Published June 23, 2011 - 11:34am
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Saturday Down South has already taken a look at the schedule analysis of every team across the SEC landscape. Now, let’s take a look at the toughest interdivisional games between the east and the west for 2011.
Oct. 1 – Alabama vs. Florida
No one knows what Florida will look like in 2011, and Gator fans are hoping for the best. Rewind to 2008 and 2009, and this match up would have a say-so in the national championship picture. However, it does have a say-so, but more so for Alabama than Florida. Alabama traveling to Gainesville will be a tough game, no matter how good or bad the Gators turn out to be.
Oct. 1 – Auburn vs. South Carolina
2010 was the year of the Auburn Tigers and the South Carolina Gamecocks. Only this year, Auburn is in a rebuilding mode while South Carolina is trying to prove they deserve to be mentioned in the same breath with the best teams in the country. South Carolina has to be the favorite, but this game will be a battle.
Oct. 1 – Mississippi State vs. Georgia
In 2010, State beat the Bulldogs in Starkville, in what most thought to be an embarrassing defeat for Georgia. However, once MSU stole one from the Gators in Gainesville later on in the season, the Georgia win didn’t look so much like a fluke. Both of these teams could have a say-so in each of their respective divisions.
Oct. 8 – Florida vs. LSU
Ahh, both night and day games in Tiger Stadium is in essence what SEC football is all about, only Florida will be taking the brunt of the Bayou on this Saturday. LSU and Florida will both be in contention for their respective divisions on this date, and it figures to be another beautiful annual rivalry, much like it is every year. Florida looks to avenge the last-second loss at home to LSU in 2010 that still has a bad taste in Gator fans’ mouths.
Oct. 15 – LSU vs. Tennessee
The Bayou Bengals escaped on a last-second victory, literally, against the Vols in 2010. Images of Derek Dooley throwing down his headset after this football game are still fresh in Vol fans’ memories, even now. Tennessee will be ready for this one, and it will be a battle no matter how good or bad each of the teams will be.
Oct. 22 – Tennessee vs. Alabama
This one-sided rivalry of late could have a new shine in 2011. Tennessee lost on a last-second field goal block by Mt. Cody the last time they traveled to Tuscaloosa in 2009. Much like that ’09 game, Tennessee has a chance to do something magical by knocking off the Crimson Tide and ruining their national title hopes at Bryant-Denny. This one would be sweet, right Vol fans?
Nov. 5 – South Carolina vs. Arkansas
This match up was really ugly in Columbia last year, and Arkansas put up crooked numbers all night, both on the scoreboard and the stat sheet. Both teams will be fighting to win their division at this time in the season, only the Gamecocks have to travel to Fayette-Nam for this one.
Nov. 12 – Tennessee vs. Arkansas
This is a fresh match up in the SEC, and the only one on the list in which these two teams did not play each other in 2010. Tennessee has to travel to Fayetteville to take on the potent Arkansas offensive attack, and the Vols have a chance to ruin Arkansas’ bid to win the SEC West in this one, much like their match up with Alabama earlier in the year. Tennessee has a chance break some hearts in 2011.
Which interdivisional game will have the biggest say-so on how the SEC East and West finish?
If I had to pick one of these games that has the biggest impact on how the SEC finishes, it would be the South Carolina-Arkansas match up. By November 5th, both of these teams will have a chance to win their respective divisions.
What interdivisional game do you think will have the biggest impact?
It’s going to be another great year of SEC football!
For me its going be LSU and TN. TN will be looking to prove that they are indeed back, and LSU will be looking to show that they have the concentration to not over look this one, bc if this one is overlooked for LSU, and TN falls a few games, it won’t look good for LSU’s overall BCS picture.
I would replace the third Saturday in October with the deep south’s oldest rivalry. Since Bama will be coming off of a relatively easy Ole Miss game and playing at Bryant-Denny this will be an absolute thrashing not a last second finish. I just think the Auburn-UGA game will be more interesting.
I think he was putting the games up based on who he thought would compete for the SEC championship. I wouldn’t think Auburn or UGA would be in that position lol. Anyway I do agree that the Auburn vs UGA game will be good.
Toughest one will be the SC Arkansas game. Arkansas is a tough place to play but SC is going to build on last years skill. I think that will be the best game of the year with an SEC East team in it.
For finish I have to go with Arkansas vs SC. For best game I have to go with Florida vs LSU. I am not sold on UGA yet. Keep in mind about hoe bad they was with AJ Green out and now he is gone. UT was close to being a decent team last year. I will say they will win 1 out of the Alabama, LSU, Arkansas match ups. South Carolina is tired of being bullied and probably have the Auburn game circled. I can see them dominating them in the way Alabama handled Florida in the SEC Championship game a couple of years ago. I think the best SEC matchups of the year will be Alabama vs LSU, Alabama vs Arkanas and LSU vs Arkansas, and Alabama vs Arkansas. (Coming from a Bama fan).