The investigation into Cam Newton’s recruitment has not been closed, but for the moment, all is right on the Plains and Auburn is poised to salve their undefeated-for-naught wounds of 2004 with another appearance in the conference championship, one from which they’re widely favored to emerge victorious and move on to Glendale and the BCS title game.
The lineup for the 2010 SEC Championship Game has been set for a while now, with Auburn and South Carolina each clinching their division before the end of regular-season play, but one of the rosters has been threatened with the possibility of upheaval in recent weeks. A PR disaster has been averted, however; the Tigers’ showpiece quarterback has been ruled eligible and will suit up Saturday in the Georgia Dome. What future disasters this might engender, no one can say, but here we are. Now, blessedly, on to football.
Compelling on-field storylines abound in this weekend’s matchup. The Tigers have 2004 and their title snub to avenge. This is the first time any team not named Florida, Georgia, or Tennessee has won the SEC East, and it’s Steve Spurrier’s first trip back to the SECCG since leaving Gainesville. Where in years past many quality East teams would bitterly accept invitations to lesser bowls, this year it’s the SEC West that’s bringing the depth.
Auburn has history on its side, with a 6-1-1 all-time record against the Gamecocks, but Spurrier revels in playing the spoiler, both on the sidelines and in front of a live microphone. And while the Ol’ Ballcoach may have lost some of his former spiteful vim, his team will need all the swagger they can muster to contend with the Tigers’ war machine offense:
SEC Championship Game 2010: Auburn And South Carolina
[Cam Newton] is responsible for 43 touchdowns this season and can break the SEC record with one more score this weekend. The versatile performer has completed 67.9 percent of his passes for 2,254 yards and 24 touchdowns with only six interceptions, and he has also rushed for 1,336 yards and 18 touchdowns. Newton caught a touchdown pass in one of the team's 12 wins, and he spearheads an offense that accounts for 490.1 yards per game.
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Michael Dyer, Onterrio McCalebb and Mario Fannin are all talented tailbacks who have helped the Tigers rack up 41.6 ppg. They have combined for nearly 2,000 rushing yards and 18 scores on the ground. As for the receivers, Darvin Adams is tops with 41 catches for 692 yards, while Emory Blake has scored on six of his 24 grabs.
A note of caution to advance crowers and writers-off of the boys from Columbia: Defensively, the Tigers are much more vulnerable (though not poor), and it's between that and a stalward defense of their own that South Carolina's best hopes for an upset lie. Key matchups include Auburn's above-average ground defense (a top-ten unit that balances out their atrocious numbers against the pass) against the Gamecocks' freshman phemon tailback Marcus Lattimore, sophomore sack-generating defensive end Devin Taylor versus Newton, and the crown of infamous Auburn linebacker Nick Fairley's helmet against SC quarterback Stephen Garcia's already-injured shoulder.
Also, for those of you making side bets, take heed: Injured or no, there's a better-than-even chance Garcia gets benched at one point in the Georgia Dome for Connor Shaw, because Spurrier can never seem to muster quite so much hate for opposing teams as he can resentment for quarterbacks under his command whose jerseys don't read "WUERFFEL" across the back.
The 2010 SEC Championship Game kicks off at 4 p.m. EST this Saturday. Connect with Auburn and South Carolina fans on SB Nation at Track ‘Em Tigers and Garnet And Black Attack.
