What if Steve Spurrier Never Left the Florida Gators?

Dec 5, 2014; Atlanta, GA, USA; The Southeastern Conference logo is seen at midfield at the Georgia Dome. The Alabama Crimson Tide plays the Missouri Tigers in the SEC Championship on Saturday. Mandatory Credit: John David Mercer-USA TODAY Sports

Which SEC Champions since 2001 would have been thwarted due to Spurrier?

Now, we know that Florida won the SEC Championship in 2006 and 2008. But in a span from 2002 to 2012, there are SEC Champions who would have been thwarted by Spurrier, right? Right.

Sorry Georgia fans, but Mark Richt’s accomplishments would even be worse than what they are. Florida beat Georgia in 2002 and 2005, but both times other losses kept them out of the SEC Championship. In 2002, a 16-14 loss to 6-6 Ole Miss never would have happened with Spurrier as head coach, and the Gators would have won the SEC title in place of the Dawgs against the Arkansas Razorbacks.

In 2005, a loss to South Carolina, ironically coached by Spurrier, would not have happened. The Gators would have played LSU in the SEC title game, and that would have been a toss-up. But Georgia certainly would not have it (although you could throw another “if” in there saying “If D.J. Shockley would have been healthy for Georgia”).

In 2007, assuming that another quarterback other than Tim Tebow is under center, Spurrier likely would not have blown those games to Auburn and LSU, losing only to Georgia, which would have vaulted his Gators into the SEC Championship game. And he could have won it then over the Tigers.

From 2011 to 2014, Spurrier would have had the offensive talent to match the elite defense, and Florida definitely could have challenged LSU in 2011, Auburn in 2013, and Alabama in 2012 and 2014. We’ll say he stops at least one of them.

So yes, Nick Saban at Alabama, Gus Malzahn, at Auburn, and Les Miles at LSU all could have at least one fewer SEC title due to Spurrier being at Florida. And Richt would go from two to none.

Next: Does it even matter what would have happened to the Washington Redskins?