The Georgia Dome is set for a new tenant this winter.
No. 17 South Carolina (8-3, 5-3) clinched the Southeastern Conference’s Eastern Division on Saturday night, defeating Florida, 36-14.
The win sends the Gamecocks to their first-ever SEC Championship Game in Atlanta and gives the East its first new representative since 2002, when Georgia won the division for the first time.
“We’ll celebrate a little more than they do,” South Carolina coach Steve Spurrier told the Associated Press, referring to Florida winning the East three of the previous four years.
Florida, Tennessee and Georgia were the only three programs to ever win the East prior to this season.
Florida has played in the conference’s title game 10 times, winning seven.
Tennessee has played in five, winning two, while Georgia has played in three, winning two.
The Gators entered the game with the chance to play in Atlanta for the third consecutive year, but instead lost their third straight home game for the first time since 1986.
“We’re in uncharted waters,” said Florida coach Urban Meyer. “We’ve just got to rally back up. My whole focus is making sure that team sticks together.”
Ironically enough, Spurrier led the Gamecocks to their first division title in Ben Hill Griffin Stadium, or “The Swamp,” the same building where he turned Florida into one of the nation’s best programs and the most successful SEC program since the league split into two divisions in 1992.
“Sometimes the Gamecocks get out alive,” Spurrier said, taking a mild shot at The Swamp’s motto: “Where only Gators get out alive.”
VOLS END SKID VS. REBELS
Tennessee (4-6, 1-5) got its first SEC win of the season Saturday, capitalizing on five Ole Miss turnovers in a 52-14 stomping of the Rebels (4-6, 1-5).
Tennessee freshman quarterback Tyler Bray beat down the Rebels’ secondary, completing 18 of 34 passes for 323 yards and three touchdowns with no interceptions.
The game marks Tennessee coach Derek Dooley’s first SEC win and first winning streak. The Volunteers had never gone a season without at least one SEC win.
Ole Miss’ nightmare season, which began with a double-overtime loss to Jacksonville State, continues Saturday with a road date in Tiger Staidum against LSU.
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