Category: Article

The SEC is a megachurch, a denomination, and a religion

It’s nighttime in Death Valley. The War Eagle Flies. We’re running through the T. We’re chomping. We’re asking how ‘bout them Dawgs. We’re clanging, pig sooein’, rammer jammerin’, Ole miss by damn’. We’re a 12th Man, the ZOU in MIZ, a Commodore, and a Wildcat. There’s even 2001 or maybe a Sandstorm. Our churches aren’t small. They are megachurches, holding a screaming congregation that will bury you with noise. They’ve even been allowed some in-game communion wine to add to their palates during services now. It should make Saturday church a little louder. When they win with a God-given upset, they jump over railings, get stuck in hedges, surf goalposts through crowded streets and toilet paper trees. When they lose,

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The SEC needs a nine-game conference schedule

Beyond the transfers, the head coaches, the stadium reductions and the backhanders to recruits, the NCAA can change something else that would really take the sport a step forward: The schedules. The ACC and SEC play 8 in-conference games and 4 non-conference games, while the Big Ten, Pac-12 and Big XII all play nine. Gus Malzahn and Nick Saban both expressed a preference for nine games. In fact, Nick Saban has been lobbying for it since 2012, while Gus Malzahn last year admitted he’s had a Damascus experience on scheduling (probably because Auburn’s is so arduous year after year): “Nine I think is best for us moving forward to make the schedules more equal across the conference.” Kirby Smart of

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The most Twitter-melting SEC moments before Twitter

I read a riveting tweet to Sports Illustrated’s Andy Staples which read: “What would be the most Twitter-melting CFB moments before Twitter was around?’ In other words, moments in college football history prior to March 2007, when Twitter exploded on the scene at South by Southwest (March 2007) I added a few things, which included the B.S. call against Miami in the National Championship Game of 2003 (NCBS), any of the FSU-Miami ‘Wide Rights’ (#WDR) and ‘Wide Lefts’ (#WDL), the Convicts vs Catholics (#ConvictCath), and – of course – Vince Young (#VY) running the ball in against USC in the 2006 National Championship Game (#VYvsUSC). I also wanted ALL of Barry Sanders’ highlights from the 1988 season (#Barry) because he

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Alabama OC Mike Locksley leaving for Maryland

Alabama offensive co-ordinator Mike Locksley is leaving to become the new head coach at Maryland. Locksley was given the Broyles Award earlier this week for being the country’s top assistant coach, helping the Crimson Tide to be one of the country’s best offensive teams. His crowning glory may well be on Saturday with Tua Tagovailoa is given the Heisman Award. “I am thrilled to be returning home and to have the opportunity to lead the Maryland Football program,” Locksley said in a statement. “This has always been a special place for me and my family, and I am honored to take on this role at the state’s flagship institution. Our goal is to create an atmosphere and environment focused on the

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Kelly Bryant chooses for Missouri over Auburn, Arkansas

Former Clemson QB Kelly Bryant has opted to play for Missouri Tigers in 2019 instead of Auburn and Arkansas. Bryant’s decision represents a massive pick-up for the Tigers, who will be without Drew Lock, who has finished his senior year. New OC Derek Dooley, taking over from Josh Heupel, who took over Scott Frost’s job at UCF, is credited with helping Lock play like a NFL quarterback of the future, and Bryant will be hoping for the same. Bryant, who threw for over 2,000 yards and 13 TDs in his junior year in Death Valley before getting injured, decided to transfer from Death Valley after he was replaced by freshman Trevor Lawrence. Auburn fans will probably blame Bryant’s decision on the

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SEC players going in their junior years for NFL Draft 2019

Right, this time of the year is a sad one, because we say goodbye to our greatest SEC playmakers, wishing that they would have one more year in college to make us smile. Some are seniors, but what the SEC Blog is focussing on is the juniors, who have decided to forgo their senior year, in an effort to make cash instead of being exploited for it (!). We don’t expect Alabama to have any declarations because they’ve got two big play-off games coming up (potentially), but otherwise… Alabama: Arkansas: Auburn: Jarrett Stidham (QB) Florida: Chauncey Gardner-Johnson (DB) Georgia: Kentucky: LSU: Greedy Williams (CB) Mississippi State: Missouri: Ole Miss: AJ Brown (WR), DK Metcalf (WR) South Carolina: Deebo Samuel (WR) Tennessee:

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Should Georgia or Oklahoma be in the College Football play-off?

And so, it happened. Georgia didn’t have to beat Alabama in the SEC Championship Game to cause bedlam….they just had to play the Crimson Tide close. Close? The Bulldogs damned nearly beat them, ramming the ball down their throat during a first half whirling dervish. The second half was your usual tale of Alabama adjusting, Georgia being a little more conservative – an assinine 4th-and-11 call side – and Alabama have two National Championship-winning quarterbacks to use to take home a 35-28 victory. Earlier in the day, Oklahoma had righted the wrongs of a Red River Shoot-Out by exacting revenge on Texas 39-27, and after the SEC Championship Game, Clemson took care of business against Pittsburgh to win the ACC Title

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Sophomore Vanderbilt TE loses fight with cancer

In news far bigger than any football game, Vanderbilt tight end Turner Cockrell has died of cancer aged 21, the school has announced. Cockrell was a redshirt sophomore, missing the entire 2018 season after he was diagnosed with melanoma. When the disease spread to his lungs, there was little the doctors could do. He passed away on Thursday. “My heart is broken for Randy, Noelle and the Cockrell family, for all of Turner’s teammates, and for all who came in contact with Turner,” Vanderbilt head football coach Derek Mason said in a statement released by the university. “Turner had a wonderful spirit and fought an incredible fight. He was a Vanderbilt Man through and through, and he will always be remembered here.”

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Georgia – Alabama SEC Championship Game Preview

How are you not excited? The 2018 SEC Championship Game between Georgia and Alabama will pit two of the biggest – if not the biggest – players in the SEC. It’s a rematch of the 2018 National Championship Game – the greatest game of the season last year. It’s a rematch of mentor vs mentee. It’s trying to stay perfect vs the battle for the fourth play-off spot. It’s Georgia versus Alabama. Georgia is a 13-point underdog, and that’s not really surprising. A lot of people think Vegas is being kind. THE SEASON SO FAR This season, Alabama has been perfect. The Crimson Tide are 12-0 , and they’ve made it look easy, beating every team by a margin of 35.2 points per

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Georgia’s move to No.4 creates a real headache

Georgia is back in the College Football Play-Off standings, folks. The 11-1 Bulldogs moved to No.4 in the standings behind Alabama, Clemson and Notre Dame. Behind the Dawgs are Oklahoma and Ohio State. Georgia moved up because their comfortable win against Georgia Tech twinned with Michigan’s monster loss to Ohio State. Big Blue fell out of the mix, and was leapfrogged by Oklahoma (who won in a shoot-out at West Virginia) and the Buckeyes. THE HEADACHE AND PERMUATIONS If Georgia beats Alabama, they are in. And the SEC probably gets two teams into the play-off because Alabama has been excellent all year long and passes the ‘eye test’. If Alabama beats Georgia and it’s a blow-out, then either Oklahoma or

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