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Story Archives: November time for champions
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November time for champions
November.
Where champions are made.
Sure, the BCS champion will be crowned in two months following the BCS game.
But it's the grueling month of November when the cream rises to the top, the real contenders overcome injuries, fatigue and letdowns, and the pretenders fall to the pressure.
Just look back at some November classics.
On Nov. 11, 2006, Florida edged South Carolina and former coach Steve Spurrier 17-16 before holding off arch-rival Florida State, 21-14 two weeks later.
And talk about turning it up a notch in November. If Reggie Jackson was Mr. October, Tim Tebow was Mr. November.
In 2008, on their way to a national title, Florida started off November by defeating Georgia, 49-10. Then came a 42-14 win over Vanderbilt, a 56-6 stomping of the Gamecocks, a 70-19 shellacking of The Citadel (always good to put a gimmee in there) and a 45-15 blowout against Florida State.
In 2004, Southern Cal survived Oregon State, 28-20 in its first game in November before beating Arizona 49-9, crushing Notre Dame 41-10 and holding off UCLA 41-10.
In 2003 in November, LSU beat Louisiana Tech 49-10 on November 1, defeated Alabama 27-3 two weeks later, held off Ole Miss 17-14 before running past Arkansas 55-24 on its way to its second national title.
In 2007, LSU had a thrilling 41-34 win over Alabama on November 3, followed by easy wins over Louisiana Tech and Ole Miss. On Nov. 23, LSU outlasted Arkansas 50-48 in three overtimes before beating Tennessee and Ohio State for the national championship.
This year promises to be no different.
Of course, the LSU-Alabama game Saturday will go a long way in determining the final picture.
LSU has ULM, Ole Miss and Arkansas waiting in the wings, with the final two games certainly challenges for the Tigers.
Right now, the game of the year appears to be Nov. 26, the Friday after Thanksgiving as Alabama hosts Auburn.
The Iron Bowl has all the makings of a championship game of its own if the two teams win out before that final game.
The game being playing in Tuscaloosa is huge, but Auburn does have an open date the week before the contest.
Alabama does play Georgia State the week before, so you may as well say they also have an open date.
Alabama hosts Mississippi State next week, so coming off the emotional game against LSU, that could be a trap game. And we have certainly had our share of those this year.
Auburn faces Georgia on Nov. 13 and that is certainly not one they can mail in.
LSU fans would love an upset there if the Tigers upset Alabama Saturday. That would be the only way LSU could get into the SEC Championship Game if they win out. Then again, if Auburn gets into the championship game and loses to the likes of South Carolina or Florida, that would create another interesting scenario.
Oregon has Washington Saturday and the Ducks face Arizona on the final November Saturday before taking on rival Oregon State.
TCU meets Utah Saturday and that game will determine which team could crash the national championship party, although it will take other teams losing two games.
Boise State has an easy run through November and the only trap game may be at Nevada on Nov. 26.
So who will be standing tall in December awaiting the BCS championship game.
The team that survives November. |
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