Arkansas Business

This story is from the archives of ArkansasSports360.com.

The Southeastern Conference season boils down to one final game before the bowls — the SEC Championship Game in Atlanta. And, while Georgia may have only 75 miles or so to travel, expect LSU to bring its usual great road game, and 20,000 fans, to the Georgia Dome on Saturday afternoon.

The Tigers completed their first 12-0 season in school history, and it's the first time since the 1958 national championship team that the Tigers went through the schedule unbeaten and ranked No. 1 — the 2003 and 2007 teams had at least one regular-season loss.

Georgia could spoil all that — record-wise — and LSU could still make the BCS Championship Game, likely against Alabama, all the experts seem to think. If Georgia wins Saturday, it will allow the BCS to invoke a clause nobody thought would ever be implemented: if the teams ranked 1-2 in the BCS poll but another team from their conference is that league's champion, the league may send THREE teams to BCS bowl games.

That's about a $50 million-plus payday for the SEC should that occur. Imagine the outcry from the other leagues.

LSU is healthy going into the game. Georgia has benefited from a schedule in which the Bulldogs did not have to play LSU, Alabama or Arkansas during the regular season. The Bulldogs edged South Carolina by one game in the East, although South Carolina won the head-to-head 45-42 during Week 2. South Carolina, which also caught a scheduling break not having to play LSU or 'Bama, also lost to Auburn and Arkansas, while Georgia defeated Auburn.

Game time Saturday is 3 p.m.

And here we present our final SEC Power Poll of the regular season:

ArkansasSports360.com Power Poll Week 14

1. LSU (12-0). Great on the road this year, and even better at home. Hogs found out the hard way. Tigers just need to continue road work toward perfection.
2. Alabama (11-1). Crimson Tide couldn't have asked for a better route to the BCS Championship Game, while LSU has to bang helmets again.
3. Arkansas (10-2). Hogs couldn't take their home-field confidence on the road this year, and it cost them national acclaim.
4. Georgia (10-2). Bulldogs steamrolled Georgia Tech and the defense has improved, but LSU's running PLUS it's passing will be a one-two they haven't seen.
5. South Carolina (10-2). Spurrier's faith in QB Stephen Garcia cost him the SEC-East championship; home loss to Auburn was the cruncher.
6. Auburn (7-5). Defense was always held together by a string, but where has all the offense gone?
7. Florida (6-6). Explain again why Charlie Weis is considered an offensive genius? Enough talent, even with injuries, to be better than this.
8. Vanderbilt (6-6). While it's hard to deny LSU's Miles coach of the year honors, James Franklin is right behind him.
9. Mississippi State (6-6). Best SEC team in Mississippi again, and bowl bound — though hoping to avoid playing Southern Miss.
10. Kentucky (5-7). It took nearly the entire season, but Kentucky finally figured a few things out to compete.
11. Tennessee (5-7). Even the head coach is claiming the Volunteers have hit rock bottom, or in Vols' parlance "Rocky Top's bottom."
12. Ole Miss (2-10). Listen to the fade-out of "Fifty years, fifty years, fifty years ..."

QUICK HITS
Including three LSU Tigers who were instrumental in a 41-17 win over Arkansas, the following athletes were honored as Players of the Week for their performances in last weekend's games: (Co-Offense) Trent Richardson, RB, Alabama, and Connor Shaw, QB, South Carolina; (Defense) Tyrann Mathieu, DB, LSU; (Special teams) Ryan Tydlacka, P, Kentucky; (Co-Offensive Lineman) Kyle Fischer, T, Vanderbilt, and William Vlachos, C, Alabama; (Co-Defensive Linemen) Garrison Smith, DE, Georgia, and Fletcher Cox, T, Mississippi State; (Freshman) Kenny Hilliard, RB, LSU.

THE MATCHUP
Saturday, Dec. 3
LSU (12-0, 8-0) vs. Georgia (10-2, 7-1). SEC Championship Game. Georgia Dome, Atlanta. 3 p.m., CBS Network. While the Bulldogs have won 10 in a row, certainly nothing to sniff at no matter the competition, it's still not to the level of talent LSU has faced week in and week out. Tigers' defense will be like nothing the 'Dawgs have seen all season, and Jordan Jefferson, who has only played eight games so far this year, is just now peaking in performance both running and passing. LSU should leave no doubt it is the class in the country in winning the SEC championship.