton, said in separate phone conversations that his college choice would be part of a pay-for-play plan while Newton was being recruited late last year.

Mississippi State compliance officials relayed the alleged conversations to Southeastern Conference compliance officials in January, according to two other sources close to the football program.

Prior to Newton’s commitment to Auburn, one of the recruiters said Cecil Newton told him it would take “more than a scholarship” to bring his son to Mississippi State, a request the source said the school would not meet. Cecil Newton also referred the recruiter to a third person who would provide more specifics, the source said.

After Newton committed to Auburn, another source said an emotional Cam Newton phoned another recruiter to express regret that he wouldn’t be going to Mississippi State, stating that his father, Cecil, had chosen Auburn for him because “the money was too much.”

http://sports.espn.go.com/ncf/news/story?id=5786315

In my opinion this is the greatest collapse of rules violations in NCAA history!! The smell on this knocks you down. I understand that the FBI and IRS are on this like stink on fish and this is not over!!

[SeaHawkFan]

I hope Auburn wins so they can get their clocks cleaned by Oregon.

Great article in the USA Today yesterday about Chip Kelly and the UO football program. Look for more top H.S. players in Texas going to Oregon in the future.

[panthermom]

Scam Newton is just another criminal thug....guess he didn’t learn much from his Preacher Daddy!

[Jemian]

Ping to the War Eagle!, Auburn list.

[Hillarys Gate Cult]

In 12 years @ Florida OBS had a record of 122-27-1. Was 87-14 in the SEC. Currently in almost six years @ U of Coot his record is 44-31 and 23-25 in the SEC.

Think about it. He's had 4 more total losses @ U of Coot in half the time and almost double the losses in the SEC. Color me impressed. /sarcasm

In OBS’s worst seasons @ Fla 1994 and 92 he was 9-4 in all 12 years. His best year record at U Of Coot is 8-5.

Coach Superior's record in his first 6 years @ Fla was 61-13-1 and 41-5 in the SEC. Once again his current record @ Cooterville in the same time period is 44-31 and 23-25 SEC.

[onedoug]

SC bump....

[Jemian]

I pinged you guys, but I’m not going to be following this thread.

[dfwgator]

Recruiting in South Carolina is much tougher than at Florida which has a rich supply of blue-chip recruits in state.

Also, something that isn’t mentioned, and this is something Spurrier talked about was the South Carolina flag controversy played a role in some black players not wanting to come play in South Carolina (same applies to Clemson, as well)

[dfwgator]

Interesting that both coaches are UF grads, Chizik played at Florida (albeit not that much)

[Hillarys Gate Cult]

Some more stats. C&P a sports board.

To continue USC’s all-time streak of (1) never finishing in the Top 10 of the AP Poll and (2) never playing in a major bowl game. This streak is amazing when you consider...

(1) Since 1936 there have been 74 Final AP Polls, that’s 740 total Top 10 rankings... 91 different schools have made an appearance, but not USC. In fact, there are only 8 BCS schools to never do it:

Iowa State
N.C. State
Rutgers
South Carolina
Texas Tech
Vanderbilt
Virginia
Wake Forest

(2) There have been 334 “major bowl” games... 96 Rose Bowls, 76 Sugar Bowls, 76 Orange Bowls, 62 Cotton Bowls (1937-1998), and 24 Fiesta Bowls (1987-2010)... 93 different schools have participated, but not USC.

And if you cross-reference the 8 schools from (1) above against those that have never appeared in a major bowl game, only 5 teams have never achieved either one:

Iowa State
N.C. State
Rutgers
South Carolina
Vanderbilt

That’s very elite company. If USC wins today and goes to the Sugar Bowl, they come off this list.

[dfwgator]

Spurrier left Florida because Gator fans are a spoiled bunch (I admit it, we’re pretty demanding), 10 wins wasn’t enough.

At South Carolina all Spurrier has to do is win 8 games, and they love him. Can’t say he made the wrong choice.

There are a lot of people in the Gator Nation calling for Urban’s head and the guy won us two national championships.

[Hillarys Gate Cult]

I also thought that Superior and the new Florida AD at that time hated each other.

[dfwgator]

I remember the story where the AD wanted Spurrier to interview again if he wanted the Florida job after Zook was fired. Spurrier’s words apparently were something akin to, “Look in the Trophy Case, that’s my resume.”

[Electric Graffiti]

IMO TCU or Auburn will make a boring matchup with Oregon. The Ducks need a challenge and it seems there are no teams up for the task.

The Ducks would take TCU 52-17 [The Horned Frogs shouldn’t even be in ranked in the top 10]

Demolish Auburn by at least 30.......64-34

Stanford and Oregon would be the most exciting teams to watch in the National Championship game. Stanford could probably give the Ducks a challenge on neutral ground.

But I’m with you after that absurd NCAA ruling on $cam Newton. Auburn needs to be ritually humiliated in the desert. Oregon’s defense will stuff $cam to minus rushing yards. Bring em on......

[windcliff]

Cock alert

[Hillarys Gate Cult]

Gamecocks aren't exactly pure as the driven snow in this one as far as NCAA violations go. Had a controversy about some players staying at the Whitney Hotel in Columbia SC at severely discounted rates. Wont be resolved until March.
Here's a current article that briefly mentions that;

http://www.postandcourier.com/news/2010/dec/04/the-stage-is-set/