1978 Georgia-Auburn game impacted several bowls and other teams

ancient,but some interesting twists with the bowls and polls at the time.Georgia and Auburn met in their normal slot (third Saturday in November, the 18th to be precise) in Auburn. Georgia was 8-1 and just as important, 5-0 in SEC play. Auburn was 6-3 ,but 3-1 in SEC play.

Alabama was 9-1 and 5-0 in SEC play and had the weekend off. This was during the period where conference teams played 6 games. Georgia and Alabama were on the 'rotating schedule' and after having face one another in 1977 wouldn't meet up again until 1984. Also, while it appeared the SEC had had a tie-in with the Sugar Bowl forever, the conference had only officially sent its champion to the Sugar Bowl since 1976.And they initially must have used the Cotton Bowl and SWC's tie-breaking method, the 'most recent appearance rule.'

This was posing a problem prior to kickoff. Georgia was ranked #8 and certainly a fine team but Alabama, who had played in the last two Sugar Bowls as SEC Champion was ranked #3 having been jumped by Nebraska whom the Tide had soundly beaten in the season opener.As it stood, if Georgia beats Auburn,regardless of what Alabama did vs Auburn,Georgia would go to the Sugar Bowl.(** actually Auburn would win SEC with wins over Georgia and Alabama.)

This was also deep into the period where the Rose pitted the Big 10 (and really was 10) vs Pac 10, Cotton was hosted by the SWC Champ and Orange was hosted by the Big 8 champ. Like any other bowl, Cotton,Orange and Sugar hosts played "at large teams." This particular weekend was going to be when bids and matchups could be official. The #1 team at the time was Penn State,who was an independent and not tied in with anyone.

When Nebraska upset then #1 Oklahoma the prior weekend, the Cornhuskers clinched the Big Eight's berth in the Orange Bowl, Penn State indicated they wanted to face the highest ranked opponent possible meaning if Nebraska won at home against Missouri, the Nittany Lions would go to Miami.

Now Alabama found itself in the unusal position of pulling for Auburn.An Auburn win and Alabama victory over Auburn would put Alabama in the Sugar. But if Georgia did win and Nebraska were to stumble ABC who had the contract with the Gator started hinting about a Penn State-Alabama matchup in the Gator Bowl. Sunday would indeed be interesting for Penn State either way as which ever bowl game they committed to was binding and the SEC champ could conceivably have three losses.

As it turned out Georgia and Auburn tied, 22-22 in one of the wildest games they've ever had. For starters,Auburn wore orange jerseys. Some very questionable calls came into play with the first being William Andrews' seemingly innocent run up the middle to end the first half going 47 yards to the Georgia 1/2 yard line as time expired.Auburn thought he'd scored as did various camera angles. And of course, Vince Dooley's decision to kick an extra point with over 5:00 left to tie 22-22 was second guessed.

Then a while later Missouri upset Nebraska in Lincoln, 35-31. Alabama of course played and defeated Penn State in the Sugar. But if Georgia had beaten Auburn, Alabama and Penn State may have met in the Gator Bowl and then Woody Hayes wouldn't have thrown a punch at Clemson's Charlie Baumann. And if Missouri hadn't beaten Nebraska, Daniel Moore might still be an unknown artist.