LSU does have traditional rivals. Tulane was the big in-state and SEC rival from 1893 until they left the SEC in the 50's. Ole Miss replaced them as the big SEC rival, but both schools fell on hard times in the 60's and stopped having competitive football programs. The traditional rivalries remain, but it simply has no national football importance anymore. The "Boot" rivalry with Arkansas is contrived by the SEC and neither fan base has truly embraced it. Since the 1960's, the football focus at LSU was less on traditional rivalries and more on the hot SEC competition. The hot SEC rival changes over time, but it is usually the team that best stands between LSU and the SEC title that we play every season. In the 70's and 80's it was Alabama. In the 90's, it was Florida, and in this decade it has been Auburn, so far. Florida seems poised to become the future nemesis.
Ok...I was referring to the article, but I just don't really see it as that much of a rivalry. If UF gets rotated off the schedule (which is not out of the realm of possibilities) then what happens? I see your point, but I just don't think its there yet. Orlandotiger probably has it closer than I so I'll quote him... "the fans here that I have met respect our program and what we have done (ref: beating them on their longest winning streak in their history) and want to see us succeed as long as we lose to them." We both (Orlandotiger) and I see it similarly due in no small part to the fact that we both live over here. Quite frankly, thats just not the feeling of the UF fans. :tigereye::tigereye::tigereye::tigereye::tigereye:
Totally Agree with red 55. Its easy to REALLY DISLIKE Auburn! Tuberville -what can I say - NO CLASS! I used to REALLY DISLIKE Florida but then Spurrier left ( Spurrier literally crying on the sideline in 97... one of my fondest memories as an L.S.U. fan ). #1-There is the Earthquake Game ( Past History ). #2-Disrespecting THE EYE, the Cigar Thing ( Recent History ). #3-He left an S.E.C. WEST school ( Ole Miss ) for another ( Quitter ). AT least Saban and Spurrier went Pro before coming back. #4-I was at the L.S.U. 6 / Auburn 7 game last year ( my first Away Game ) the hardest hitting Game I have ever seen IMHO. In my opinion we never recovered from that game last year... went on to loose to Florida etc. #5-Tuberville did not fight hard enough for his no loss team from THE SEC! ( No lossses in regulation ) I choose Auburn / Tuberville to REALLY DISLIKE the Most!!!
This is so true. Auburn is definitely a bigger rival than Florida IMO since Y2K, the winner has usually won the SEC West if not a higher prize. I think you also have to consider some of the past, Earthquake, Fire, on side kick games, etc. Sixties and Seventies, Ole Miss. Seventies and Eighties Bama, It will be interesting to see if Nick can bring this back if he stays at Bama Although R-Kansas could also be poised to become the future nemesis. I'm not totally sold on Urban Meyer to tell you the truth but I think a rivalry has more to do with a team in your OWN division. I realize other people might disagree but it seems to me that the game means more when you play a rival in your own division, maybe its the emotion? Maybe its me, I love the LSU vs the west rivalries and others including Red Sox vs Yankees, Broncos vs Raiders. Not trying to change the subject, just my view on what a rivalry is. EDIT: Don't ever forget what they did to Dorsey! Everything about Auburn and LSU is there for a rivalry!
This is where I see the problem.....when you're talking a "true" rivalry (ie. UT vs OU or UM vs OSU, etc), I believe both teams have to be on the same page. So for example, while LSU vs Auburn may be a present day budding "rivalry" or be LSUs perceived rival at any given moment in time....Alabama and Auburn will forever and always be the "true" rivalry. You ask Barner who their rival is or who they hate most....without a seconds hesitation they say Bama and vice versa. You ask LSU fan that same question and it changes from person to person or from year to year. Like I said, I dont believe LSU will ever have that "true" rivalry due to our isolation....Tulane would have been the closest....hell, I think Miss St and Ole Miss have more of that rivalry than LSU and Ole Miss....dunno
I guess when it comes to rivalries a lot of it comes down to your own individual opinion in a lot of ways. I'm not really crazy about Auburn, especially after that BS cheapshot play that could have ruined Dorey's career. So thats [SIZE=-1]definitely one I'd pick as getting close. :tigereye::tigereye::tigereye::tigereye::tigereye::tigereye: [/SIZE]
I thought this was a great read. My take: LSU/FL may be the greatest game in college football right now, but it is not the greatest rivalry, not enough tradition.
SEC Championship Games: 2001 LSU - Tenn 2002 UGA - Arkansas 2003 LSU - UGA 2004 Auburn - Tenn 2005 UGA - LSU 2006 Florida - Arkansas 2007 LSU - Tenn I really don't see Florida dominating the East anymore. UGA and Tenn have been to the SEC CG three times in the past seven years while Florida has only been there once. Richt has made it into a three way battle just about every year.
If we quit playing UF every year, then its not a true rivalry. Same as if we quit playing any of the other six teams we play every year (Auburn, Ole Miss, Alabama, Arkansas, Miss State). Like with Tulane, we played them every year from 1919 to 1994. But when we quit putting them on our schedule in 1995 (12 years ago), it was no longer any kind of rivalry (not that it was much of a rivalry in the first place, which is why we took it off our schedule). Like I said, there are six teams we play every year (Florida, Auburn, Ole Miss, Alabama, Arkansas, Miss State). Here's how long we've been playing each of those teams each and every single year: Miss State since 1944 Ole Miss since 1945 Alabama since 1964. Florida since 1971. Auburn since 1980 Arkansas since 1992. Point is, there are only four teams that we have played every year since the early 70's: Florida, Ole Miss, Alabama, Miss State. Also, If you look at total games that we have played in history against those six teams, it goes like this: 98 -- vs. Miss State 91 -- vs. Ole Miss (88 -- vs. Tulane) 69 -- vs. Bama 54 -- vs. Florida 52 -- vs. Arkansas 40 -- vs. Auburn If anything, Auburn and Arkansas are the ones that shouldn't be considered our strongest "rivals."
To make that more clear: Since 2001, here are the teams that have represented the SEC West: LSU (4 times), Arkansas (2 times), Auburn (1 time). Here are the teams that have represented the SEC East since 2001: Tennessee (3 times), UGA (3 times), Florida (1 times). That's why I was saying above that Florida considers UGA and Tenn bigger rivals that LSU, because UGA and Tenn keep taking the SEC East from them.
