What - exactly - makes it so hard to beat a team twice?

Discussion in 'The Tiger's Den' started by TigerinAustin, Sep 17, 2007.

  1. TigerinAustin

    TigerinAustin Founding Member

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    I've always heard (and believed) that it's very difficult to beat a good team twice in one season. With the looming prospect of playing Florida twice, I thought I'd open up the question to allow some of the boards more insightful posters to defend that notion.

    Is it just because you have to come up with new schemes on both sides of the ball? Don't both teams have the same opportunity to make tweaks and adjustments? Is it just a function of pure probability? If we can beat em once - why is so hard to do it again in Atlanta.

    Discuss...
     
    TigerinAustin, Sep 17, 2007
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  2. Nutriaitch

    Nutriaitch Fear the Buoy

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    I've done a little research on this before, and have determined that for the most part, it's a myth.
    I don't remember the exact numbers, but looking at conferences with Championship games that featured a rematch, more often than not, the team that won in the regular season, won again in the title game. If I remember right, it was a noticeable difference as well.
     
    Nutriaitch, Sep 17, 2007
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  3. NoLimitMD

    NoLimitMD Founding Member

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    Yep, I tend to agree with that. The notion comes from the fact that so many games are ultimately decided on flukey things happening (missed tackles, bad calls, specific plays that break down.)

    So if the team wins the first time and it's not a convincing win, the above factors are likely a factor. And since flukey things don't always happen to a consistent degree, it's tough to beat somebody twice.

    LSU should not have that issue this year.
     
    NoLimitMD, Sep 17, 2007
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  4. Ch0sn0ne

    Ch0sn0ne At the Track

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    I'm thinking this theory only goes with two very evenly matched teams, in which the first game is a slugfest won by very few points. Then I can say that it would be hard to beat them twice, since it was obviously hard to beat them once.
     
    Ch0sn0ne, Sep 17, 2007
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  5. meauxjeaux2

    meauxjeaux2 Founding Member

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    I'm quite sure georgia thought that too in 03
     
    meauxjeaux2, Sep 17, 2007
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  6. Nutriaitch

    Nutriaitch Fear the Buoy

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    I went back and looked at just the SEC.
    Since '92 (1st year of CG),
    There has been 5 CG's featuring a rematch (Fla/Bama '99, Fla/Aubie '00, Tenn/LSU '01, LSU/UGA '03, Tenn/Aubie '04)

    Only 1 time did the team that lost the regular season, win the rematch.
    And for the recent bandwagoners, that was US in '01.:thumb:
     
    Nutriaitch, Sep 17, 2007
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  7. LSUtiger327

    LSUtiger327 Pow right in da kissa

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    i agree with the myth theory but do lend creedence to the fact that sometimes the losers of the first game played a little more jacked up than the original winners. but all in all superior talent, a good gameplan, and gameday execution is what gets ya the W.
     
    LSUtiger327, Sep 17, 2007
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  8. Bengal Buddy

    Bengal Buddy Founding Member

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    I was just talking to someone about that today. I hate to think of the prospect, but in 2003 we played Georgia twice and beat them when I did not think we could. It will be tough, but doable.
     
    Bengal Buddy, Sep 17, 2007
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