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There are so many reasons the Pac-10 is a much better conference than the SEC any day of the week—and I'm here to tell you why...

Pac-10 Football Is Better Than SEC Football: Part One

by Thomas Brown (Senior Writer)

40

2279 reads

Opinion

July 01, 2008


There are so many reasons the Pac-10 is a much better conference than the SEC any day of the week—and I'm here to tell you why.

I don't want to overburden you with a thousand-page essay on why the Pac-10 eats the SEC for lunch, so I'll take it part by part.  In Part One of "Pac-10 Football Is Better Than SEC Football," we'll take a look at out-of-conference scheduling.

The Southeastern Conference might as well change its name to the Schedules Easy Cupcakes League, because that's exactly what it is.

 

"We Have So Many Teams Over .500"

I love how SEC fans brag about how their conference is so great because all of their teams post such great records, and that all their teams are above .500.

An SEC fan might brag to me: "Only two of our teams finished below .500 last year, Vanderbilt and Ole Miss.  Vandy was barely below too at 5-7.  So basically, only one of our twelve teams finished below .500."

It is true that only two of the SEC's twelve teams finished below .500 last year.  Vanderbilt finished 5-7 and Ole Miss 3-9.

Let me tell you something: The reason why all your teams finished above .500 is because you scheduled a bunch of cupcakes in your non-conference schedule.

Vanderbilt only got to their 5-7 record by going 3-1 in non-conference, playing Richmond, Eastern Michigan, Kent State, and Wake Forest (who they lost to).  None of those teams are impressive.

Ole Miss only got to their 3-9 record by going 3-1 out of conference as well.  The Rebels played Memphis, Missouri (loss), Louisiana Tech, and Northwestern State.  Again, three wins against three cupcakes.

 

Pac-10: "We Schedule Decent Non-Conference Opponents"

If we look at the final Pac-10 standings from 2007, we see that there are three teams that finished below .500: Washington State (5-7), Stanford (4-8), and Washington (4-9).  Combined, these three teams were 5-5 out of conference, compared to the two SEC bottom-feeders' 6-2 record.

Washington State squared off against Wisconsin, San Diego State, and Idaho.  Stanford faced San Jose State, TCU, and Notre Dame.  Washington played Syracuse, Boise State, Ohio State, and Hawaii.

How do those teams compare to the ones I just mentioned that Vanderbilt and Ole Miss played?  They don't.

The Pac-10 goes out of their way to schedule marquee games, or at least face a decent opponent week in and week out.  They never take games off playing the likes of Northwestern State.

 

The Trend Continues This Year

I don't mean to only look at the SEC's horrendous non-conference scheduling from the 2007 season.  It carries over into the 2008 season.

Just take a look below as I list every DI-AA (or FCS, whatever you kids call it these days) opponent that the SEC and Pac-10 face in the 2008 season.

 

SEC (9) 

Western Illinois @ Arkansas

Georgia Southern @ Georgia

Appalachian State @ LSU

Norfolk State @ Kentucky

Southeastern Louisiana @ Mississippi State

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40 comments Last one added 11 months ago — Leave a Comment

  1. Doug Adams about 1 year ago

    Georgia ASU should be an exciting game!

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    • justin priest about 1 year ago

      This guy is a moron he says the SEC won't schedule big OOC games?

      This year

      UGA V ASU

      Auburn @ West Virginia

      Tenn. @ UCLA

      Alabama V.S. Clemson

      Florida V Miami

      South Carolina V Clemson

      LSU tried to schedule Texas, TTU, and Rutgers but none would play so we ESPN got us App. State and they gonna call it the battle of champions or something

      09
      LSU @ Washington

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    • Thomas Brown about 1 year ago

      LSU vs. Washington is a big non-conference game?

      I didn't know that the No. 1 team in the SEC would have a hard time with a No. 8 Pac-10 team.

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    • Thomas Brown about 1 year ago

      And I'm sorry that LSU had all these big time games in mind, but they had to settle for App State. Funny how things work out

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    • Tony Tiger about 1 year ago

      SC ALWAYS gets a pud team in the Rose Bowl. Georgia would have beat the shit of of SC in the Rose this year and the Rose knew is so what did they protected SC with a pud in Ill. Your a dumb ass.

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    • David Hedlind about 1 year ago

      Tony- check the rule book and ask the Sugar Bowl why UGA wasn't in the Rose Bowl.

      The BCS rules state the Bowl losing the #1 and #2 teams get first and second pick of at large teams. In last years case the Rose 1 the Sugar 2. In order for the Rose to be able to take a team from the same conference as the #2 team they must have permission from that conferences tie in bowl, the Sugar. Do you honestly believe the Sugar Bowl would give up Georgia??

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    • Ray Mitchell about 1 year ago

      I seem to remember LSU playing Oregon State in a home opener a few years ago, LSU also played at Arizona and Arizona State. Hell just last year LSU played Virginia Tech in their first home game of the year. I'm sure there are many more to speak of but it doesn't matter. Hell, LSU has had several BCS conference teams buyout their games with them, ie. Boise State, Colorado even Virginia Tech tried to find a way out.
      It's a shame people have this perception about the SEC. The fact is SEC teams have to play each other, and that is pretty much better than most other teams schedule. LSU, FL, AU, UAL, UAR, MISS ST, TN, UGA, USC. Hell, thats the ten other team this writer didn't mention that were all in the top 25 at some point just last year! Most of them broke into the top 13 as a matter of fact.
      Damn I hate people that do a half ass job, and then do it with a bias.
      Thomas Brown, you sir need to leave the comfort of your buddies living room before you write articles like this.

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  2. Liger about 1 year ago

    I hope I don't sound too blunt because I really love these discussions and have no ill feelings toward you, BUT...

    Why do you feel the need to write an article to prove that the PAC 10 is better than the SEC? Why the SEC and not the Big 10, Big 12, Big East, or ACC?

    Sorta reminds me of car commercials that go on and on about how thier cars are better than Mercedes...I'm thinking, heck, the fact that you must compare yourself to Mercedes tells me you think they are the best. So, you talked me into it...I'm buying a Mercedes! :)

    Also, you forget about the most important non-conference games---they're called Bowl Games...and in the past few years we seem to be doing OK in those. How can you say LSU-Ohio State is not a big non conference game...or UF-Ohio State?

    And...as an Auburn fan, I can tell you we play a major non-conference opponent most every year. This year we're playing WVU (an AP Top 10 team) on the road.

    In my honest opinion, the PAC-10 is SC, Cal, and everybody else is sorta along for the ride. Cal and SC vs the SEC top teams would be a fair argument, but the PAC-10 vs the SEC top to bottom? not even close.

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    • David Hedlind about 1 year ago

      Just USC and Cal?? never mind Oregon was on the way to the National championship game and has had only 1 losing season in the last 14 seasons.
      forget Oregon State who has finished 9-4 and 10-4 the last 2 seasons.
      also ignor the Arizona State was co champs with USC last year.

      but keep believing what you will.

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  3. Liger about 1 year ago

    not to beat a dead horse, but I did a little checking and you aren't just a little off, you're WAY off on the "we schedule decent non-conference opponents" theory. Here is a list of some of the non-conference teams that SEC teams played in 2007 and will play in 2008...regular season.

    Clemson (against 2 SEC teams), Florida State (against 2 SEC teams), Texas, WVU, USF, Kansas St, Miami (Fl), Arizona St, Oklahoma St, Louisville, Virginia Tech (played against a top LSU team, by the way), Georgia Tech, NC State, UCLA, and Cal...

    Come on now...at least present ALL the facts, not just the ones that support your case.

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  4. Rob Landry about 1 year ago

    just a year ago LSU hosted Virginia Tech for its home opener. A matchup of top 10 teams at the time. And they dominated the game, winning 49-7. Or how about Alabama's home and home with Oklahoma a few years ago, or both Arkansas and Auburn scheduling USC?

    But don't let facts get in the way of your envious babblings. The SEC has won the last 2 national titles and 3 this decade, compared to the PAC 10's 1. The PAC 10 has some strong teams, there is no denying that. But as a whole the SEC is a superior conference. When you're conference becomes more than USC and the PAC 9, let us all know.

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  5. Derek Stone about 1 year ago

    LSU played more ranked teams than anyone last year........what else do you want?

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  6. Jordan Coleman about 1 year ago

    No way does the Pac-10 even compare to the SEC. The SEC is the best conference in the natio in football and Pac-10 is 2nd.

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  7. erick england about 1 year ago

    i guess the fact the LSU continues to schedule the PAC-10 for out of conference games (home and home with ASU, AU,and Washington, and OSU 3 years ago) is only more proof that the SEC does indeed schedule weak out of conference. You are right, we should try the ACC or somthing a little more changling.

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    • David Hedlind about 1 year ago

      Yeah I dont know if I would brag on that.

      2003 Arizona 2-10 LSU 13-1
      2004 Oregon State 7-5 LSU 9-3 and that one took OT for LSU to win
      2005 Arizona State 7-5 LSU 11-2
      2006 Arizona 6-6 LSU 11-2

      Washington is in the future but LSU just scheduled a team that has gone
      2-9, 5-7, 4-9 over the last 3 years and finished last in the Pac 10 in 2 of the 3.

      all you proved is that LSU can beat the middle and bottom of the Pac 10

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  8. Will Shelton about 1 year ago

    First of all, we all recognize that the only reason Vanderbilt's around is to improve our graduation rates. I think this is a safe place to admit that.

    But as several have pointed out, plenty of SEC teams do go out of their way to schedule marquee non-conference matchups - something Arkansas (Texas & USC), Auburn (USC, South Florida, West Virginia), LSU (Virginia Tech), and especially Tennessee (Syracuse, Notre Dame, Miami, Cal, UCLA) - have been doing all this decade. And now that Alabama and Georgia have gotten on board and Florida's playing Miami again, the SEC's elite are all involved with high ranking non-conference matchups.

    Plus, the SEC is involved with major annual rivalries in the non-conference portion between Florida-FSU, Georgia-Georgia Tech, and Clemson-South Carolina. Aside from USC playing Notre Dame, I don't know of any Pac-10 schools who go that route.

    I too hate it when an SEC school schedules an FCS school, and I admire the Pac-10 for manning up and adding an extra conference game when they went to a 12 game schedule. But to judge the SEC's strength of schedule based on Ole Miss and Vanderbilt, to overlook all these non-conference games and annual rivalries that have been listed above, and not to mention the brutality of the SEC in-conference schedule every year...I fail to see how this argument holds much water.

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  9. Jordan Coleman about 1 year ago

    The Pac-10 has to schedule a couple good out of conference games because the conference games are pretty weak at best compared to the SEC. The SEC always has 5-7 teams ranked in the top 25 in conference so it all equals out.

    The SEC plays the best conference schedule in the nation while the Pac-10 plays in a lesser conference with a couple good out of conference games. Actually it still doesn't equal out. The Pac-10 doesn't even compare to the SEC in terms of football.

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    • David Hedlind about 1 year ago

      SOME of the SEC plays a really good in onference schedule. the problem is for all the good teams in the conference when was the last time a team actually had to play Tenn, UGA, Florida, Auburn, South Carolina, LSU, Arknasas, Alabama as their confernce schedule?? The answer is never because you only play three from the other division meaning you miss teams. who is to say a team doesn't play the bottom three from the opposite??

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    • Richard Hamilton 11 months ago

      Never? UGA plays Alabama, LSU, and Auburn this year. Thats the 3 best teams in the west. Not to mention the teams from the east...UF, Tenn, and SC. That is 6 top 25 teams in conference Its really an easy arguement....The SEC doesn't have to play a strong out of conference schedule to make up for a weak in conference schedule like the PAC-1(0) does.

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  10. Mark about 1 year ago

    I think some of the perceived disparity in OOC scheduling is because in the Pac-10 all the teams play each other while the SEC does not. In other words, a Pac-10 team will play 9 conference games while an SEC team will only play 8. Teams from the SEC have to schedule one more OOC game than the Pac-10, and although those games are often cupcakes, I think looking at that extra game may lead people to think that the SEC doesn't schedule quality OOC teams.

    To illustrate, let's look at ASU and Auburn's schedule. ASU plays powerhouse Northern Arizona, UNLV, and UGA.

    Auburn plays Bama beater Louisana-Monroe, Southern Miss, West Virginia, and TN-Martin.

    I would say Louisiana-Monroe and Northern Arizona are equal (perhaps N. Arizona is comparable to TN-Martin, but I don't know, but I will give the Northern AZ lumberjacks the benefit of doubt here). I would say UNLV and Southern Miss are comparable as are UGA and West Virginia. Now the problem comes up with that 4th OOC that Auburn plays, TN-Martin. If Auburn played a 9th conference game like ASU that 4th game would not exist.

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  11. Nick Martin about 1 year ago

    The PAC 10 is the only conference that doesn't habitually schedule 1-AA teams because you have 9 conference games. You could have just as easily made the same argument against the Big 10, Big 12, Big East, or ACC, all of which schedule tons of games against 1-AA teams because they have 4 non-conference dates to fill as opposed to three.

    And as others above have pointed out, you need to do your homework before saying the SEC doesn't play big games. Clearly they do as much as anybody else.

    You sir, are an idiot.

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  12. jonthan mitc about 1 year ago

    Let's also not overlok this fact: the SEC has a conference championship game.

    Translation: In any given year you may have to play the best/2nd best team in the conference TWICE. That means even if you get through your season unscathed you still have another game against a proven opponent to contend with before you get to play in a bowl game.

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    • Thomas Brown about 1 year ago

      Good point jonthan

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    • David Hedlind about 1 year ago

      Thats true they do have one but that is their choice. There is no rule by the NCAA that says a conference has to have one. The rule is a conference CAN have one if they have at least 12 teams and 2 divisions.

      In theroy you play the best or second best but sometimes the two best are in the same division. look at the ACC in 2005.

      In the Pac 10 they play all 9 teams. why prove it again if you have already come out as the best out of the whole conference on the field and not just the best of your half of the conference??

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  13. Justin Goar about 1 year ago

    "All I'm saying is that we would never see an SEC team playing an early-season thriller. The SEC will never play a big non-conference game during the season."

    Yeah like LSU and virginia tech last year. both teams were highly ranked, but you're right, it wasn't a thriller.

    kinda like the nat'l championship after we spotted 10.

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  14. Stephen Williams about 1 year ago

    Reading your articles has just become something that I do when I want to laugh. There's not one good thing I can say about them.

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  15. J. B. Kraft about 1 year ago

    If you look at the past decade's worth of data, you'll find the SEC has better records, better attendance, better out-of-conference rankings, more NFL players, and more national championships.

    It doesn't mean that the Pac-10 doesn't play exciting football, but they seem to have more lopsided victories in-conference than the SEC does. Every team in our conference has enough firepower to beat any other team. If you snooze, you lose.

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  1. Caroline Hoit about 1 year ago

    I can tell you are a delusional SC fan - uses only their school facts and records to claim their conference is the best? WHAT??? Why don't you stick to an argument you have a chance of winning - that SC is a strong football program and can compete with some of the best SEC teams when they play them ONCE a year.

    I would compare your situation to FSU back in the 90's when the only reason the ACC got an iota of press time was because there was one incredibly good team in the conference, little else....

    Why do you think the Pac 10 schedules include harder non-conference opponents?

    Because their in-conference schedule is weak and sucks...I would love to see SC play LSU, Georgia, Florida, South Carolina, Tennessee back to back to back......and then round that out by having to play a championship and beat a strong team a second time around! Throw the SEC teams a bone for scheduling someone outside the best teams in the country after their brutal in conference schedule.

    TOP to BOTTOM the pac-10 is clearly the weaker conference. NO BRAINER dude! and while you are at it, why don't you add a conference championship game and make it a LITTLE HARDER for yourself to actually lose a game to a mediocre conference opponent?

    I hope that the BCS wises up and matches SC up with an SEC opponent in a bowl game this year!!

    WAR DAMN EAGLE!

    Southern Belle living in LA

    PS. Go to an SEC game and you will realize how BORING your games are - great DEFENSE by the way...

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    • David Hedlind about 1 year ago

      You mean the like the USC defense that ranked among the top in the nation??
      Oregon States defense that was #1 in the nation against the run??
      and UCLA with a top 15 ranking against the run??
      Oregons defense that was #1 in the nation in tackles for loss??
      Arizona State, USC and Oregon with what are considered some of the top D lines in the nation
      USC, Cal, Arizona State with some of the top linebacking units
      Oregon, USC, Oregon State, Arizona State with some of the top secondarys.

      just because there is an old notion of no D doesnt make it true.

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    • ACE DUCKS about 1 year ago

      Are you kidding me? the whole reason that the SEC conference schedule seems tough is because when teams play each other year in and year out, they get to know each others tendancies of how they play on the field, so naturally it will seem tougher, the PAC-10 is no exception. So this agruement of how our conference play is sooooo tough goes out the window. Let me see ANY SEC team, go into the Big House at Michigan and beat them the same way that Oregon did. Let me see Auburn (a team that Can't decide on a mascot) do that. We won't see any of that soon, ie SEC teams scheduling west of the Mississippi or North of the Mason/Dixon line. No Auburn gets defeated at home against USF the same team that a very Depleted Oregon team destroyed in a bowl game, and Michigan beating Florida in a bowl game. Don't even get me started on Auburn, you had a undeafted Season, with a non-conference schedule that year that included The Citadel? Get serious! Was the St Mary's College for the Blind unavailable that year? And BTW I'm stationed (ie not by Choice) down in Georgia and I have actually been to a few Auburn and Georgia games. Games in the PAC 10 are alot better. SEC: weak offenses, defensive dominated games, SNOOZER!!!!!!!! Go back to the Land of Dixie were you belong.

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  2. Neil Foley about 1 year ago

    While the article has some major flaws in it, the truth of the matter is that if one uses the BCS formula, over the past four years, the SEC is the number one ranked conference and the Pac-10 is the closest to them in terms of top-to-bottom strength.

    While I happen to believe the SEC is slightly better, some SEC fans in this thread are seriously underestimating the Pac-10, which isn't surprising. It is a league that is continually underestimated in football and overestimated in basketball.

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  3. James McCoy about 1 year ago

    "Yeah I dont know if I would brag on that.

    2003 Arizona 2-10 LSU 13-1
    2004 Oregon State 7-5 LSU 9-3 and that one took OT for LSU to win
    2005 Arizona State 7-5 LSU 11-2
    2006 Arizona 6-6 LSU 11-2

    Washington is in the future but LSU just scheduled a team that has gone
    2-9, 5-7, 4-9 over the last 3 years and finished last in the Pac 10 in 2 of the 3.

    all you proved is that LSU can beat the middle and bottom of the Pac 10 "

    then you say

    "Just USC and Cal?? never mind Oregon was on the way to the National championship game and has had only 1 losing season in the last 14 seasons.
    forget Oregon State who has finished 9-4 and 10-4 the last 2 seasons.
    also ignor the Arizona State was co champs with USC last year.

    but keep believing what you will."

    LSU scheduled Arizona when they were a top 10 team. We played there 1st. Arizona State has yet to go to Baton Rouge (don't blame them, they sent their profits from that game to Katrina) and was ranked in the top 15 when we played them. We are scheduled to play at Washington coming up.

    LSU beat 2 of the teams that you listed, one on the road right after Katrina with a brand new coaching staff

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  4. Skptr88 Klein about 1 year ago

    this is the most skewed "article" I have ever read.

    is there anyone who even reads/believes this bullshit?

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  5. Tom 11 months ago

    Some of those Div I-AA teams (Ap St and GA South) are more impressive than some of the Div I teams that the PAC 10 has scheduled like: Idaho, Toledo, New Mexico, Utah ST, SJ St and TCU

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  6. Justin Carter 11 months ago

    Funny, and I too do not remember the PAC-10 having a conference championship game. Is that because USC might lose, and not play in a BCS game?

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