Florida changed the perception of the SEC for good, not Bama

the_alphagator1906

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People may not remember but the SEC was not always known as the best conference. As a matter of fact, there was a time when some people thought the BIG 10 was the best conference. Other people only cared about the schedule a football team played, not the conference associated with that team (ie Southern Cal [USCw]). Lets take a trip down memory lane and see how the Florida Gators put the SEC on the map.

Back in 2006, OSU was ranked from start to finish as the number one ranked team in the country during the regular season. At the end of the season they played Michigan in an epic battle. Of course we all know OSU came out on top. After that game was played, people thought those two teams were the best in the country. Thus, after the game, there was a serious debate about those two teams playing again for the national title.

Luckily, Florida had another game to play and prove they were deserving of a shot that year after the OSU/ Michigan game was played. That's because the SEC had a conference championship game but the BIG 10 did not at the time. After Florida beat Arkansas for the SEC title and USCw lost to UCLA it gave Florida a chance to get into the discussion of playing for the title game instead of a rematch between OSU and Michigan.

Ironically, the BCS computers gave Florida and Michigan the exact same numbers (oh the days of the BCS..lol) that weekend. Therefore, the final decision came down to a human vote. Even though, I am not a fan of the way Urban Meyer left Florida, I will give him credit for the masterful campaign he went on to get Florida in the title game that year. He told any media outlet who would listen that Florida played a tougher schedule than Michigan (even though it was an unpopular opinion at the time). Meyer simply said, "Florida belongs because the other team had their shot. We went 12-1, and I think the country wants to see the SEC champion against the BIG 10 champion." Subsequently, the human voters gave Florida the nod over Michigan despite the BCS computer tie. That moment was the start of the change in perception of the SEC.

Just two years prior to that moment an undefeated Auburn team did not get the opportunity to play for the 2004 national title. Yep, you read it correctly, Auburn went undefeated just two years prior to the Florida/OSU game in 2004 and did not get the opportunity to play for a title that year. Conversly, from 2006 to the end of the BCS era, the SEC champion was automatically put into the title game. As a matter of fact, the SEC championship game was known as an unofficial "semi final title game" after 2006. Similarly, these days the SEC champion typically makes the playoffs. Why? Because the perception of the SEC was changed on the night of Jan. 8, 2007 (after Florida destroyed OSU).

Yep, that night changed the perception of the SEC for good. Again, prior to that night, OSU was the best team in arguably the best conference. Thus, Florida did not deserve to be given an opporunity let alone be on the same field according to many experts prior to the game. Sure, Florida was 12-1 but they were winning ugly (memories of the USCe vs Florida game comes to mind [love the Moss cock block though]). However, we all know that night Florida not only beat OSU but did it in beat down fashion. So much so that it changed the perception of the SEC forever.

Again, it all started with Meyer using the conference schedule as leverage to get a shot in the title game and prove that even though Florida won ugly, it was the better team.

Do you remember what some of the Florida players said after the game?

Ryan Smith: "The quality of teams we played versus the teams they played it really showed"

Jarvis Moss: "I do not know who they played other than Michigan. The scoreboard showed tonight what the SEC is all about"

Reggie Lewis: "The SEC was the toughest and was the number one conference in the land"

In my opinion, these comments aided in the perception change.

After the game, media outlets changed their tune and said that Florida had speed in the trenches that OSU could not match up with. Many went further and said that the SEC in general has speed and quickness along both lines throughout the conrefence.

After that game the SEC went on to dominate the rest of the BCS era and win seven straight titles. However, none of that happens without Florida changing the perception of the SEC. Again, just two years prior to that title gamr an undefeated SEC team (Auburn) was left out of the title game. After that game, the perception was changed forever.

I just wanted to have a diccussion on this subject because I think it is interesting. I also feel that nobody gives Florida enough credit for putting the SEC on the map (probably due to Bama's recent dominance). What are your thoughts on the subject?
 

NVGator

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Alpha's in the house. Where the frück have you been?

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Gatorraid81

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USC would have kicked Auburn's A$$ too in '04. Tired of hearing how Auburn got screwed that year. You know what? I wish in '95 we would've some how got screwed out of playing Nebraska and eked out a sugar bowl win over Va Tech and finished undefeated ( like Auburn did) then cry how we didn't get our shot. Rather than the A$$ whooping that took place in the Fiesta bowl that night. The year before in 2003, USC went into the plains and shut out Auburn 23-0 or something like that, not much would've change the following year. Screw Auburn , they're as dirty, if not as dirty as Bama and Fsu. God I wished we played them every year like we use to.
 

Gatorraid81

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Oh yeah and don't forget it was Auburn who CHOKED away a 21-3 lead over Jameis and the Noles in 2013 Natty Cham Game to END the SEC dominance over College football. Damn I wish Bama would have been playing the Noles that year, then we would have never had to suffer through another Fsu championship.
 

the_alphagator1906

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USC would have kicked Auburn's A$$ too in '04. Tired of hearing how Auburn got screwed that year. You know what? I wish in '95 we would've some how got screwed out of playing Nebraska and eked out a sugar bowl win over Va Tech and finished undefeated ( like Auburn did) then cry how we didn't get our shot. Rather than the A$$ whooping that took place in the Fiesta bowl that night. The year before in 2003, USC went into the plains and shut out Auburn 23-0 or something like that, not much would've change the following year. Screw Auburn , they're as dirty, if not as dirty as Bama and Fsu. God I wished we played them every year like we use to.

Lol..dude calm down...it was just an example. It is over my friend.
 

the_alphagator1906

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Oh yeah and don't forget it was Auburn who CHOKED away a 21-3 lead over Jameis and the Noles in 2013 Natty Cham Game to END the SEC dominance over College football. Damn I wish Bama would have been playing the Noles that year, then we would have never had to suffer through another Fsu championship.

Yea, that we can agree on
 

TN G8tr

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Good stuff. I remember the morning after the SECCG we were sitting a restaurant of the hotel in ATL and the (BSPN) talking heads were discussing the same stuff you were alluding to. You had to politic a bit during that time. In fact, I distinctly remember Herbstreet running his PieHole and dissing UF. After going through a long, long night of celebrating we finally got in the car knowing the fact that UF would be playing the Bucknuts in the NCG. What sweet justice to shut those ignorant fools from Crackcumbus up on that night in the desert.
 

the_alphagator1906

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I may have been consuming a little alcohol when I went on my rant, but I stand by everything I said.

Lol...ok that makes sense and no worries my dude. Sounds like you got some Auburn hatred. I am not the biggest fan of thier program either.
 

Thick&ThinG8r

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I especially liked the quote about the SEC speed in the trenches, but unfortunately that is exactly what our team will be missing this year for the first time in almost 30 years.

Sorry to be a debbie downer but our DT's are not of the caliber that we are use to.
 

the_alphagator1906

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I especially liked the quote about the SEC speed in the trenches, but unfortunately that is exactly what our team will be missing this year for the first time in almost 30 years.

Sorry to be a debbie downer but our DT's are not of the caliber that we are use to.

Lol..man, this was supposed to be a feel good thread my friend but I can not help but agree with you. Not looking great right now.

Anyways, this is where I got the Florida player's quotes from. They pretty much said the BIG 10 sucked. Lol

 

Double Gator Dad

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I too give credit to Creyer for pimping our cause to any media outlet that would listen. As an example of how things have changed, Lloyd Carr ripped Creyer for selling his team to the media, like that was illegal or unethical. Just think how Creyer would be clobbering Carr if he were still active.

Let's not forget that Gary Danielson became a bigger proponent of ours than even Creyer. I know some don't care for him but he was more responsible for us getting in that game than Creyer was. Gary used facts to sell his position and any logical mind had to go along.

To this day, I love it when I see old video of ALL the experts assuming POSU would win and the only question was how long we would be able to hang with the great buckeye machine.

Ask yourself how many other ignorant, self serving opinions these same people have today that we are forced to accept only because we lack the forum to once again prove them wrong.
 

InstiGATOR1

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Wow,

1. The preception of nothing ever changes for good, unless you think history is about to stop or the world is about to end.

2. The perception of the SEC is already sliding with the pathetic coaching in the SEC East and the beginning slide in the SEC West last season.

3. Conference perception is always fluid. Certainly by the 1990s the perception of college football was moving to the south. At first it was the Florida schools, yes UF, Miami and FSU that were viewed as the toughest in college football. No they were not all in a conference but so. And heck some will say UF and Wilbur Marshall's speed dominating SoCal might have been the start of this perception.

4. So in a since you are right, UF led the way for the perception of SEC football to become so positive. You just picked a date a decade or so too late.
 

GatorJB

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Yes, it's nice that UF paved the way for the perception that the SEC is the best conference, but that really doesn't matter now. What is UF football currently doing that proves the SEC is the best?

:poop:
 

the_alphagator1906

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Wow,

1. The preception of nothing ever changes for good, unless you think history is about to stop or the world is about to end.

2. The perception of the SEC is already sliding with the pathetic coaching in the SEC East and the beginning slide in the SEC West last season.

3. Conference perception is always fluid. Certainly by the 1990s the perception of college football was moving to the south. At first it was the Florida schools, yes UF, Miami and FSU that were viewed as the toughest in college football. No they were not all in a conference but so. And heck some will say UF and Wilbur Marshall's speed dominating SoCal might have been the start of this perception.

4. So in a since you are right, UF led the way for the perception of SEC football to become so positive. You just picked a date a decade or so too late.

If you are talking about the 90s, why do you think we did not play for more titles then? Note: I know there were technically no title games back then but everyone knew which two teams had the best chance to claim the title when the post season was over back in those days.
 

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