SEC takes center stage this weekend
By: Jim Williams
Examiner Sports Columnist
September 18, 2009
The college football game of the week will be played in Gainesville, Fla., at "The Swamp" as No. 1 Florida faces SEC rival Tennessee on CBS at 3:30 p.m.
This Tennessee team is led by the brash young coach, Lane Kiffin, who already has angered Gator Nation with remarks he made about Florida coach Urban Meyer.
But Kiffin knows little about the SEC or the Tennessee rivalry so I spoke to a man who knows what the showdown between the Gators and the Vols really means: CBS college football analyst and former Tennessee head coach Phillip Fulmer.
JW » How tough is it to play the Gators at "The Swamp?"
Fulmer » "It is the toughest place to play in the SEC. The fans are right on top of you; the crowd noise makes it almost impossible to hear and then there is the heat. They call it "The Swamp" for a reason. As a visiting team you must be poised, disciplined and conditioned when you play Florida."
JW » Is Tim Tebow the real deal as a player and a leader?
Fulmer » "I can tell you that Tebow is indeed the real deal. He reminds me of Peyton Manning in his command of the offense, in his leadership qualities and in the way he competes. I will tell you all that any coach needs to know about Tebow. In the SEC Championship Game last year against Alabama he was 7-for-7 passing in the fourth quarter and led the Gators to a win. Then in the BCS Championship Game against Oklahoma he was -- again -- 7-for-7 in the fourth quarter and led the Gators to another national title. That is 14-for-14 in the fourth quarter against defenses coached by Nick Saban and Bob Stoops. So with the game on the line, I'll take Tebow."
JW » Can Florida win back-to-back national titles?
Fulmer » "Yes this is a very good football team. But this year it might be different because the Gators' defense is so good. You might not see as much explosiveness on offense because the defense can cause turnovers and make big time stops. I really think that defending a national title is tough -- especially in the SEC -- but if anyone can do it, I would say Florida has a good chance."
Flumer will be part of the "SEC Tailgate," and is joined by CBSSports.com's Lauren Shehadi and CBSSports.com senior college football writer Dennis Dodd. Sam Ryan anchors coverage from New York with Brian Jones. The show can be seen on CBS College Sports starting at 11 a.m. Saturday.
Jim Williams is a seven-time Emmy Award-winning TV producer, director and writer. Check out his blog, Watch this! on washingtonexaminer.com.
