1) 1992 Alabama 28 Florida 21
It seems a bit unfair to rank the very first game as number one – as if nothing great has happened since then or as if the game peaked on that first day. But this game had a lot to commend it as the greatest of them all. The reasons why this is first are as follows:
a) Alabama is the SEC’s flagship school and it was fitting they won the very first conference title game of any kind.
b) The game was played outdoors like God, George Halas, and Walter Camp intended. This was on the hazy overcast “tundra” of Legion Field in the “Football Capital Of The South.”
c) It was a game right up to the final play. Even after the sensational lightning bolt TD from Antonio Langham, the Gators still had plenty of time to come back and tie the game. Only the equally sensational Tide defense stopped a pretty good QB in his tracks.
d) The winner of the game won the national championship, proof of the quality of teams that play in the game.
e) The weather that day was overcast, perfect December weather for a ballgame.
f) It was clinched by a play memorable even if you were not a fan of the winner.
Florida began this game by stunning the Legion Field and nationally televised audience, marching right down the field and into the end zone against the nation’s best defense. Keith Jackson even marveled by saying, “Florida made it look easy.” Add to this the fact that Alabama had won 21 straight games and their last loss had been to Florida the year prior. Thus, most of these players had played in the 1991 game. Florida, who had been highly ranked, had lost six times since that evening while Alabama was on a streak that eventually reached 31 games unbeaten.
There was also – an important ingredient – much off-the-field controversy. Alabama had just been accused of improprieties by Gene Jelks three weeks previous. Florida State was somehow arguing that if Alabama couldn’t beat Florida by as much as the Noles had then they deserved a second shot at Miami. (Why this logic carried weight is bewildering, especially since once the game got away from Spurrier he benched his starters to prepare for the SEC title game – a luxury Alabama never had as Gene Stallings pointed out many times). Texas A&M was upset because they were unbeaten and unrespected. Michigan kept pointing out they were undefeated but they also had three ties.
It is also important to point out that this game did, in fact, have an overtime provision to avoid a tie. This provision was later adopted in 1996, but the SEC as always was ahead of the curve.
The game itself saw a great TD pass from Jay Barker, the running of Derek Lassic and – the most important play – a 40-yard PAT from Michael Proctor after a series of penalties turned the chip shot into a long field goal. Finally, there was Langham darting into the end zone and celebrating with the home crowd when he scored the clinching TD.
The SEC championship game has provided millions with many memories. And there seems to be no end in sight. For that may we all be thankful.