COmmentary
Buckeyes don't stand a chance against SEC
Sunday, December 30, 2007 3:49 AM
By John Adams
If it's bowl season, then it's the Southeastern Conference vs. the Big Ten. If it's the SEC vs. the Big Ten, then it's speed vs. toughness.
In last year's national championship game, you saw Florida's advantage in speed every time Ohio State target -- I mean, quarterback -- Troy Smith dropped back to pass. You saw Ohio State's toughness when All-America linebacker James Laurinaitis tried to tackle Florida quarterback Tim Tebow.
Laurinaitis looked so dazed when he finally gained his footing, he probably didn't realize the Gators had just scored another touchdown.
If you ever doubt the SEC is superior to the Big Ten in football, watch the Florida-Ohio State highlight video. Don't get the wrong idea. The Big Ten doesn't always lose to the SEC. Only Ohio State does that.
Even if the SEC does lose to the Big Ten, it rarely loses its sense of superiority. For example, in Tennessee's loss to Penn State in the 2007 Outback Bowl, the Volunteers merely fumbled the game over to their inferior Big Ten opponent.
Here are the Big Ten's five most humiliating bowl losses to the SEC since 2000:
? Florida 41, Ohio State 14: The Buckeyes entered last season's national championship game as an unbeaten favorite. Ohio State was so inept against Florida, fans of archrival Michigan felt embarrassed by association.
? Tennessee 45, Michigan 17: The 2002 Citrus Bowl was a classic when it comes to perpetuating stereotypes. The Vols looked really fast (see tight end Jason Witten outrunning Michigan's secondary). The Wolverines looked really slow (see tight end Jason Witten outrunning Michigan's secondary).
? Georgia 28, Purdue 25: In the 2000 Outback Bowl, Georgia spotted Purdue a 25-0 lead before rallying for an overtime victory.
? South Carolina 24, Ohio State 7: The Gamecocks beat the Buckeyes in the 2001 Outback Bowl, then OSU fired coach John Cooper.
? South Carolina 31, Ohio State 28: The Buckeyes had an entire year to figure out how to beat the Gamecocks. The best they could do was come close in the 2002 Outback Bowl.
John Adams is a columnist for the Knoxville (Tenn.) News Sentinel.