2005 SEC Championship Game
Encyclopedia
The 2005 Dr. Pepper SEC Championship Game
was played on December 3, 2005 in the Georgia Dome
in Atlanta, Georgia
. The game determined the 2005 football
champion of the Southeastern Conference
. The Georgia Bulldogs
, winners of the Eastern division of the SEC, defeated the LSU Tigers
, who won the Western division, by a score of 34-14. This was the second time the two teams have met in the conference championship game. The first time was in 2003 when LSU defeated Georgia by the score 34-13.
matches up the winner of the Eastern and Western divisions of the Southeastern Conference
. The game was first played in 1992, when the conference expanded from 10 to 12 teams with the addition of Arkansas
and South Carolina
. The SEC was the first conference in college football to have a conference championship game. By 2005, four other conferences had conference championship games (Big 12, ACC, CUSA & MAC).
sidelined with an injury suffered in the Homecoming victory against Arkansas, Joe Tereshinski, III the Gators prevailed, 14-10 and dealt the Bulldogs their first loss of the season. Brandon Coutu
missed two field goals late in the game which proved the difference in the game.
Again with the SEC East crown on the line, the Bulldogs played the Auburn Tigers at home in a series which traditionally favors the road-team. Auburn won the game on a John Vaughn 20 yard field goal with 0:06 on the clock, 30-31. On the third attempt to punch their ticket to Atlanta, the Bulldogs defeated unranked Kentucky 45-13 on Senior Day. A loss to the Wildcats would have created a three-way tie (Florida and South Carolina) for the SEC East Crown. Georgia's win clinched their 5th SEC East crown, and 3rd trip to the title game.
left the game in the third quarter with an injury, backup Matt Flynn
threw an interception returned for the touchdown by Tim Jennings
to seal Georgia's 34-14 victory.
DJ Shockley (UGA)- 6/12, 112 yards, 2 TDs
Jamarcus Russell (LSU)- 11/19, 120 yards, 1 INT
Matt Flynn (LSU)- 3/11, 36 yards, 1 TD, 1 INT
Rushing-
Thomas Brown (UGA)- 14 carries, 62 yards
Shyrone Carey (LSU)- 10 rushes, 43 yards
Receiving-
Sean Bailey (UGA)- 2 receptions, 74 yards, 2 TDs
Dwayne Bowe (LSU)- 5 receptions, 74 yards, 1 TD
Interceptions:
Tim Jennings (UGA)- 1 for 15 yards, 1 TD
Demario Minter (UGA)- 1 for 0 yards
SEC Championship Game
The SEC Championship Game refers to the game determining the Southeastern Conference's football season champion. The championship game pits the SEC Western Division representative against the Eastern Division representative in a game held after the regular season has been completed. Thus far, nine...
was played on December 3, 2005 in the Georgia Dome
Georgia Dome
The Georgia Dome is a domed stadium located in Atlanta, Georgia, United States, between downtown to the east and Vine City to the west. It is primarily the home stadium for the NFL Atlanta Falcons and the NCAA Division I FCS Georgia State Panthers football team. It is owned and operated by the...
in Atlanta, Georgia
Atlanta, Georgia
Atlanta is the capital and most populous city in the U.S. state of Georgia. According to the 2010 census, Atlanta's population is 420,003. Atlanta is the cultural and economic center of the Atlanta metropolitan area, which is home to 5,268,860 people and is the ninth largest metropolitan area in...
. The game determined the 2005 football
American football
American football is a sport played between two teams of eleven with the objective of scoring points by advancing the ball into the opposing team's end zone. Known in the United States simply as football, it may also be referred to informally as gridiron football. The ball can be advanced by...
champion of the Southeastern Conference
Southeastern Conference
The Southeastern Conference is an American college athletic conference that operates in the southeastern part of the United States. It is headquartered in Birmingham, Alabama...
. The Georgia Bulldogs
2005 Georgia Bulldogs football team
The 2005 Georgia Bulldogs football team completed the season with a 10-3 record. Winning 10 games for the fourth year in a row, Georgia tied its own record for consecutive 10 win seasons. The Bulldogs, with a regular season SEC record of 6-2, won the SEC East and advanced to the 2005 SEC...
, winners of the Eastern division of the SEC, defeated the LSU Tigers
2005 LSU Tigers football team
The 2005 LSU Tigers football team represented Louisiana State University in the college football season of 2005–2006. Coached by Les Miles in his first season at LSU, the Tigers played their home games at Tiger Stadium in Baton Rouge, Louisiana...
, who won the Western division, by a score of 34-14. This was the second time the two teams have met in the conference championship game. The first time was in 2003 when LSU defeated Georgia by the score 34-13.
Selection process
The SEC Championship GameSEC Championship Game
The SEC Championship Game refers to the game determining the Southeastern Conference's football season champion. The championship game pits the SEC Western Division representative against the Eastern Division representative in a game held after the regular season has been completed. Thus far, nine...
matches up the winner of the Eastern and Western divisions of the Southeastern Conference
Southeastern Conference
The Southeastern Conference is an American college athletic conference that operates in the southeastern part of the United States. It is headquartered in Birmingham, Alabama...
. The game was first played in 1992, when the conference expanded from 10 to 12 teams with the addition of Arkansas
Arkansas Razorbacks
The Razorbacks, also known as the Hogs, are the names of college sports teams at the University of Arkansas in Fayetteville, Arkansas. The term Arkansas Razorbacks properly applies to any of the sports teams at the university. The Razorbacks take their name from the feral pig of the same name...
and South Carolina
South Carolina Gamecocks
The University of South Carolina's 19 varsity sports teams are known as the "Gamecocks". The unique moniker is held in honor of Thomas Sumter, a South Carolina war hero who was given the name "The Carolina Gamecock" during the American Revolution for his fierce fighting tactics, regardless of his...
. The SEC was the first conference in college football to have a conference championship game. By 2005, four other conferences had conference championship games (Big 12, ACC, CUSA & MAC).
SEC East
The battle for the SEC East was a three-way battle for the entire conference season among the Georgia Bulldogs, Florida Gators, and South Carolina Gamecocks. The Georgia Bulldogs entered the season with high hopes and rattled off a 5-0 conference record (South Carolina, Mississippi State, Tennessee, Vanderbilt, and Arkansas) before heading to Jacksonville for the annual battle with the Florida Gators. Georgia was ranked #4 in both polls, and a win would have sealed the SEC East crown. But, with starting quarterback D.J. ShockleyD. J. Shockley
Donald Eugene "D. J." Shockley is an American football quarterback who is currently a free agent. He was drafted by the Atlanta Falcons in the seventh round of the 2006 NFL Draft. He played college football at Georgia....
sidelined with an injury suffered in the Homecoming victory against Arkansas, Joe Tereshinski, III the Gators prevailed, 14-10 and dealt the Bulldogs their first loss of the season. Brandon Coutu
Brandon Coutu
Brandon Coutu is an American football placekicker for the Las Vegas Locomotives of the United Football League. He was drafted by the Seattle Seahawks in the seventh round of the 2008 NFL Draft. He played college football at Georgia....
missed two field goals late in the game which proved the difference in the game.
Again with the SEC East crown on the line, the Bulldogs played the Auburn Tigers at home in a series which traditionally favors the road-team. Auburn won the game on a John Vaughn 20 yard field goal with 0:06 on the clock, 30-31. On the third attempt to punch their ticket to Atlanta, the Bulldogs defeated unranked Kentucky 45-13 on Senior Day. A loss to the Wildcats would have created a three-way tie (Florida and South Carolina) for the SEC East Crown. Georgia's win clinched their 5th SEC East crown, and 3rd trip to the title game.
SEC West
The SEC West race was decided in Baton Rouge on October 22 when the LSU Tigers defeated the Auburn Tigers 20-17 in overtime. LSU had one conference loss coming into the game (an overtime loss against Tennessee) and Auburn was unblemished. Both teams remained tied with one conference loss through the rest of the season. Auburn was awarded its 5th Divisional Title, LSU its 5th as well, and LSU represented the SEC West in the title game for the 3rd time.Game summary
The Bulldogs senior quarterback D.J. Shockey threw for 112 yards and two touchdowns while also running for a score. After LSU QB Jamarcus RussellJaMarcus Russell
JaMarcus Trenell Russell is an American football quarterback who is currently a free agent. Russell played college football for the LSU Tigers where he finished 21–4 as a starter and was named MVP of the 2007 Sugar Bowl. The Oakland Raiders selected Russell with the first overall pick of the 2007...
left the game in the third quarter with an injury, backup Matt Flynn
Matt Flynn
Matthew Clayton Flynn is an American football quarterback for the Green Bay Packers of the National Football League. He was drafted by the Packers in the 7th round of the 2008 NFL Draft. He played college football at LSU.-Early years:...
threw an interception returned for the touchdown by Tim Jennings
Tim Jennings
Tim Jennings is an American football cornerback for the Chicago Bears of the National Football League. He was drafted by the Indianapolis Colts in the second round of the 2006 NFL Draft. He played college football at the University of Georgia....
to seal Georgia's 34-14 victory.
Statistical leaders
Passing-DJ Shockley (UGA)- 6/12, 112 yards, 2 TDs
Jamarcus Russell (LSU)- 11/19, 120 yards, 1 INT
Matt Flynn (LSU)- 3/11, 36 yards, 1 TD, 1 INT
Rushing-
Thomas Brown (UGA)- 14 carries, 62 yards
Shyrone Carey (LSU)- 10 rushes, 43 yards
Receiving-
Sean Bailey (UGA)- 2 receptions, 74 yards, 2 TDs
Dwayne Bowe (LSU)- 5 receptions, 74 yards, 1 TD
Interceptions:
Tim Jennings (UGA)- 1 for 15 yards, 1 TD
Demario Minter (UGA)- 1 for 0 yards