SEC 2000-10: Rivalry of the Decade -- LSU vs. Florida
by froberts on Dec 17, 2009 5:14 PM EST
in SEC Football
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TUESDAY: What a Decade It's Been; Mike Price's Trip to Pensacola WEDNESDAY: The Zook Experiment; Georgia Hires Mark Richt EARLIER TODAY: The Best Game; Auburn's Rise and Fall |
A word should be said before we even begin to discuss the LSU-Florida matchup. It's not a rivalry in the purest sense. There is no special enmity between the two schools, no particular regional antipathy that gives special grist to the mill of hate.
Within the SEC, several other rivalries are more traditional and more heated: Alabama-Auburn of course, but also Alabama-Tennessee, Auburn-Georgia, Mississippi State-Ole Miss, South Carolina-Georgia, Florida-Tennessee, Florida-Georgia.
But as far as a pure, throw-out-the-records rivalry? Not this one.
No, what makes this the Rivalry of the Decade is that these two schools have been the SEC's best for the decade. They are the only two schools in the BCS era to win two titles, all in this decade.
And as much as it means in the national scene, it means even more in the SEC title race. Since the SEC schedule makers decided to make these two teams each other's permanent opponent from the other division, this interdivisional matchup has meant more than any other.
Both have appeared in four SEC title games, tops in their division. Interestingly though, they have never faced each other in Atlanta.
Out of the ten meetings, only one time has the loser of this game gone on to appear in the SEC CG, LSU in 2001. Six times, the winner of this game has gone on to the title game, and five times the winner of the LSU-Florida game has been the SEC champion.
Here are some of the numbers from the series: Florida has won six, LSU four. Due to three blowout games, the average margin of victory in the Gator wins is 21 points, while the Tigers average margin of victory in four wins is just ten points, and 29 of those came in 2002. Florida has had three coaches, LSU two.
The two teams have been at or near the top of their respective divisions for most of the decade, and therefore the game has been the most important.
But one game pushes this rivalry above all the others. One 60-minute war that left players, coaches, fans, and observers exhausted.
Of the ten, it is a game that not only lived up to the hype, but exceeded it.
It is, of course, the 2007 tilt, when ninth-ranked and defending national champion Florida traveled to Baton Rouge to face the top-ranked Bayou Bengals.
LSU fans taunted Tim Tebow by calling his cell phone during the week, he responded by making dialing motions after scoring on a 9-yard run in the second quarter to give the Gators a ten-point lead.
Twice the Gators went up by 10, twice LSU rallied. Included in those rallies were several Les Miles signature moments: a fake field goal run for a first down, and five converted fourth downs, two for scores.
The game ended with a delirious Tiger Stadium crowd and a weeping and exhausted Tebow.
The game was physical, fast, and exactly what college football is supposed to be. Both teams left everything on the field that night; most fans left everything in the stands.
Most LSU fans can tell you where they were when they watched that game, and Florida fans the same.
Reaction was immediate: ESPN's Chris Fowler said: "the violence of the hitting, the passion on the field, the high stakes...I haven't seen many better than that, ever."
And at least in terms of passion and violence, those words could be applied to the entire series.
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2007 Game
That was also the last time I ever complained about Jacob Hester getting the bulk of the carries. That game definitely stands out as the best I’ve seen in tiger stadium. That’s how rivalries should be formed. Playing in games that matter over and over. Like LSU – Auburn before this year.
by Big McLargeHuge on Dec 18, 2009 12:08 AM EST via mobile reply actions
Florida is a special rivalry imo
It’s based on pure competitiveness and mutual respect.
Gregatron is not responsible for any of the crap he just wrote.
St. Louis vegetarian blog
Interestingly
None of the major inter-division rivals have ever met in the SEC Championship game. This decade, you would’ve expected it from Florida and LSU. Last decade, you would’ve expected it from Alabama and Tennessee. At a couple points, you would’ve expected it from Auburn and Georgia. But none of them have done it.
by Incipient_Senescence on Dec 18, 2009 7:05 PM EST reply actions
Dont forget the jump pass!lol
I didnt realize the winner of that game meant so much. I wonder with Bama seeming to take over the west, and UF rebuilding if this will continue into the new decade. I doubt it.
"Why does bottled water have an expiration date?"
lsu is a special rivalry imo
as a gator from the galen hall days, i was pleased that lsu was made our permanent opponent. we like lsu. we join with them in a sort of kinship as the two most nonsouthern schools of the sec. we’ve both seen futility, and we’ve both seen recent glory. we both a bit gaudy. floridians in their orange respect the uniqueness of new orleans, baton rouge and all of louisiana. i mean let’s face it. the states of alabama, mississippi and tennessee, along with south caroline and even kentucky and georgia are essentially the same. in the 80s 90s and 00s, and before, it was always enjoyable when we beat lsu. and when lsu won, you could tell how joyous lsu folks were. it’s nice to beat lsu. and it’s nice to beat florida. clean hard fair football. i mean, let’s remember folks, this is a series that in 97 made gerry dinardo the toast of louisiana. and i suspect when it’s all said and done, other than winning a championship, tim tebow cherishes those lsu games. they were all special.
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