SEC REPORT
by David Waters
Posted August 17, 2009
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The SEC is filled with tough, important games throughout the whole season. Every week there is a game that is "must see," every team has a key game that could determine how successful their season is going to be. Whether it is a conference rival, or a nonconference foe, these are games that will let us know where these teams stand for the 2009 season. SEC East this week, SEC West next week.
EAST
Florida Gators vs, Georgia (Jacksonville, FL)
Florida was able to get their revenge from the 2007 Georgia end zone celebration in a 49-10 beating of the Bulldogs (the worst loss in Mark Richt's head coaching career) last season. So now that the rivalry is back between the two teams and both teams are top 10 caliber teams, more rides on this game more than ever.
The Gators have a very good chance of being undefeated going into the Halloween showdown with Georgia. More than likely, Florida can wrap up the Eastern division crown with a win. If Florida is undefeated, Georgia would like nothing more than to ruin all hopes of the Gators playing for a national championship. Florida might could afford an earlier loss to LSU, but losing to Georgia that late in the season might be to difficult to overcome.
Florida is 16 of the last 19 in the series and has won three of the last five.. UGA had a bye week before the game and , and since 2002 is 10-2 off a bye..
Georgia Bulldogs at Oklahoma St.
Fans will know right from the get go how successfully Georgia can replace Matt Stafford and Knowshon Moreno. The Florida game might be the game of the year, but might not mean anything if Georgia doesn't start the season off to a good start.
With South Carolina the next week, Georgia cannot afford to lose to Oklahoma St. The Cowboys start the season ranked at 11 and the Bulldogs 13, so this top tier match-up will show just how good the Bulldogs are. Oklahoma St. comes into 2009 with one of the most prolific offenses in the nation and after the UGA defense had trouble stopping teams last year, this will good be a good barometer of how the defense can compete in the SEC.
How will QB Joe Cox react to his first road game in a hostile environment? That remains to be seen, but we all know it will not be the toughest crowd he will have to face in 2009.
Georgia won the last meeting 35-14 in 2007 and is 3-0 all time vs the Cowboys. The Bulldogs have also won eight straight road openers.
Kentucky Wildcats vs Louisville
Kentucky has won two games in a row against their in state rival Louisville. The game is always played early in the season and Kentucky must win this one if they want to be in bowl contention. After opening up the season with Miami (OH), the Wildcats play Loiusville. Louisville is a must win to go 2-0, because after that Kentucky hosts Florida and Alabama and travel to South Carolina. If the Wildcats' only win is against Miami in those first five games, making a bowl game for the fourth year in a row will be very tough. If the Cats lose to Louisville they will have to make up for that win with five more wins against: Auburn, Louisiana-Monroe, Mississippi St., Eastern Kentucky, Vanderbilt, Georgia, and Tennessee. Only two of those are guaranteed wins. That would only put them at three wins if they lose to Louisville. Would you bet on Kentucky getting another three wins to make it to a bowl?
South Carolina at Georgia
Picking South Carolina's key game is really difficult. Since they always drop games late in the season, Clemson was almost the pick. South Carolina has lost 10 of the last 12 in that series. Plus after last year's embarrassing loss to the Tigers, Spurrier might need a win against Clemson, depending on how the season goes.
How the season goes has a lot to do with what South Carolina does against Georgia the second game of the year. After opening up the season with N.C. State on a Thursday night, the Gamecocks will have a little bit of extra time to concentrate on the 'Dawgs. With the way South Carolina loses late season games, a win against Georgia will go a long way. Plus, Georgia may still be reeling from an out West trip to Oklahoma St. Georgia will either be high off a win or could still be feeling the effects of traveling with a loss.
With a win over Georgia the Gamecocks have a very chance of opening the season with a 6-0 record going into a game with Alabama. Not to mention what a win over Georgia would do for conference confidence. If South Carolina wants to be a serious contender for the SEC East, a win over Georgia must be consistent.
South Carolina has only allowed one touchdown in the last eight quarters vs UGA.
Tennessee at Florida
This one is easy. After all the Lane Kiffin vs. Urban Meyer talk, this is the game Kiffin and the Vols have asked for. This is the "Welcome to the SEC" game for Kiffin, and it's against the defending national champions that just so happens not to be so happy after Kiffin's comments about their coach.
The quarterback play was awful for Tennessee last year, but the Vols actually outgained the Gators last year in Knoxville. Kiffin promises to bring back power football to Tennessee, and he needs to after the Vols have just averaged 41 rushing yards against the Gators in the last three games.
Urban Meyer has never lost to Tennessee, but you can bet after all the Kiffin comments that he will be looking at destroying Tennessee. Most of the time when Meyer sets his mind up on destroying teams, it usually happens. Could this work in the Vols favor though? If the Vols keep this game close, would it be a sign of things to come for the 2009 season? What if they actually beat the Gators? Would anyone be able to stop a hyped up Tennessee? Both teams are putting too much into this one game, but that's why it will be so good.
Vanderbilt vs Ole Miss
Remember that hot Ole Miss team from 2008? Remember that Vanderbilt team that was ranked for the first time in what seems like forever? The game that catapulted Vanderbilt into the rankings last season was a win over Ole Miss.
The Commodores' early season schedule is manageable except for the trip to LSU the second game of the year. Vanderbilt will likely be 3-1 as they host Ole Miss. A win over the Rebels and then the next week at Army will put the Commodores at 5-1 and in good position to make another bowl as they would need only one more win. Imagine the statement Vandy would make by beating Ole Miss two years in a row, and this year Ole Miss should be a top 15 team.
This year the offense must show up and not rely on Ole Miss giving them the ball six times.
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