Behind The Veil: Analyzing Resumes In The SEC

Four weeks into the college football season, there has been lots of talk that the SEC has become a two-horse race between Bama and Florida.  Some pundits say that LSU has struggled in too many games, that Georgia can’t play defense, and that Auburn hasn’t played anyone.  But how much of what we believe rests on what name is on the jersey?  What if, we looked only at the resume, then judged a team’s success without considering the brand?

Take a look below.  Here are the seven SEC teams with one or no losses and their current resumes.  Simply by looking at what has actually been accomplished, instead of who accomplished it, the SEC picture might begin to clear up; or it might get even more cloudy.

School A

4-0

1 conference win (home)

1 win vs. BCS opponent (neutral site)

2 wins vs. non-BCS opponents (both home)

School B 

3-1

2 conference wins (1 home, 1 away)

1 loss vs. BCS opponent (away)

1 win vs. BCS opponent (home)

School C

4-0

1 conference win (home)

1 win vs. BCS opponent (home)

2 wins vs. non-BCS opponent (both home)

School D

4-0

2 conference wins (1 home, 1 away)

1 win vs. BCS opponent (away)

1 win vs. non-BCS opponent (home)

School E

4-0

2 conference wins (1 home, 1 away)

1 win vs. non-BCS opponent (home)

1 win vs. FCS opponent (home)

School F

3-1

1 conference win (home)

1 conference loss (away)

1 win vs. BCS opponent (away)

1 win vs. non-BCS opponent (home)

School G

2-1

1 conference loss (away)

1 win vs. non-BCS opponent (away)

1 win vs. FCS opponent (home)

Based on this, in my humble opinion, Schools A, B, and D have accomplished more.  Each left home to play a game against a BCS opponent.  Each are undefeated in conference play, and each have avoided FCS opponents.  School B has yet to play a team not from a BCS conference, while School D has gone on the road two of the first four weeks of the season and recorded victories. 

The least impressive of these seven teams, are Schools E and G.  School E has not left its own backyard once, and the only BCS opponent it has played has been in-conference.  School G has two wins, and neither of them are against a BCS opponent (and one is against and FCS opponent).  Neither one of these resumes are very attractive, if you ask me.

As for Schools C and F?  School F has a road win against a BCS opponent, and a 1-1 record in conference; the loss being on the road – a hard place to win in the SEC.  School C has an unblemished record, but with two wins coming against non-BCS opponents, and having never left home, still has something to prove.

So, remove the names and colors that leave us all so blinded, and things might shape up differently.  Which resumes do you find most impressive?  Least impressive?