Fans of other conferences talk about the SEC not playing hard enough games outside the conference. What they don't want to do is give the conference credit for the brutal schedule they face in conference or any love when they do play a good non-conference slate. These same fans of other schools then pat themselves on the back when the #1 team in their conference “upsets” the number 10 or 11 team in the SEC. I understand their angst and it is part of what makes college football the best game out there today. It also validates that the SEC is year in and year out the best conference in football. Sure, Texas, USC, Miami, Florida St or you name your other top team during any particular year can play with the SEC. It is just their conferences don’t go as deep. The SEC has dominated college football with big, strong and most importantly fast lineman on both sides of the ball for some time now.
With that introduction to get the blood flowing, there are some road games that the southern football fan or for that matter a football fan in general should take when SEC teams do step out of conference in 2011. I will give you the top ten here. Some may be great because of the football on the field, the impact to the national rankings, tradition, regional rivalries while others are here just because the host city knows how to throw a party and nothing is better than a weekend of SEC football kicked off in a great city- so here we go with games 10 to 5 (the top 5 games to follow)
10. Ole Miss at Fresno State on October 1. First the coaches are a show themselves - Houston Nutt and Pat Hill are awesome. You could just watch them and go home entertained for the night, but you better watch the game as both will mix in the tricks at any time. Fresno St wins about 80% of their home games at Bulldog Stadium and Coach Hill’s teams always get up for the big conference schools that they schedule every year. This is also a large stadium (over 40,000) for a WAC school and the fans pack it especially for night games.
Jeff Gross/Getty Images from http://bleacherreport.com/
9. Mississippi State at Memphis on September 1. A 7pm kickoff in the historic Liberty Bowl is a good start for a reason to go. Then you add in the BBQ and Blues you can get while spending the weekend in Memphis and you have a great road trip. Top it off with the fun of Beale Street and you might forget the game all together. The Mississippi State fans won’t let you do that as I suspect a few thousand cowbells will magically appear in the stadium so no hangover for this one. Beyond the show on the stages and in the crowd (Miss. State has some beautiful fans!), Dan Mullen has put together a fine Bulldog team that many are picking as a dark horse for the SEC. This may be a little bold with LSU, Alabama, Arkansas and Auburn in the Western Division, but it does tell you that a good team will take the field the opening week of the season. The good thing is if this gets lopsided quick, there will be some happy Bulldog fans buying drinks on Beale Street.
AP Photo/Rogelio V. Solis from http://www.cdispatch.com/
8. Georgia at Georgia Tech on November 26. This in-state rivalry is more hotly contested by the fans throughout the year than it is on the field often. The Georgia fans will not be happy this game is this far down the list, but they would admit they have another game in Atlanta this year that may appear in this list higher. I wouldn’t want you to pass on some of the other great games to double up on trips to Atlanta. Bobby Dodd Stadium with its view of the downtown skyline and short walk to the Varsity is very special and is a must visit for the football fan but maybe not this year if you can only do 1 of these games. Sure partying in the Virginia-Highland section of town and free admission to The Cheetah with a game ticket are cool, but a repeat trip to Atlanta when other games are options keeps this game down the list. BTW- the recent games have been close but Georgia has come out on top in 8 of last 9.
7. Kentucky vs. Western Kentucky (in Nashville) on September 3. This game pits two in-state rivals like #8, but these two don’t meet regularly. More of an oddity- the game is being played in a different state altogether! This game gets a strong bump for its host city and stadium. The game will be played at LP Field (home of the NFL Titans), which most Kentucky fans know well from their multiple Music City Bowl trips. Don’t look at their repeated trips to Nashville as a drawback as they know where they want to party pre and post game. From Printer’s Alley around the corner to 4th Avenue and then to Broadway there will be a sea of blue clad fans (probably talking basketball if they don’t win big!). This game scores for the pre and post game action. Don't think the Big Blue fans will be alone in Nashville. WKU has a strong tradition in FCS level football and are work in progress moving to FBS. As important, the Hilltopper nation is known for great parties that draw from schools throught the region and many consider Nashville a 2nd home.
6. LSU at West Virginia on September 24. How can this game be this low? I know! One reason is it suffers the same fate as game #8. LSU has another game that we may see further up the list. That only slightly impacted this game though as these are two of the best fan bases in football. LSU is one of the best if not the best place to see a game and don’t think the Mountaineer’s fans will want to show off their environment to a visiting SEC bully. No time has been announced for this game yet but if it becomes a night game, I might even consider moving it up this list. One possible drawback is the coaching issues at West Virginia and the NCAA investigation, but I think that may inspire the team to even higher levels. There is also the unknown of a new coaching staff at WVU. Everyone seems to expect an exciting offensive but there is an unknown factor and in the top 6 games on this list there is very little gap between the games. WVU's stadium holds 60,000 crazy fans. This is where on this list of games it changes from good games for the year to stories you tell people about for rest of your life- those “I was there when…” stories. Before or after the game to practice the story telling, Morgantown Brewing Company is a must stop. Sure Morgantown doesn’t have Memphis’s Beale Street or Nashville’s Broadway, but I am not sure you would want that in this college town. This is a true college town that will give you a real tailgate experience outside the SEC. Many people thought West Virginia should of joined the SEC and this trip will show they are SEC football experience ready. Final note- WVU may have the preseason coaching controversy but LSU has the "Mad Hatter. Les Miles is always seconds from creating an exciting ending to any game. Don't leave early from this game!
Wow! With the LSU and West Virginia game at #6, the top 5 have to be incredible! We will see.
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