SEC Football: 75 Years of Pride and Passion

Front Cover
Voyageur Press, Sep 15, 2008 - Sports & Recreation - 240 pages
College football in the South, it has been said, is like a religion, and nowhere is the passion and dedication more evident than at the twelve universities that make up the Southeastern Conference. The SEC is one of the most storied associations in all of collegiate sports. Its intense rivalries, historic programs, iconic coaches, and championship traditions are felt every autumn, from Gainesville to Little Rock, Baton Rouge to Lexington. The competition among the schools is as fervent as ever, fomenting rivalries within states (Alabama vs. Auburn and Mississippi State vs. Ole Miss) and across borders (Florida vs. Georgia and LSU vs. Arkansas). Many legends of the game have graced the SEC gridiron, including Fran Tarkenton, Joe Namath, Reggie White, Herschel Walker, Bo Jackson, Emmitt Smith, and Peyton, Archie, and Eli Manning---to name just a few.

Celebrating three-quarters of a century of incomparable football, this lavishly illustrated book celebrates the stars, heroes, characters, and games that have made the SEC a force beyond reckoning. The book explores the players and the coaches, the teams and the traditions, and the great games and individual performances that have defined each decade of SEC football. Vintage and modern photography bring the world of the Southeastern Conference, past and present, brilliantly to life, and complete this timely tribute to an exceptional football legacy.

 

Contents

Its an SEC Thing
7
Southern Football Makes Its Mark
14
The Birth of a Conference
34
Fields of Glory
56
Dramatic Change Dynamic Success
84
Opening Closing and Knocking Down Doors
110
Power in Numbers
136
Opportunities Abound
162
Exploring and Expanding the Possibilities
184
Sitting on Top of the World
204
The SEC Record Book
226
INDEX
236
PHOTO CREDITS
240
Copyright

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About the author (2008)

Richard Scott is an award-winning freelance sportswriter whose work appears in a variety of outlets, such as American Football Monthly, American Basketball Quarterly, and USA TODAY.com. His previous books include Legends of Alabama Football and Tales from the Auburn 2004 Championship Season.

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