Heavy SEC flavor at Super Bowl with LSU, Georgia leading way

Odell Beckham Jr. cheered Joe Burrow and Ja’Marr Chase two quick years in the past, having fun with each minute because the duo led their alma mater LSU to the nationwide championship.

He additionally knew he’d be seeing each of them once more within the NFL, although not even the Rams extensive receiver may’ve predicted the primary showdown could be within the Tremendous Bowl.

“They’re born winners, so I all the time knew that we might see them once more,” Beckham mentioned. “I imply by no means may it’s any higher than this. … I obtained into a bit bother on the nationwide championship so I used to be banned from LSU, jokingly. However so that they obtained their ring and all that, and it’s like now it’s our flip to get ours.”

Beckham faces off in opposition to his fellow Tigers within the Tremendous Bowl on Sunday, which can have a really distinct Southeastern Convention taste that goes nicely past Burrow and Matthew Stafford and their favourite targets.

The Rams have 11 and the Bengals 12 gamers from SEC applications, with seven extra mixed on the observe squads. So put together for a couple of extra reminders of the mighty SEC’s expertise irrespective of what number of people are sick of listening to in regards to the convention that has received 12 of the previous 16 nationwide championships.

Los Angeles left deal with Andrew Whitworth, says there’s little question how a lot a lift enjoying within the SEC offers gamers as soon as they’re within the NFL. Taking part in at LSU within the SEC actually helped him achieve success within the NFL for 16 seasons.

“The actually constant narrative is the SEC has a ton of NFL soccer gamers that get actually that observe of enjoying in opposition to different guys which have NFL expertise all through their convention so many weeks of the season — which may’t do something however actually enhance your recreation if you begin dealing with that form of stage of expertise,” Whitworth mentioned.

9 of the SEC’s 14 members are represented on this recreation with reigning nationwide champ Georgia main the best way with six Bulldogs, two on the observe squad. LSU and Florida have 5 apiece, whereas Alabama has 4.

Texas A&M has 4, two on the observe squad. Rams linebacker Von Miller simply missed out on the SEC expertise together with his Aggies formally shifting to the SEC in 2012, after Miller’s first season within the NFL.

Chase was one in every of 65 gamers drafted from the SEC final April, a file that convention appears to high nearly yearly. He is aware of his rookie season was helped by Cincinnati reuniting him with Burrow because the fifth general choose. The New Orleans native is a bit prejudiced in regards to the SEC.

“I’d say it’s the perfect convention in faculty …,” Chase mentioned. “So if you get to the NFL, it’s a lot simpler. You recognize it made an impression on me, helped me so much, and it’s proven as my rookie 12 months glided by.”

Bengals tight finish C.J. Uzomah performed at Auburn, and he knew Burrow could be an NFL hit just by watching how the quarterback performed within the SEC.

“Watching him in faculty simply torch each single protection within the SEC, like, when his title was introduced, I used to be like that’s a franchise quarterback proper there,” Uzomah mentioned.

The excessive stage of expertise within the SEC isn’t the one factor that prepares gamers for the NFL. Uzomah mentioned he would by no means say what Burrow did about having heard louder stadiums in faculty when occurring the street within the NFL. Burrow mentioned he heard louder crowds at Baton Rouge.

“Being fully trustworthy, you do,” Uzomah mentioned. “The stadiums are larger, there are extra folks which might be in there. (Auburn’s) Jordan-Hare has like 87,000, the max is like 89,000 after we performed Alabama my senior 12 months. For positive that helps when it comes to simply realizing what to anticipate from an away stadium from a hostile setting.”

Cincinnati rookie kicker Evan McPherson made the successful area targets in each the divisional spherical and AFC championship recreation on the street. He mentioned the SEC expertise of enjoying “obnoxiously loud video games within the Swamp” helps so much, even for a kicker like himself who’s taught to dam out all of the noise.

He remembers his ears ringing after attending a recreation between Alabama and Mississippi State due to all of the cowbells. One of many loudest video games got here in Dying Valley when Florida visited LSU at evening throughout that championship season with Burrow and Chase — and roughly 107,000 followers. Kyle Area at Texas A&M additionally got here to thoughts.

“These video games actually helped so much,” McPherson mentioned. “I texted Shayne Graham (who coached McPherson at Florida) after the sport, and I’m like, ‘Arrowhead’s loud, nevertheless it’s not close to as loud as a number of the stadiums I’ve performed in in faculty have gotten.”

The Rams are enjoying on their very own area even when Cincinnati technically is the house staff Sunday at SoFi Stadium, with a capability of 70,240. Just one factor will matter as soon as the ball kicks off, and that’s successful.

“Hopefully we are able to pull it off,” Beckham mentioned, realizing that SEC gamers are inclined to get that likelihood within the execs.