Who Are Georgia's 3 Biggest SEC Football Rivals?
by War Eagle Atlanta on Feb 12, 2009 12:41 AM EST
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PrintI'm preparing a thread over at sister SB Blog Track 'Em Tigers to determine who every team in the SEC ranks as their three biggest rivals and compare the cross-over. I'd like to know who Dawg fans feel are their top three conference rivals, either current or past. Please help me out and vote in this poll and I'll compile all the results into a thread next week.
Thanks!
Greg
WEA-TET
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I voted for Tennessee
Clearly, the top two are Florida and Auburn; for most Georgia fans, the order in which the Gators and the Plainsmen are ranked probably is generational. (The younger you are, the more likely you are to consider U.F. a bigger rival than A.U.)
I think the third would have to be Tennessee, because the Volunteers are the other “big three” program in the East. Georgia and Alabama have more history than Georgia and Tennessee, but the ’Dawgs stopped scheduling the Tide regularly after the fallout from the Saturday Evening Post scandal. South Carolina was a much bigger non-conference rival than the Gamecocks have been a conference rival, and Kentucky and Vanderbilt are, well, Kentucky and Vanderbilt.
It’s a good question, though. I look forward to the results of your investigation.
Go 'Dawgs!
Just curious...
…where the overlapping may occur. I fully expect to see Alabama end up as three different teams’ biggest rival; AUB, LSU, and UT. I wish MSU, ARK and UM has SB blogs to put polls in…
If someone wanted to get hyper-technical, I suppose GA could include GT as a historical SEC rival, since I defined it either way…
by War Eagle Atlanta on Feb 12, 2009 11:06 AM EST up reply actions
Can't decide between Tennessee and South Carolina
I know most Dawg fans will say Tennessee, and there’s a strong hatred for Tennessee, but I’m right on the border on the SC side, and it’s awful after a USC upset (come on, every time they beat us it’s an upset right?).
Add that to the fact that my hatred for Tennessee is also partly due to lots of family who went to Alabama and know some of the former players well, so I don’t really consider it a “UGA rival”, more of a “God they’re annoying” along the lines of an Ohio State.
So I’m gonna have to say South Carolina. I hate to use my particular geographical location to make a blanket statement for all Dawg fans, but I hate the Cocks and I hate Spurrier and Columbia sucks. Charleston should be the capitol!
Good points all around, but I have to . . .
go with Tennessee. Much as UgaBulldog14 doesn’t want to use his geographic position as a deciding factor, I don’t want to use my chronological positioning. But I have to. I graduated from college in 2000. I well remember the 1996-1998 Tennessee squads. While I now count Peyton Manning as one of my favorite NFL players, and Tee Martin in fact tutored a couple of current Bulldog quarterbacks, I’ll never forget those years or totally forgive either one of them. I rank Florida #1, Auburn #2 and Tennessee #3.
I for one would vote GT.
However, this is not an option, so it would definitely have to be Tennessee. I attended the University towards the end of the Donnan/Carter administration and remember the annual shellacking we took at the hands of the Vols. In the nineties, I believe that they won 8 straight against us. I was in the stands when the entire stadium rushed the field and tore down the goal posts at the end of that streak, and despite winning 4 in a row, the Vols were able to unseat a number 3 ranked UGA team. Put up 30 something points in the second half in 06, and dismantled us in 07 keeping us out of the national championship. Another important factor that plays into this rivalry is that the Vols are one of the biggest obstacles every year to winning the SEC East crown. As an aside, I am an army brat and was born in Tennesee, my father is a unapologetic Vols fan, and my Uncle played D-line for them back in the early 70s. For me, it’s about family bragging rights.
by dawgdayafternoon on Feb 12, 2009 11:19 AM EST reply actions
I went with Tennessee
I graduated in ‘08. They were the only one of these teams that we had a losing record against during my college tenure (1-3 from ’04-’07), keeping us from the conference championship game twice in that span (’04, ’08) and handing us our first loss in humiliating fashion in ’06.
I have to do with the Chickens
Hailing from Augusta, I’ve always considered them the biggest rival to me after Florida and Auburn. As UgaBulldog14 mentions, it is completely geographical on my part. Sure, their program is an exercise in futility and mediocrity (they had to beat Vanderbilt last year to reach .500 as a program overall and even failed to do that, for crying out loud). The problem is the arrogance when the rare event of a South Carolina win over Georgia happens. For those not from the area, think of all the barking that GA Tech fans did after last year and multiply it by 1,000 and you may approach the South Carolina fans’ ranting.
http://hobnailboot.blogspot.com/
Ditto
I could just copy and past everything AuditDawg said except I live in SC. Believe me it’s freakn’ awful when they do pull one out of their arse. Don’t even get me started on the misery I went through in ‘00 and ’01. Let’s not forget the times they have ruined our season (an argument could be made for ’07 along with UT).
I’m curious to see where we end up on SC list of rivals. My guess is we’ll be #1. Some SC fans I know dislike us more than Clem[p]son.
Also
I have to laugh at the fact that for you to consider USC a rival, you have to live around USC fans.
Just proves how irrelevant they are.
First off ...
As Kyle mentioned, many Georgia fans would put Florida first, and age is a significant factor in that decision. For me, since we’re just talking about conference rivals (thereby excluding the Trade School (or GTU, since they’re so fond of that abbreviation over on the flats)), it’s 1. AU, 2. UF, 3. UT.
For most of us, you guys are by far our biggest SEC rival...
And just for the record, if we’re unbearably annoying when we pull an upset against you (and yes, I’ll agree with the guy that says it’s always, or at least almost always, an upset), it’s unbearably annoying how most Georgia fans are dismissive of us but seem to be obsessed with talking about how dismissive of us they are. We have a name for that kind of attitude: admission by over-denial.
At any rate, I don’t blame you guys for saying that Tennessee is a bigger rival, even if there is more historical animosity between the two of us. Since we’ve joined the SEC, your game with the Vols has had a lot more to do with your standing in the conference than your game with us.
Garnet and Black Attack: A Blog by and for Gamecocks Fans. http://www.garnetandblackattack.com
OK, folks...
We’ve played you about 20 times more than the Vols have. Look at history. Does anyone want to bring that up? We are what we are—Dawgs and Gamecocks. See you in Athens.
Garnet and Black Attack: A Blog by and for Gamecocks Fans. http://www.garnetandblackattack.com
It isn't purely a function of the number of series meetings
Georgia has played South Carolina 61 times in a series that dates back to 1894, but Georgia has played Vanderbilt 69 times in a series that dates back to 1893.
The series records are comparable: Georgia is 45-14-2 against the Gamecocks and 49-18-2 against the Commodores.
Georgia is 24-7 against South Carolina in Athens and 26-6 against Vanderbilt in the Classic City.
Georgia is 19-7-2 against the ’Cocks in Columbia and 22-7-1 against the ’Dores in Vanderbilt Stadium.
Georgia beat South Carolina ten straight times from 1908 to 1941, and again from 1966 to 1977. Georgia beat Vanderbilt eleven straight times from 1974 to 1984, and again from 1995 to 2005.
In games decided by a touchdown or less, Georgia is 16-7-2 against South Carolina and 8-8-2 against Vanderbilt.
I take nothing away from the Palmetto State Poultry, who have always played the Red and Black tough, who represent a particularly daunting opponent in Columbia (a city to which I will never again travel to see the ’Dawgs play), and with whom we clearly share more animosity than we share with Vanderbilt (although, really, who hates Vandy?).
However, facts are facts. If you want to argue that the Gamecocks pose a greater threat to Georgia today than Vandy does, that is a credible argument, although there certainly is a valid contrary point to be made.
Historically, though, Georgia’s rivalry with South Carolina is very much on a par with Georgia’s rivalry with Vanderbilt. I’m not being dismissive—-I take Vanderbilt seriously, too—-but, if we’re using number of series meetings as a criterion, the Commies have as good a claim as the ’Cocks.
Heck, South Carolina and Vanderbilt are both the second-biggest Bulldog rival in their home state.
Go 'Dawgs!
Touche. I should do my homework next time.
Garnet and Black Attack: A Blog by and for Gamecocks Fans. http://www.garnetandblackattack.com
by Gamecock Man on Feb 14, 2009 12:49 AM EST up reply actions
My take
Here’s how I look at this. I consider a “rival” a team that I get intense satisfaction from beating. By that criteria, I rank our 3 biggest SEC rivals UF, UT, and Auburn. However, if I were ranking teams that I hate to LOSE to the most, it would be UF, SCU, and UT. I guess that could also be a ranking of the unbearableness of there fans. I’d squeeze Tech in between UF and SCU for our non-conference opponents as well. Frankly, I’m more relieved than anything when we beat Tech or SCU. I get very little joy out of beating them, but God knows how obnoxious their fans are once every 5-6 years are.
I couldn't have said it better myself
That is it precisely. There is no satisfaction to be taken from beating either Georgia Tech or South Carolina, only relief at not losing. It is an experience to be gotten through, not an achievement to be savored.
By contrast, a game like, e.g., Tennessee in 2001 or 2003, Auburn in 2002, 2003, 2006, or 2007, or Florida in 2007 is cause for celebration; even a big win over Georgia Tech like the one in 2002 is merely satisfying, not joyous. Ditto a big win over South Carolina like the one in 2003.
Go 'Dawgs!
Tech 2002
Oh, I found that one joyous, and it sure felt like the crowd did, as well. It may be my memory (and my perhaps well-known distaste for the White and Gold), but the giddiness among the Georgia faithful was well beyond the normal satisfaction of beating the Jackets. Of course, not only did we beat the crap out of Tech, it was the final regular-season game of a season that could fairly be described as a return to greatness.
By the way, I wrote a long response (imagine that) within the last couple of days about historical rivalries. It’s not here. Now I’m wondering if I carelessly wrote something inappropriate prompting its removal or if it was merely a case of an internet glitch that made it disappear.
It had to have been an internet glitch
I certainly didn’t remove it, and I’m pretty certain I never saw it, either. Let me know if I need to contact the SB Nation technology guys for you.
I will grant that the 2002 Georgia Tech game was a lot of fun, and I understand why those with family connections to the rivalry (which I do not have to any meaningful extent) take it more seriously than I do.
Nevertheless, while beating any legitimate opponent 51-7 is more than merely satisfying, for me, beating Georgia Tech 51-7 was not, and beating South Carolina 51-7 would not be, remotely as enjoyable as a 51-7 win over Tennessee, Florida, or Auburn.
Go 'Dawgs!
NCT, I just checked your user profile . . .
. . . and it shows only comments and poll votes in recent days, not fanshots or fanposts.
If you’d like, you can click on your red-letter user name to see your profile, and maybe you can track it down from there. I’m afraid it’s lost to the internets, but, again, I’ll contact the technology guys if you need me to do so.
Go 'Dawgs!
No worries.
I was at work at the time, which is not the best place to contribute to blogs. It was probably a user error. I just hope I didn’t inadvertently insert my little missive on SEC rivalries into an email to a client’s risk management department. I’ve never had a bill audited, but the startling appearance of a discussion of South Carolina’s place in the life of a fairly old-fashioned Georgia fan might prompt someone to raise a question or two.
My parents were students in the 1950s. I’ve been going to games in Sanford since I was a toddler, some time in the late 1960s. My seventh and last football season as a student was in 1990. My “sense” of who our rivals are, therefore, was formed by events of that period of time, and the formation was pretty much a done deal as of 18 May 1991 (before there was a run of Florida dominance, before Tennessee became an annual opponent, and before USC became a member of the SEC), but subsequent events have certainly colored the aforementioned sense.
For me, Georgia’s three biggest SEC rivals are, in this order, Auburn, Florida, and Tennessee.
The placement of Auburn and Florida probably requires no explanation. I’ll mention that the neutral-site feature of the Florida series (traditions go a long way toward tipping my scale) and their recent success against Georgia are the two primary reasons Florida is important to me.
But why Tennessee and not USC (or Vandy or Kentucky or Ole Miss)? I mean no offense, but it takes effort for me to think of Arkansas and USC as SEC schools. It doesn’t take much effort, but it takes some. I have a lot of facts about the Southeastern Conference rattling around in my head. Here’s an example of how a typical thought might go: “Vanderbilt is the only SEC school (including all schools that have ever been members) that has never won a conference championship in football, except Sewanee. That would include Tech and Tulane. … … … … … … … oh, yeah. Arkansas and South Carolina.” I don’t necessarily object to the Razorbacks’ and Gamecocks’ memberships, it just doesn’t feel natural, and I have to think about it.
The advent of Tennessee as an annual rival is recent, compared to that of South Carolina. But the question was about “SEC rivals”. South Carolina is no less a member of the conference than Tennessee, but when one speaks of rivals, there’s an emotional component, is there not? There has never been a Southeastern Conference without Tennessee. There cannot be a Southeastern Conference without Tennessee. Tennessee is General Neyland. It’s Third Saturday. It’s 13 SEC championships, second only to Bama (wait a few years).
And I have to consider this: unless I’ve missed something, Georgia has never won an SEC championship in a season that included a loss to Tennessee. We’ve managed the SEC crown after losing to Auburn, Florida, or even South Carolina, but lose to Tennessee? no championship. We did it once after tying them, but we can’t, apparently, win the conference if we lose to the Volunteers.
Don't forget...
Auburn has been a neutral-site game more often than not, although no longer…
by War Eagle Atlanta on Feb 16, 2009 6:52 PM EST up reply actions
That's an excellent point, War Eagle Atlanta
There was a long tradition of playing the Deep South’s oldest football rivalry in Columbus, which was in one team’s home state but closer to the other team’s campus.
Historically, Auburn (much like Clemson) had trouble getting longstanding rivals to come to its campus to play. Georgia is the only Auburn rival that didn’t make a big fuss about going to a home-and-home series. Other rivals, such as Georgia Tech and (particularly) Alabama fought the move tooth and nail, but the Bulldogs went willingly to the Loveliest Village, setting up the odd absence of home field advantage that has hallmarked the series on both sides.
I’m looking forward to the results of your research. Please be sure to drop us a link in a fanpost when the results are available for our perusal.
Go 'Dawgs!
I shall, in about another hour...
True, Kyle. All SEC teams were very reluctant to come to the Plains, the last being Tennessee in 1980 and Alabama in 1989. For the first almost-60 years of the Auburn-GA Tech series, they made us play in Atlanta. At least we held our own there, as we still own the all-time series against North Avenue Trade School.
by War Eagle Atlanta on Feb 16, 2009 11:18 PM EST up reply actions
It was the same deal with Clemson
The Tigers (the other Tigers, that is) had to play Georgia Tech in Atlanta for generations, as well as having to face South Carolina in Columbia on “Big Thursday” before Death Valley had a seating capacity large enough to host the game.
Once again, though, Georgia traveled to Fort Hill agreeably often, meeting Clemson at Bowman Field as early as 1902. That series, too, had its neutral-site phase (Georgia and Clemson met on a Thursday at the Georgia-Carolina fair in Augusta for seven straight seasons from 1907 to 1913), but the Bulldogs have played the Country Gentlemen more or less home-and-home since the mid-1950s.
Go 'Dawgs!
by T Kyle King on Feb 16, 2009 11:42 PM EST up reply actions
Grant Field
It’s hard to believe now, but the Trade School, home of the oldest on-campus stadium in all of Div I, set the regional standard for collegiate football venues for decades, just as their football teams were powerhouses under Heisman, Alexander, and Dodd. How the mighty have fallen.
BTW:
We played our high school games in Memorial Stadium in Columbus. Sure was hard to imagine Auburn and Georgia playing for decades in that place…
by War Eagle Atlanta on Feb 16, 2009 11:19 PM EST up reply actions
Good point
Of course, at the time of the last Georgia-Auburn game in Columbus (1958), Sanford Stadium had a seating capacity of 36,000, which would not be boosted to 43,621 until 1964. Had Columbus remained our Jacksonville, the facility there would have had to have kept pace, much as the Gator Bowl did even before the Jaguars came to town.
Go 'Dawgs!
by T Kyle King on Feb 16, 2009 11:46 PM EST up reply actions
Indeed
And that’s one of the reasons Auburn ranks no. 1 on my list. Of course, the traditions of playing Florida and Auburn at neutral sites became as strong as they did because neither Florida nor Auburn had a decent stadium at home. Within a few years after Cliff Hare Stadium was expanded to a decent size, the game left Columbus. Florida Field, on the other hand, didn’t grow to be a major venue until the mid 1960s (temporary bleachers had expanded their capacity much earlier, but it still couldn’t compete with the other major programs in the region), by which time the Gator Bowl was, I believe, well established and, in any event, Jacksonville made a commitment to the game that Columbus couldn’t or wouldn’t.
Here it is! Who are the Most Prevalent Rivals in the SEC?
It’s amazing how varied the opinions differ among birds of a feather. Here’s my stab at it.
by War Eagle Atlanta on Feb 17, 2009 12:51 AM EST reply actions
Everything pales...
…..next to the hate for Florida.
Some additional ingredients to rivalries....
There are a couple of other factors that help make Tennessee a big rival (maybe others have mentioned them, and I just missed it).
One is the stadium rivalry. Neyland (albeit by stuffing fans into uncomfortably small "seats") is the biggest in the conference, and watching 100,000 orange-clad fanatics go home unhappy is part of the joy of winning in Knoxville.
The other is the long history of Tennessee (along with Auburn and Clemson) heavily relying on the state of Georgia for its football talent (I know USC has always had lots of players from Georgia as well, but not so much the conspicuous four- and five-star players, with Eric Berry being the latest example). That’s one reason it’s so wonderful to get a player like Marlon Brown out of Memphis.
Since we’re talking about USC in this thread, I do have to say that its fan base probably has the highest loyalty-to-rewards ratio of any program in the country. That’s why EVEN with Spurrier there, I sorta like to see them win so long as it’s not against the Dawgs.
You got that right about South Carolina
They have got the most loyal bunch of fans I’ve ever seen. Those people come out and support their team no matter what. That stadium is rocking everytime I’ve been there. With all the support I don’t understand why they just can’t get a winning tradition going or why Columbia is gradually turning into a coaches’ graveyard. See: Holtz, Lou; Spurrier, Steve for examples of the graveyard effect.
http://hobnailboot.blogspot.com/
South Carolina is like my 401(K)...
…..I keep putting loads of money into it, but it is in a constant losing cycle……
That said, I’ve never hated SC. I always pulled for them because they played the Lake Hartwell Cow College. They have such loyal fans and nothing to show for it. They are like Vandy – you really don’t celebrate the victory, you just dread the remote chance of losing.
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