Four Tiny Tidbits On: The Southeastern Conference

We must confess that we can't wait each year for the crunch of shoulder pads; for cleats churning up chunks of turf, and red-faced coaches screaming from the sidelines. But enough about lacrosse. College football season is upon us, and to celebrate, we're going to get back into tiny tidbit mode and present four things you didn't know about each major conference. If you have a little-known fact about your team or conference, strap it to a freshman, point him in our direction and whack him on the ass. Or, mail to [email protected]. Today: The SEC/

• 1. Reptile Math. The SEC is known for the Auburn-Alabama rivalry, and rightfully so, but that doesn't mean Florida-Georgia should be overlooked. This rivalry has gotten so heated, both teams have different records for head-to-head meetings between the schools. Florida says that their all-time record against Georgia is 36-45-2, while the Bulldogs claim theirs is 46-36-2. The dispute goes back to the "first" meeting between the two schools, in which Florida fielded what amounted to a club team against Georgia's varsity team. Georgia won handily, but the Gators feel that this game doesn't count. (Thanks to Josh Rosenberg).

• 2. For Those Who Like Their Rivalries Over-Easy. The Egg Bowl, pitting football juggernaut Ole Miss against the dangerous element that is Mississippi State University, has been played every year since 1927, making it the oldest continuous rivalry in the SEC. Ole Miss and MSU (then Mississippi A&M) first played around the turn of the century, but the Battle For the Golden Egg didn't start until '27. And this is one lop-sided egg: Ole Miss won the first nine meetings and leads the series 49-20-5. (Thanks to Wes Brister).

• 3. Do Tigers And Eagles Even Like Each Other? Auburn has two mascots, the War Eagle and the Tiger. The War Eagle was born during the Georgia game of 1892, when an Eagle flew around the field, allegedly rallying Auburn to victory. Auburn's Tiger, named Aubie, began his stand up act in 1962. Auburn-Georgia is the oldest football rivalry in the South, by the way.

• 4. Officer, I Seem To Have Misplaced (Burp!) My Car. With the name Jim Bob Cooter, the writing was probably on the wall: The Tennessee quarterback was suspended in June after a DUI arrest. Cooter will miss the Volunteers' first game against Cal on September 2 and will also have to attend an "alcohol evaluation" before he can return. Meanwhile, Auburn linebacker Tray Blackmon, a redshirt freshman, was charged in May in his hometown of LaGrange, Ga., for "being a pedestrian under the influence."