2002 SEC Championship Game

2002 SEC Championship Game
Conference Championship

2002 SEC Championship logo.
1 2 3 4 Total
Arkansas 0 0 3 0 3
Georgia 17 0 6 7 30
Date December 7, 2002
Season 2002
Stadium Georgia Dome
Location Atlanta, Georgia
MVP RB Musa Smith, Georgia
Referee Penn Wagers
Attendance 74,913
United States TV coverage
Network CBS
Announcers: Verne Lundquist play-by-play
Todd Blackledge color
Jill Arrington sideline
SEC Championship Game
 < 2001  2003
2002 SEC football standings
Conf     Overall
Team   W   L         W   L  
Eastern Division
#3 Georgia x   7 1         13 1  
Florida   6 2         8 5  
Tennessee   5 3         8 5  
Kentucky   3 5         7 5  
South Carolina   3 5         5 7  
Vanderbilt   0 8         2 10  
Western Division
#11 Alabama   6 2         10 3  
Arkansas xy   5 3         9 5  
#14 Auburn x   5 3         9 4  
LSU x   5 3         8 5  
Ole Miss   3 5         7 6  
Mississippi State   0 8         3 9  
Championship: Georgia 30, Arkansas 3
† – BCS representative as champion
x – Division champion/co-champions
y – Championship game participant
  • Alabama had the best division record, but did not participate in postseason play due to NCAA probation..
    Rankings from AP Poll

The 2002 SEC Championship Game was won by the Georgia Bulldogs 30-3 over the Arkansas Razorbacks. The game was played in the Georgia Dome in Atlanta, Georgia on December 7, 2002 and was televised to a national audience on CBS.

The 2002 championship game was rare in the fact that the SEC Western Division champion did not play in the game. The Alabama Crimson Tide won the Western Division crown, but could not participate in the conference championship game due to a NCAA probation stipulation which banned the team from any post season play. Instead, the Arkansas Razorbacks who finished in a three way tie for 2nd represented the western division after winning the tie breaker over Auburn and LSU. This was not the first time the SEC West champion was banned from the game however. Auburn also won the West in 1993, but was banned from post season play as well by NCAA probation.

External links