Most Underrated Rivalry in SEC

[McLoofus 35,182]

8 minutes ago, Bro Johnny Mac said:

Good points, LSU is a one of the big three right now without a doubt.Hard to imagine a season not playing LSU.

I hope we can bring back the gators.

I think one’s perception is shaped by what they grew up with. 
 

I bet there are some young younguns who already think of TAMU and Arkansas as bigger rivals than Tennessee and Florida. 

I'm with you. I'd bring back UF in a perfect world. UT... eh. 

[fredst 9,064]

8 minutes ago, McLoofus said:

I'm with you. I'd bring back UF in a perfect world. UT... eh.

This. I don’t know what it was but I used to love those UF games. Always so much talent on the field. The 1985 AU-UF game (which unfortunately AU lost) had an obscene amount of future NFL talent playing;  now that was an intense, physical game. UF lack of conference and national titles was just a product of poor coaching through the years mostly. Recency bias favors other games as “rivalries”. That was the game I hated to see leave the schedule even though it made Auburn’s road tougher every year.

[Viper 3,139]

3 hours ago, Brad_ATX said:

Pretty sure it was at LSU back in the early 2000s

Ah ha…it was both LSU in 2001 and ARK in 2005…

https://www.tigerdroppings.com/rant/lsu-sports/pics-of-the-burned-auburn-van/9988323/page-2/

[Viper 3,139]

3 hours ago, Brad_ATX said:

If you made it final two minutes, add at least 2017 and this year.  Final drive was technically taking knees, but losing team had the ball late with a chance to take the lead.

I knew I left out one or two. I was so irate at Gus after the 17 game, I have that permanently blocked from my memory. 

[I_M4_AU 8,054]

12 hours ago, Brad_ATX said:

Disagree.  UF didn't win their first conference title until 1991, so a large chunk of our games against them had very little in regards to stakes for both teams.

If you go back prior to the 1992 season when the SEC went to divisions, there was the Amen Corner:

Legendary former Auburn coach Pat Dye coined ‘Amen Corner’ as it applies on the Plains in the 1980’s, when his teams faced a make-or-break row of games against Florida then Georgia and then Alabama. 

At the time in the season those games were played there were high hopes for each team.  If Florida had gotten by UGA, Auburn was literally the last hurdle to an SEC Championship that they could control.  That only worked out for them in ‘91. Those games usually set up who was going to win the SEC in any given year and it may not have been any of those 3 teams.  More often than not, it meant Bama would take the crown as they usually didn’t play either Florida or UGA.

Those games were the rivalry created by Dye and in the 80’s they were intense.

 

[Viper 3,139]

13 hours ago, TigerPAC said:

The UF rb in ‘83....wasn’t it Neal Anderson?  Great game.  I still remember the pic on sports page in the paper on that Sunday morning.  

Indeed, Neal Anderson. 

 

[I_M4_AU 8,054]

4 minutes ago, Viper said:

Indeed, Neal Anderson. 

 

I was at that game and the Florida team fell apart after Bo took it 80 yards the play after the fumble.  That was a 10 point swing.

[augolf1716 21,432]

5 hours ago, Bro Johnny Mac said:

I think one’s perception is shaped by what they grew up with. 

This is true because I would say UT w/o a doubt.... hell back then UF did not beat Auburn in Auburn for like until the 40 years plus UT did not play us at home we had to play them in Bham

[Howard Roark 195]

20 hours ago, AUght2win said:

In my opinion, is Auburn-Florida.

With OU and Texas coming, and Auburn switching to the East once again becoming a topic, I wanted to spotlight this rivalry that almost no one talks about anymore.

The two schools have met 84 times. For reference, the Iron Bowl has been played 85 times. Florida is 5th on Auburn's list of most all time matches. For Florida, we are the 2nd most played game in school history, trailing only UGA.

The rivalry is tied 25-25 since 1957. Throw in the recruiting battle history (Emmitt Smith), historic upsets, and a guy named Cam Newton. There's a lot to love.

Why isn't this game more revered than it is? Why aren't both schools fighting to preserve it? 

The NCAA record book lists Auburn as a national champion in 1913, 1957, 1983, 1993 and 2010.  You can add 2004 for a total of 6 we have every right to claim.  Others also list 1910 and 1914 as well and they have a great case.  

[AU9377 5,136]

18 hours ago, Win4AU said:

BHG is my favorite road stadium.  I’ve been to Tennessee and LSU and neither compares to Ben Hill Griffin.  The fact that we have played their once in ten years is a travesty.  Whatever they do with the new conference I hope it results in playing teams more often.

BHG is fun, but in my opinion is also dogged ugly.  When I think of that stadium, my mind goes immediately to painted cinder blocks.  My favorite is UT, but that is likely due to my having had such good experiences there tailgating on boats along the river etc.

Auburn/Florida is such an historic rivalry that it is a shame it isn't still played yearly.  It far outshines LSU in that regard.

[SRBautigerfan 1,040]

2 hours ago, Howard Roark said:

The NCAA record book lists Auburn as a national champion in 1913, 1957, 1983, 1993 and 2010.  You can add 2004 for a total of 6 we have every right to claim.  Others also list 1910 and 1914 as well and they have a great case.  

NCAA record book supports it but unfortunately there's no shortage of Auburn folks that don't think we should claim them for some reason.  

[clwn 336]

1 hour ago, SRBautigerfan said:

NCAA record book supports it but unfortunately there's no shortage of Auburn folks that don't think we should claim them for some reason.  

That 2004 team was so damn good. Legit claim there. Them and 2010 team were just all around fun to watch and something to be proud of as a fan. I always joke that if you put 2004 team vs 2010 team the game would probably still be going on as they both refused to lose lol.

[Brad_ATX 13,654]

3 hours ago, I_M4_AU said:

If you go back prior to the 1992 season when the SEC went to divisions, there was the Amen Corner:

Legendary former Auburn coach Pat Dye coined ‘Amen Corner’ as it applies on the Plains in the 1980’s, when his teams faced a make-or-break row of games against Florida then Georgia and then Alabama. 

At the time in the season those games were played there were high hopes for each team.  If Florida had gotten by UGA, Auburn was literally the last hurdle to an SEC Championship that they could control.  That only worked out for them in ‘91. Those games usually set up who was going to win the SEC in any given year and it may not have been any of those 3 teams.  More often than not, it meant Bama would take the crown as they usually didn’t play either Florida or UGA.

Those games were the rivalry created by Dye and in the 80’s they were intense.

 

Well aware of Amen Corner back in those days.  My point though is that UF was never really relevant in the SEC or national title race until the 1990s.  So while it was a tough game, it was never one with consistently monster stakes for both schools in those days.

The LSU/Auburn game has had more games of consequence in a shorter amount of time.

[Brad_ATX 13,654]

10 minutes ago, clwn said:

That 2004 team was so damn good. Legit claim there. Them and 2010 team were just all around fun to watch and something to be proud of as a fan. I always joke that if you put 2004 team vs 2010 team the game would probably still be going on as they both refused to lose lol.

2004 team would win by double-digits.

[Viper 3,139]

1 hour ago, Brad_ATX said:

2004 team would win by double-digits.

How so? They could only muster 1 TD and 3 FGs against an overrated Virginia Tech team. 2010 did not play up to their standards either against Oregon, but Oregon was a FAR better team than 2004 VT.

Yes 2004 destroyed TN regular season, but had to stage off a comeback late in the SECCG rematch and gave up 228 rushing yards.

Scored nothing in the 1st half in Tuberville-Denny stadium. Yes, 2010 played pathetic in the 1st half in the same stadium too, but they did score a TD. And added 21 points in the 2nd half, the same point total as 2004 in the 2nd half.

Both scored late to beat LSU and held LSU on their final drive.

Too many statistical similarities between the two teams to say one would beat the other by double digits. 

I have always said 2004 would beat 2010, but it would be the closest game ever seen and I wouldn’t bet a nickel on it. As @clwn alluded to, it would go multiple OTs. And it would be glorious. 

[clwn 336]

5 minutes ago, Viper said:

How so? They could only muster 1 TD and 3 FGs against an overrated Virginia Tech team. 2010 did not play up to their standards either against Oregon, but Oregon was a FAR better team than 2004 VT.

Yes 2004 destroyed TN regular season, but had to stage off a comeback late in the SECCG rematch and gave up 228 rushing yards.

Scored nothing in the 1st half in Tuberville-Denny stadium. Yes, 2010 played pathetic in the 1st half in the same stadium too, but they did score a TD. And added 21 points in the 2nd half, the same point total as 2004 in the 2nd half.

Both scored late to beat LSU and held LSU on their final drive.

Too many statistical similarities between the two teams to say one would beat the other by double digits. 

I have always said 2004 would beat 2010, but it would be the closest game ever seen and I wouldn’t bet a nickel on it. As @clwn alluded to, it would go multiple OTs. And it would be glorious. 

Absolutely. I'd pay a whole lot of money to see that matchup. Imagine in todays OT rules where you line up for 2pts after 2nd OT lol. With Cam and Dyer for 2010 and Ronnie and Cadillac for 2004... we talking what 50+ OTs? lol.

[autiger88 3,777]

42 minutes ago, clwn said:

Absolutely. I'd pay a whole lot of money to see that matchup. Imagine in todays OT rules where you line up for 2pts after 2nd OT lol. With Cam and Dyer for 2010 and Ronnie and Cadillac for 2004... we talking what 50+ OTs? lol.

Before I read your post I was about to post the same exact thing I can only imagine how many OTs it would go 🤣

[Viper 3,139]

56 minutes ago, clwn said:

Absolutely. I'd pay a whole lot of money to see that matchup. Imagine in todays OT rules where you line up for 2pts after 2nd OT lol. With Cam and Dyer for 2010 and Ronnie and Cadillac for 2004... we talking what 50+ OTs? lol.

And remember how potent O-Mac was on the jet sweep inside the 5-yard line. Scored three times on it v Georgia.

[Dual-Threat Rigby 8,813]

Not many Auburn fans born around my time or later really have much to go on on historical significance 

 

it’s the same way posters on here wax poetic about the GT series. Not much folks under 30 or so can contribute, which is why it goes under the radar

[Dual-Threat Rigby 8,813]

2 hours ago, Brad_ATX said:

Well aware of Amen Corner back in those days.  My point though is that UF was never really relevant in the SEC or national title race until the 1990s.  So while it was a tough game, it was never one with consistently monster stakes for both schools in those days.

The LSU/Auburn game has had more games of consequence in a shorter amount of time.

LSU-Auburn is definitely the most underrated rivalry for millennial + zoomers. Top 2 Western teams throughout most of 2000s and the wonkiest games Auburn consistently had in the 2010s

[Viper 3,139]

2 minutes ago, Dual-Threat Rigby said:

LSU-Auburn is definitely the most underrated rivalry for millennial + zoomers. Top 2 Western teams throughout most of 2000s and the wonkiest games Auburn consistently had in the 2010s

Like I said above, I grew up in the 80s when the FL rivalry really took off. Plus the 93/94 upsets over Spurrier were ultra historic. But I prefer the LSU rivalry over FL…and even Georgia…because of the number of tight games. 

[toddc 13,194]

Against Florida we recruit a lot of the same players and that’s always gonna make a good rivalry game.

[augolf1716 21,432]

29 minutes ago, Dual-Threat Rigby said:

poetic about the GT series

Skrew gt frickin hate the sob...bobby dodd sucks wind

[TuscaloosaTiger 294]

Mention was made of the 1983 AU vs UF game.  Many may not remember that the 1983 UF team beat Miami the first game of the season.  Miami would go on the rest of the year without a loss and beat the great Nebraska team to win the NC. That Nebraska team came into Auburn and beat the stew out of us. The Nebraska  team was among the most talented teams ever to set foot in Jordan-Hare with Turner Gill, Mike Rozier, Irving Friar, Dean Steinkuler (Remington trophy winner?). I could have run through the holes the Nebraska OL created.  I believe most if not all were 5th year redshirt seniors.  Just a distant memory.

[IronMan70 3,277]

6 minutes ago, TuscaloosaTiger said:

Mention was made of the 1983 AU vs UF game.  Many may not remember that the 1983 UF team beat Miami the first game of the season.  Miami would go on the rest of the year without a loss and beat the great Nebraska team to win the NC. That Nebraska team came into Auburn and beat the stew out of us. The Nebraska  team was among the most talented teams ever to set foot in Jordan-Hare with Turner Gill, Mike Rozier, Irving Friar, Dean Steinkuler (Remington trophy winner?). I could have run through the holes the Nebraska OL created.  I believe most if not all were 5th year redshirt seniors.  Just a distant memory.

Auburn won the '83 Championship based on numerous valid criteria.