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USA Today
6 days ago
- Sport
- USA Today
Where does Auburn-Alabama rank among the best rivalries in the SEC?
Where does Auburn-Alabama rank among the best rivalries in the SEC? Does USA TODAY Sports feel that the Iron Bowl is the best rivalry in the SEC? College football fans from the state of Alabama would agree that the annual Iron Bowl between Auburn and Alabama is the best rivalry not only in the SEC, but in all of college football. Does one expert from USA TODAY Sports agree? With the discussion of the SEC's possible move from eight conference games to nine, USA TODAY Sports columnist Blake Toppmeyer shared his ranking of the SEC's top rivalries and how likely they are to continue should the SEC change its scheduling format. Toppmeyer places the Iron Bowl in a category with the Egg Bowl between Ole Miss and Mississippi State and the Red River Showdown between Oklahoma and Texas as "non-negotioables" and feels that those three rivalries are safe from elimination. Not only does Toppmeyer feel strongly that the Iron Bowl should not be touched with possible expansion, but he feels that it is the conference's best rivalry. He puts the Iron Bowl at No. 1 ahead of Red River, the Egg Bowl, and the World's Largest Cocktail Party, citing implications that are usually at stake when the Tigers and Tide meet on the field. Instate rivalries hit differently, especially when that state is football-crazed Alabama. As an Auburn fan once said, the Iron Bowl isn't life or death. It's much bigger than that. There been national title implications and memorable moments that serve to add to the lore. There are only four SEC rivalries that feature instate teams. Auburn-Alabama and Ole Miss-Mississippi State have been the most intense over the years, with Texas-Texas A&M becoming prominent with the Longhorns joining the conference last year. However, the Iron Bowl takes the cake as far as the magnitude of games it has produced in past years. The 2010 game was special as Auburn stormed back from 24-point deficit to knock off Alabama and keep its national title hopes alive, Auburn won the 2013 game thanks to the infamous "kick six" return, and the Tigers knocked off their second No. 1 team in three weeks when it beat Alabama in 2017. On the opposite end, Alabama snuck away from Auburn in 2009 to stay alive in the SEC title hunt, and used the "grave digger" play to beat Auburn in 2023 with a hail mary on 4th and 31. The game has produced several special memories such as the four-overtime game in 2022 and the 2014 game that saw both teams combine to post 1,169 total yards in Alabama's 55-44 win over Auburn. The Crimson Tide has won five games in a row over Auburn during the Tigers' rebuilding phase. However, Hugh Freeze hopes to begin closing the gap this season when the two teams meet at Jordan-Hare Stadium on Nov. 29. Contact/Follow us @TheAuburnWire on X (Twitter), and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Auburn news, notes, and opinions. You can also follow Taylor on Twitter @TaylorJones__
USA Today
23-05-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
Which SEC teams still have a QB competition after spring camp?
Which SEC teams still have a QB competition after spring camp? Spring camp is the audition, and fall camp is the callback. Players transfer out after dropping down the depth chart in the spring, and the ones who impressed get the summer to work out before securing their spot in the fall. It's especially true with players at premium positions, such as quarterback. One of the worst situations for an SEC team to be in is not knowing who their starter is heading into the summer, and it's pretty easy to gauge the upcoming class of signal callers within the conference by the end of the spring. USA TODAY Sports national college football columnist Blake Toppmeyer recently broke down the starting quarterback competitions across the SEC and grouped teams into one of three categories: "We know the starting quarterback," "Door remains cracked in quarterback competition," and "Door fully open in quarterback competition." Unsurprisingly, Florida falls into the first category with DJ Lagway as the clear starter on the roster. "The Gators won four straight games to finish last season while Lagway started as a true freshman. He's a top-tier SEC quarterback," said Toppmeyer. Which teams are still figuring it out at QB? Lagway is one of 13 presumed starters on Toppmeyer's list, and the three schools that still have some uncertainty at quarterback aren't who most would expect. It's not the Vanderbilts of the conference. It's Alabama, Georgia and Tennessee. The Bulldogs and Crimson Tide are in the "door remains cracked" group, while Tennessee is still standing still with its pants down after losing starter Nico Iamleava to UCLA in the transfer portal. Ty Simpson and Gunner Stockton appear like the heir apparents at Alabama and Georgia, respectively, but the former has five-star freshman Keelon Russell to consider. The rest of the class Lagway's anointment as the leader of Florida's offense came a year earlier than expected when Graham Mertz went down with a season-ending ACL tear; however, he showed flashes early in a record-breaking start against FCS Samford. The rest of.. There are other returning starters: Arkansas' Taylor Green enters his second year with the program after transferring from Boise State; LSU has Garrett Nussmeier back for another season; Blake Shapen returns from injury for Mississippi State; LaNorris Sellers enjoyed a breakout year for South Carolina and is one of the top quarterbacks in the conference; Marcel Reed forced Conner Weigman out at Texas A&M while taking over the starting role; and Diego Pavia has another year of eligibility at Vanderbilt. There are the transfers: Auburn head coach Hugh Freeze has outright named Oklahoma transfer Jackson Arnold the starter already; Kentucky brought Zach Calzada, formerly of Texas A&M, back to the SEC after most recently playing for FCS Incarnate World; Missouri added Beau Pribula from Penn State; and Oklahoma replaced Arnold with Washington's John Mateer, who might be among the best in the country this season. Finally, there are the two first-time starters stepping up in the program: Texas' Arch Manning and Ole Miss' Austin Simmons. Manning has the surname to live up to but is already considered a Heisman contender despite not playing a ton in his first two seasons. Simmons is a one-time Florida commit who got playing time as a back to Jaxson Dart last year. Lane Kiffin is high on him and he should get every chance to start. Follow us @GatorsWire on X, formerly known as Twitter, as well as Bluesky, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Florida Gators news, notes and opinions.
USA Today
22-05-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
Florida football's rivalry games with these two long-time foes are among the SEC's top 10
Florida football's rivalry games with these two long-time foes are among the SEC's top 10 One of the things that makes college football — and collegiate sports as a whole — so special is the rivalry games played between schools with long histories of hating each other. The Southeastern is home to some of the best of the best when it comes to historical rivalries. With the question of whether the league will stick to its current eight-game SEC schedule or add a ninth looming overhead, USA TODAY Sports writer Blake Toppmeyer took a moment to rank the top 10 rivalry games down in the deep south. Keep in mind, the SEC has been around since 1932 and many rivalries go back before its founding as members of the erstwhile Southern Conference. Among the current members whose history dates back over a century are the Florida Gators, as well as the Georgia Bulldogs and Tennessee Volunteers. These three cornerstone programs earned four of the 10 spots in Toppmeyer's rankings, with two of the Gators' rivalry games against the aforementioned schools represented. Ranked fourth is the Florida-Georgia game — which is among the best in the nation even in off years — and the more recently minted rivalry between the Gators and Volunteers, which ranks 10th. Here's how Toppmeyer rates the SEC's 10 best rivalries — some of which could land on the chopping block if the eight-game schedule persists in perpetuity. Florida-Georgia rivalry game "This rivalry touts its own hall of fame dedicated to the series," he notes. "The longtime designation of this rivalry as 'The World's Largest Outdoor Cocktail Party' sums up the vibe for this game played in Jacksonville, Florida." Florida-Tennessee rivalry game "This rivalry lacks the tradition of others, but at its crescendo in the 1990s and early 2000s, this September clash charted the course for SEC supremacy," Toppmeyer offers. "The game peaked when it pitted Steve Spurrier against Phillip Fulmer, but, even now, animosity lingers between these fan bases." Ranking SEC football's top 10 rivalry games Alabama-Auburn (Iron Bowl) Oklahoma-Texas (Red River) Mississippi-Mississippi State (Egg Bowl) Florida-Georgia Texas-Texas A&M Alabama-LSU Auburn-Georgia Alabama-Tennessee LSU-Mississippi (Magnolia Bowl) Florida-Tennessee Follow us @GatorsWire on X, formerly known as Twitter, as well as Bluesky, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Florida Gators news, notes and opinions.
USA Today
31-03-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
USA TODAY picks Houston over Florida in national championship ahead of Final Four
USA TODAY picks Houston over Florida in national championship ahead of Final Four USA TODAY columnist Blake Toppmeyer picked Houston over Florida in the national championship game before a single game of the NCAA Tournament was played. With the Final Four now set and both teams still in play, Toppmeyer isn't changing his prediction. Picking against Duke is not for the faint of heart, especially if there's money on the line, but Toppmeyer knows what he likes and isn't backing away from what he thinks makes a national champion. It's less bold to pick Florida over Auburn, considering the matchup has already been played and the Gators won while the Tigers held a homecourt advantage. "I gravitate to experience in the NCAA Tournament," Toppmeyer said, "and I'm further pulled toward playmaking guards. Houston and Florida are filled with experience and shot-making guards. Florida's Walton Clayton Jr. is a clutch bucket waiting to happen. Nobody defends better than Houston, and the Cougars go five-deep with players who can score in double figures." Toppmeyer said he was tempted to flip his pick to Florida because of how well Clayton has played in March Madness, but defense wins championships and Houston is a juggernaut on the side of the ball. Still, one of Florida's greatest strengths is the ability to adapt to its opponent's play style and beat them at their own game. The UConn win might be the best example of that ability. The Huskies play at one of the slowest tempos in the country, and the Gators found themselves trailing, 55-51, inside seven minutes. A Walter Clayton-led comeback pushed Florida into the next round and Connecticut was left stunned after executing its gameplan to near perfection. "It's no secret how to make a Final Four: Build a team that can win in multiple ways, that's comfortable winning in the 60s or the 80s," he said. Follow us @GatorsWire on X, formerly known as Twitter, as well as Bluesky, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Florida Gators news, notes and opinions.
USA Today
17-03-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
Auburn's March Madness 2025 bracket considered the toughest by USA TODAY's Blake Toppmeyer
Auburn's March Madness 2025 bracket considered the toughest by USA TODAY's Blake Toppmeyer Blake Toppmeyer of USA TODAY Sports forecasts Auburn to have a challenging road to the Final Four. Auburn basketball was awarded the overall No. 1 seed in this year's NCAA Tournament. However, the title has little merit when it comes to the difficulty of the draw. Despite earning the top overall seed, Blake Toppmeyer of USA TODAY Sports says the South regional is the toughest of this year's NCAA Tournament. Toppmeyer predicts that Auburn will hit a roadblock in the second round. Auburn earned the tournament's No. 1 overall seed. Its prize: A potential second-round game against No. 8 Louisville, in Lexington, Kentucky. That's not a prize. That's a boobytrap. I rate Louisville, which won 27 games, as the tournament's best No. 8 seed. Elsewhere in Auburn's South Region lurks No. 2 Michigan State, the Big Ten's regular-season champion, and No. 5 Michigan, the Big Ten Tournament champion. Also lurking in the South is No. 3 Iowa State, which lost to Auburn by just two points in November. Auburn's potential second-round matchup with Louisville could be the most intriguing of the weekend. Sure, Auburn trumps the Cardinals in both ESPN's Basketball Power Index and KenPom, but Louisville's proximity to Rupp Arena in Lexington, where the game will be held, could create a disadvantage for the Tigers. Outside of the first two rounds, Auburn could meet Big Ten tournament champion Michigan or SEC foe Texas A&M in the Sweet 16, with the possibility of facing Tom Izzo's Michigan State squad or a rematch with Iowa State in the Elite 8 on the table. The draw could be challenging for the Tigers, but the possible revitalization of Auburn in the NCAA Tournament could lead to new heights for the program.
