re: Watershed SEC games since 2000

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Here are my top 4

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Agreed except while correct about Florida vs. Ohio State, I would stick to just SEC.

You are correct that there are certain games that just have a feel about them as turning points in terms of SEC superiority. You can take it back further also:

You can start with the SEC in the Post-Bryant era. Obviously Bama dominated most of the 1960s and 1970s. Georgia took over as the dominant power in the early '80s, though unfortunately none of Georgia's great teams of the early '80s ever faced Bama for that "changing of the guard" type game. Georgia softly took power and became the dominant team of the the early '80s, winning the SEC in 1980 (along with a National Title), 1981, and 1982. From this point on, it seems every time one program took power, the actual turning point was in a head-to-head game:

1983: #3 Auburn @ #4 Georgia
Both teams entered the late-November game ranked in the Top 5. Auburn ultimately beat Georgia, ending the Bulldogs streak of three consecutive SEC Titles. It would ultimately be 20 long years before Georgia won another SEC Title, while Auburn went on to claim the 1983 title during a string of winning the conference 4 times in 7 years (1983, 1987, 1988, 1989). Auburn was the league's top program from '83 through the end of the decade.

1990: #4 Auburn @ #15 Florida
Auburn came riding into Gainesville ranked #4 in the country, following a stint of being ranked in the AP Top 25 in 126 of the previous 127 poll releases, stretching back all the way back to 1982. This game sent Auburn's program into a tailspin, and it was the coming out party for 1st year head coach, Steve Spurrier. The Gators new style of offense got the better of Auburn's team which had been known for its staunch defenses during the Pat Dye era. Not only was it the changing of the guard in terms of program superiority, but it was the end of "Defense wins Championships" mentality which had ultimately ruled the conference for decades.

1998: #2 Florida @ #6 Tennessee
Florida came into the game having won five of the previous six SEC Championships, including the 1996 National Title. Tennessee was also a national power at the time, consistently ranked in the Top 10. However, Florida always seemed to get the better of Tennessee, having won 5 consecutive games against the Vols. Tennessee finally triumphed in '98, shifting power in the conference northward. Tennessee would go on to win the 1998 National Title, as well as consecutive SEC Titles in 1998 and 1999. It was certainly a power-shift, as Tennessee would get the better of the Gators in 3 out of 4 seasons, winning the East in '98, '99, and '01.

2001: #21 LSU vs. #2 Tennessee
Tennessee entered the SEC Title Game a heavy favorite to win and go on to play for their 2nd National Title in 4 years. Instead, it was Nick Saban's LSU team that would pull the upset. It sent Tennessee's program into the abyss, and it was the pivotal game that sent LSU's program on top of the SEC for a sustained period of time in the modern era.

2006: #9 LSU @ #5 Florida
While LSU and Florida jockeyed for position atop of the SEC for the majority of the mid-to-late 2000s, this was the game that sent Florida's program back on top and catapulted them towards 2 National Titles in 3 seasons. LSU did win another National Title in between the Florida titles (2007) as the first 2-loss champion in the BCS era, however Florida's program under Urban Meyer was on a different level while LSU under Les Miles seemed to always be barely hanging on to superior status.

2009: #2 Alabama vs. #1 Florida
This was the game that brought the Urban Meyer dynasty crashing down, and it sent Bama back on top of the SEC as the sustained power-holder for the first time since the end of the Bryant era. Florida has not since won an SEC Title, while Bama has now won 4 National Titles since this game.

It will be very interesting to see how long the Saban dynasty can continue. Since '83, typically these power-shifts have occurred every 5.3 years. We're at 8 years now for the Bama dynasty, which now equals the length of time Florida held the title as the dominant power in the league under Spurrier, from 1990-1998. Obviously Bama's dynasty has been far more lucrative in terms of Championships though.