SEC Coverage

Saban said during the Dan Patrick Show on Tuesday, "LSU wasn't winning when I went there. Michigan State wasn't winning when I went there. Toledo wasn't winning when I went there. And Alabama really wasn't winning when I came here. I guess I gotta go someplace else. I don't know."

He added, "I think it's great, I love Steve. I'm always anxious to hear what he has to say - it's always funny."

In the last three years, Georgia has gone 16-8 in SEC play, behind only Florida and Alabama (20-4 each). In the last five years, Georgia has gone 26-14 in SEC play, behind only Florida (32-8), Alabama (28-12), and LSU (27-13). In the last ten years, Georgia has gone 55-25 in SEC play, behind only Florida (61-19) and tied with LSU.

In the last nine years, the SEC East has been represented in the conference championship game by Georgia three times, by Florida three times, and by Tennessee three times. In the last eight years, Georgia has won two SEC championships, Florida has won two SEC championships, LSU has won two SEC championships, and Alabama and Auburn have won one SEC championship apiece.

As Year2 demonstrated in the above posting, the Gators unquestionably have been the alpha dog of the SEC East since the divisional split in 1992, but the Bulldogs just as unmistakably have taken on in the 2000s the role Tennessee occupied during the 1990s; namely, that of chief challenger to Orange and Blue hegemony.

Georgia’s 3-17 record against Florida since 1990 tells no lies; more of those losses were blowouts than nailbiters, and a late time out in Jacksonville in 1993 represents the only even arguably controversial finish in the World’s Largest Outdoor Cocktail Party since Steve Spurrier returned home to Gainesville. However, the Red and Black’s consistently solid overall performance and ability to match division crowns and league titles with anyone in the 21st century demonstrate how wrong it is to argue that the ’Dawgs have fewer good days on the field in the fall than their SEC coevals.

Broke news to Steve Spurrier about B. Johnson. At end of conversation he said, "Gonna try to get Jevan Snead back on the ballot this year."

"Utah deserved a chance to play in a bigger game,'' Spurrier said. "They shouldn't be an outcast. They are undefeated but there's only one game for two teams, It makes it difficult. You would have to have some kind of playoff system to allow those teams to get into the national championship hunt. They should be allowed in it. Boise State should be in it. But that's not the way we do it.''

"Utah deserved a chance to play in a bigger game,'' Spurrier said. "They shouldn't be an outcast. They are undefeated but there's only one game for two teams, It makes it difficult. You would have to have some kind of playoff system to allow those teams to get into the national championship hunt. They should be allowed in it. Boise State should be in it. But that's not the way we do it.''

Spurrier is the only SEC coach on panel who did not vote Florida No. 1.

The South Carolina coach, who had a history of taking verbal jabs at Kiffin’s predecessor, Phillip Fulmer, questioned whether Kiffin broke NCAA recruiting rules by contacting Tennessee recruits before he was cleared to do so.

The Tennessee band was there [Saturday] night, weren’t they? I’m used to hearing "Rocky Top." ... Maybe they only play that when they score. Usually when you play Tennessee, you hear that "Rocky Top" so often it’s ringing in your brain.

South Carolina qbs: the Lean Cuisines of college players, since you heat them, take them out, stir them up a little bit, put them back in, then let them sit there to cool off before eventually devouring them and moving on to the next one.

Oh, he's missed a bunch of [team breakfasts]. He misses everything. He's struggling to do things right. But that's just him. He can't hardly call the play right. He gets confused. I don't know what it is. He just has a tough time.