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go tennessee
only way they might not be a converisy for who is number one
(3) Auburn vs. (15) Tennessee
Game Info: 6:00 pm EST Sat Dec 4, 2004
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By BRIAN MAHONEY, AP MegaSports Writer
Even if Auburn wins the Southeastern Conference championship, there might not be much to celebrate at its victory celebration.
The No. 3 Tigers come to Atlanta to face No. 15 Tennessee on Saturday knowing they need something good to happen in either Los Angeles or Kansas City, Mo., to have a chance to play for the national championship.
Despite its 11-0 record, Auburn remains stuck behind top-ranked Southern California and No. 2 Oklahoma in the Bowl Championship Series standings. The top two teams will play in the BCS championship game at the Orange Bowl.
The Tigers think they deserve to be there, but the computers continue to say otherwise. Unless the Trojans fall to UCLA, or the Sooners are upset by Colorado in the Big 12 championship game, Auburn will almost certainly fall short of one of the top two spots.
The last two teams to go 8-0 in SEC play, Florida in 1996 and Tennessee two years later, both won national les. Auburn is hoping to have the chance.
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``We will take whoever they send us to,'' Auburn coach Tommy Tuberville said. ``I don't think we have much of an option. Only thing that we will concentrate on this week is getting to that point, and Tennessee will have something to say about that.''
Tennessee (9-2) knows all about SEC championship game upsets. The Vols had their own national le hopes ruined by a loss in Atlanta three years ago.
The Vols were ranked second and poised to play Miami for the national le in the Rose Bowl following the 2001 season after upsetting Florida in their final game of the regular season. But Tennessee was stunned 31-20 by LSU in the SEC le game, giving the Tigers the league's automatic berth to a BCS bowl.
For Tennessee to pull the upset, it will have to play much better than it did in its regular-season game against Auburn. The Vols committed six turnovers and had five passes intercepted -- four by Junior Rosegreen -- in their 34-10 home loss to the Tigers on Oct. 2.
That game was one of a series of dominant performances by Auburn's defense, which allowed only 9.6 points per game to lead the nation. The Tigers have given up only 13 touchdowns -- one rushing -- in 11 games and surrender an average of just 267 yards of offense, fourth in the nation.
``One thing you see is that they are very fast,'' Tennessee coach Phillip Fulmer said. ``They are very aggressive and playing outstanding assignment football. They will get off blocks and make plays for you. Their linebackers are fast and active, and their secondary is as good as we have seen around here in a long time.''
Tennessee will attack that defense this time with Rick Clausen, who will make his third consecutive start at quarterback with freshmen Brent Schaeffer and Erik Ainge out with injuries. The junior threw for two touchdowns and 349 yards, the highest total by a Tennessee QB this season, in last Saturday's 37-31 victory over Kentucky.
A bigger concern for Tennessee could be its defense, which ranks last in the SEC with 223.5 passing yards allowed per game. In their last two games, the Vols allowed 33 points to Vanderbilt and 31 to Kentucky -- the two worst teams in the league.
Tennessee will have to improve against an Auburn offense that sometimes is overshadowed by its defense. The Tigers average 33 points behind the running back tandem of Carnell Williams (1,004 yards) and Ronnie Brown (795), and the passing of Jason Campbell, who has 16 touchdowns, five interceptions, and an SEC-best passer rating of 170.0.
``I'd say that guys didn't get up for the challenge of playing Vanderbilt and Kentucky,'' Tennessee safety Jason Allen said. ``If I had to pinpoint one thing, I think that would be the case. We know that this weekend we will have to come out on fire from the first play.''
Tennessee is 2-1 in the SEC le game, including a 30-29 victory over Auburn in 1997. The Tigers lost to Florida in 2000 in their other trip.
go tennessee
only way they might not be a converisy for who is number one
Hey ducks, I want the controversy. The more teams getting screwed means the louder the outcry for a playoff.
amen. They talk about the money lost if they go to a playoff. To me that is crap....do you know how much the networks would pay for a college football playoff? the numbers would be staggering.
You take 12 teams. 11 conference champs and one at large bid. Take the Rose Bowl as your le game, Orange and Sugar as your semis, Peach, Alamo, Cotton and Sun as your quarters and Independence, Gator, Liberty and Holiday as your first round games. (personally, a game specifically named for a company...Capitol One, Outback, etc should not be allowed) You still have your GMAC, Houston, et al for your teams who do not make the playoffs. It just take some guts by the school presidents.
Last edited by samikeyp; 12-02-2004 at 06:59 PM.
I totally agree with jalbre6 and samikeyp's posts!!!! I too hope there is controversy! That playoff scenerio sounds good, but makes "too much sense", for the BCS people and the school presidents!
samikey,
I don't mean to nitpick here, but I think inviting the 11 conference champs and a wild card isn't the way to go. The Big 10 (Iowa, Michigan), Big 12 (Texas, OU), SEC (Auburn, Georgia, Tennessee) and Pac-10 (USC, Cal) this year would at least have earned two invites apiece. Boise State, Louisville, and Utah all desrve a ticket too. Not to mention the ACC and Big East winners.
Do a 16 team playoff with wild card and seedings, and we are in business. I like the bowl idea though.
If Auburn gets screwed out of a chacne to play for the national le after posted an unbeaten season, the odds on a playoff improve. Of course if Cal somehow lost to Southern Miss, I won't be upset
One other thing. Rumor has it that ABC didn't want to pay for the BCS package that Fox was awarded becuase they believe a playoff was imminent, and have a proposal set using ABC, her spinoff networks, and the ESPN stations for the playoff setup, making them the "home of the NCAA playoffs" like CBS is in hoops.
16 is cool with me too. I just used that as an example.
to bad this game was not setup for vbookie
I smell an upset
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