By Chris Low, Special to CNNSI.com
Upon further review, the Southeastern Conference decided to punt last week, triggering a collective sigh of relief that reverberated throughout the conference.
The word Wednesday was that the SEC would play on. But on Thursday, with all the major sports entities pulling out, the SEC reconsidered and also postponed last weekend's games in the wake of the terrorist attacks on New York City and Washington. In doing so, the league averted a public relations nightmare.
The three conference games, including the showcase Tennessee vs. Florida contest, were pushed back to Dec. 1. The SEC Championship Game was moved to Dec. 8.
Also moved to Dec. 1 were the Vanderbilt vs. Mississippi and Auburn vs. LSU games. The jockeying makes for what could be a wild finish to the season, especially should Florida and Tennessee remain unscathed in conference play. That game has been rescheduled for 4:30 p.m. and will be televised by CBS.
Florida's Steve Spurrier doesn't mind getting the Vols so late in the season. In fact, he wouldn't mind moving non-conference rival Florida State to Tennessee's customary September spot and shifting Tennessee to Florida State's November hole.
"I told [Florida athletic director] Jeremy [Foley] we should be playing Florida State this week and play Tennessee down where we got them," Spurrier said. "That's what we should do, in my opinion."
Tennessee's Phillip Fulmer has long pushed to get the Florida game moved to later in the season. The problem, though, is that Florida State has no interest in moving.
"It will be interesting to see where we both are at that time," Fulmer said of the Dec. 1 matchup with the Gators. "If we do well and they do well, then it's got a chance to be an unbelievable game. But there's a lot of bridges to get over long before we get to that game, starting with this stretch we have right in front of us with LSU, Georgia, Alabama and South Carolina. That's enough in itself, but then you throw Notre Dame and the rest of them in there, and it really gets interesting."
There are more advantages than disadvantages for Tennessee to be playing Florida at the end of the year. The Vols would have been without top receiver Donte Stallworth last weekend. But he should be back from a wrist injury by late October. Outland Trophy defensive tackle John Henderson was also hobbled by a high ankle sprain and wouldn't have been close to 100 percent last Saturday.
"We'll have a lot of guys back, and it's Dec. 1 right after they play Florida State," said Tennessee defensive tackle Albert Haynesworth. "You know some of their players are going to be banged up. It's a perfect opportunity for us to go in and do what we've got to do."
Florida, which has won seven of the past eight in the series, will have a week off between Florida State and Tennessee. The Vols will be playing their seventh consecutive week against the Gators, although UT ends with Kentucky and Vanderbilt.
"Right now, I can assure you that nobody's looking past LSU," said Fulmer, whose Vols are off this weekend before taking on the Tigers on Sept. 29 in Knoxville.
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Mississippi State and South Carolina clash Thursday night under the ESPN lights in a game that takes on broad significance.
It's the first Division I-A game since the terrorist attacks, and it's also a game that will provide a statement of sorts for the winner. The Gamecocks, coming off a road win at Georgia, could be well on their way to 7-0 heading into the Tennessee game with another win. The Bulldogs could reinforce their position as the Best in the West.
It's been a while for Jackie Sherrill's Bulldogs. They last played on Sept. 3 against Memphis. It's Mississippi State's longest break between regular-season games since 1964.
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John Henderson, Tennessee's Outland Trophy defensive tackle, said the play he injured his ankle on against Syracuse was a "dirty" block by Orangemen center Nick Romeo. Henderson said he was engaged with another player when Romeo dove at his right ankle and then told him he was going to be coming after his legs the whole game. ... Mississippi State offensive coordinator Sparky Woods was the head coach at South Carolina from 1989-93, while MSU defensive coordinator Joe Lee Dunn was the assistant head coach and defensive coordinator at South Carolina from 1987-88. ... Kentucky linebacker Jamal White will return for the Florida game after serving a two-game, NCAA-mandated suspension. ... South Carolina head coach Lou Holtz gave his team the option of flying or going by bus to Starkville. "When I gave them the option to come home by bus, there weren't a lot of takers," Holtz said. " ... Flying is basically safer than driving a car, particularly if you're riding with me. I've demolished several of them." ... Georgia and Houston will play their postponed non-conference game on Dec. 1, as will Indiana and Kentucky. Brigham Young and Mississippi State, as well as Alabama and Southern Miss, are still negotiating about a makeup date. ... Richard "Juicy" Locke, the father of former Tennessee football player Eric Locke, has written a letter to the NCAA alleging rules violations involving the Vols. Locke said UT head coach Phillip Fulmer made improper contact with his son when he was transferring from Alabama, although Fulmer denies that he did anything wrong. Locke also claims he was offered cash payments by UT boosters. ... The SEC Championship Game will kick off at 8 p.m. on Dec. 8 and be televised nationally by CBS.
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