SEC Championship Game

So who is going to WIN the SEC Championship Game in the ATL?  It has always been said that it is hard to beat a team twice in one year especially if that first meeting was a nail biter.  Auburn and South Carolina will meet for the second time this year in Atlanta, Georgia Saturday December 4 at 3pm Central Standard Time on CBS.  The first meeting between the two went late into the fourth quarter with Auburn pulling out the victory.  The first game was played in Auburn, but this time both teams meet on neutral ground in the Georgia Dome.  Auburn comes into the game undefeated and a chance to play for the National Title in January in Arizona.  South Carolina comes into the game with record of 9-3 with losses to Arkansas, Kentucky, and Auburn.  So is the old saying that it's hard to beat a team twice in one year really true?  Well lets look at the history of the SEC Championship Game to decide that wise-tale.  Since the start of the Championship game back in 1992 rematches from the regular season in the Championship have occurred a total of five times.  Out of those five times the team that won the first meeting went on to win four out of the five teams.  Advantage: Auburn.  For example,  Alabama in 1999 won against the Florida Gators in the SWAP in overtime by one point.  In that rematch it was not even close as Alabama went on to win that game 34-7.  Auburn will be playing in the SEC Championship game for the fourth time in the history of the Championship game while South Carolina will be making it's first appearance to the BIG game.  Since 1992 the start of the Championship Era in the SEC the Eastern Division has won a total of 11 games to the Western Division's 7.  The Florida Gators have appeared in the SEC title game the most from the Eastern Division by a total of 10 times and Alabama has appeared the most for the Western Division by a total of 7 times.  For this edition of the SEC Championship game it becomes the question of what did South Carolina learn from their first meeting between Auburn.  If they didn't know from their first meeting they now know that Cam Newton is probably one of the BEST if not the BEST quarterback in all of college football.  Forget all the off-field controversy surrounding the quarterback the question is can you STOP him on the field.  Over the course of this season we have learned that you are probably not going to stop him but can you slow him down and the answer is YES, but we really didn't learn that until the Iron Bowl.  Alabama has been the only team to slow this quarterback down and remember they didn't stop him (look at the 4th and 1 late in the game in which he made an amazing throw to keep the Tigers in the GAME - YES a throw on 4th and 1 NOT a RUN).  The only reason that Alabama was able to slow Cam Newton down was because of their Overall speed on defense period.  Does South Carolina have that speed?  Questionable at BEST.  Let's face the facts here as much as we know Steve Spurrier as an offensive GURU it is his defense that has led him back to and the GAMECOCKS to their FIRST SEC Championship GAME.  Ellis Johnson South Carolina's defensive coordinator is NO loser by any means.  Trust me when I say he has studied the Iron Bowl film and will try his BEST to reproduce the Alabama's defensive units efforts and he'll have his defense ready.  Home field advantage is also a story line for this game even though it is a neutral field.  Auburn is undefeated on the road this year but it has been very scary at times at Mississippi State, Kentucky, and Alabama.  South Carolina is 3-2 in road games with losses coming to Arkansas and Auburn on the road.  Advantage: Neither.  The Head Coaches might be the difference in this game.  Steve Spurrier is 5-2 in the SEC Title game with all those wins and losses coming when he was the HEAD BALL COACH at Florida.  Auburn's head football Coach Gene Chizik will be making his debut in the Title game as Head Coach today.  You can bet that Spurrier will have his GAMECOCKS ready for this REMATCH.  Advantage: South Carolina.  What does this game come down to then?  I think you only have to look at two areas for this game.  The Auburn offensive line and the play of quarterback Steven Garica for South Carolina.  If the Auburn offensive line produces today Auburn will win the game and be in the BCS Championship game.  If Steven Garica plays spot on today like he did against Alabama then South Carolina will win a VERY close game.  So who wins the game today.  No doubt it will be a very CLOSE game today in the ATL.  PREDICTION: Look for South Carolina's defense to be stronger than alot of the experts think and the Auburn offensive line will play a GREAT game, but it will be the spot on play of Steven Garica that wins the game today for South Carolina busting Auburn's BCS title hopes.  South Carolina 34 Auburn 31.  Please leave your comments and Predictions about the game.