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Part Four of this series, "Pac-10 Football Is Better Than SEC Football," examines the fact that there is more (or at least equal) parity in the Pac-10 than the SEC. Yes, that's right—top to bottom, the Pac-10 is a better football conference...

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

by Thomas Brown (Senior Writer)

52

1299 reads

Opinion

July 03, 2008


Part Four of this series, "Pac-10 Football Is Better Than SEC Football," examines the fact that there is more (or at least equal) parity in the Pac-10 than the SEC.

Yes, that's right—top to bottom, the Pac-10 is a better football conference.  Anybody can beat anybody.

There's nothing that hurts my ears more than hearing SEC fans cry out that the Pac-10 only has a few quality teams, while in the SEC, every team competes.  To put it in the words of one of these uninformed fans, Stephen Williams, "The Pac-10 has been a top-heavy conference riding the success of USC."

This is the basis of every argument that an SEC fan makes—every conference game is huge because every team is so good.  Unfortunately for them, it is a myth.

SEC fans use the myth to claim that somehow teams play each other tougher when it's a conference game.  Alabama fan Nic Gulas says, "Four of the games that you picked out for comparison [between USC and LSU] are rivalry games for LSU.  Arkanas battles for the Golden Boot year in and year out and Auburn-LSU is quite an intense and defensive game."

Somehow, Arkansas and Auburn play LSU tougher than USC—all because it's a conference game.  As if those same teams were trying any less hard against USC.

SEC fans also use the myth in order to justify their horrific non-conference scheduling.  My main man Jordan Coleman argues, "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 arguments are always the same from an SEC fan: Their conference is the greatest, so that justifies everything.  It's time to look at the facts.

If the SEC is so great top to bottom, as all SEC fans claim, why are there never big-time upsets within the conference?  The SEC picture always seems to shape up just as planned.

Let's compare Street and Smith's preseason predictions for each conference with the final standings from the 2007 football season.

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

  1. Jordan Coleman about 1 year ago

    Wow, you actually believe that the Pac-10. Seriously man, this tops the icing on the cake for the worst series I've ever read. Other than USC, who does the Pac-10 have that is actually up to the same level with Florida, Georgia, Auburn, and LSU? I'm leaving out UT and Bama because they have been down for a few years.

    I seriously dare you to say that Cal, Oregon, or Oregon State is up to the level of those teams. Seriously, these are just getting hilarious at the least.

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    • Thomas Brown about 1 year ago

      Are you talking about the same Oregon that would have won the NC last year had it not been for Dixons injury?

      Just because you cant put up facts about how the SEC is better doesnt mean you have to dismiss me as "the worst series ever". Everything i said so far is facts not opinions.

      If you think the SECs so damn good why dont you see if you have enough firepower to make a series out of it.

      Its easy to say the SECs better, its hard to actually give facts as to why you think thats the case.

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    • Jeff Allen about 1 year ago

      "Are you talking about the same Oregon that would have won the NC last year had it not been for Dixons injury?"

      And then, two lines later....

      "Are you talking about the same Oregon that would have won the NC last year had it not been for Dixons injury?"

      LOL.

      methinks you need to learn how to distinguish fact from opinion.

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    • Jordan Coleman about 1 year ago

      OK you win, the SEC is nothing but a bunch of morons including us fans. We SEC fans don't have a clue... The Pac-10 domination over the college football world continues........................................

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    • Jeff Allen about 1 year ago

      I goofed up that comment above.

      Two lines after saying this:

      "Are you talking about the same Oregon that would have won the NC last year had it not been for Dixons injury?"

      you said this:

      "Everything i said so far is facts not opinions."

      NOW that's why I laughed. Because you claim to use nothing but facts and never opinions.

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    • David Hedlind about 1 year ago

      You got a point Jeff that is more opinion than fact. but it is wide popular opinion among the sports writers and experts and I think Oregon would have beat Ohio State.

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    • Jeff Allen about 1 year ago

      It's awfully easy to say what would've happened if a bunch of shit that DID happen didn't happen.

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    • David Hedlind about 1 year ago

      Also true but if all the arguement by a lot of SEC fans is that all the experts say the SEC is the toughest shouldnt we also believe all those same experts that say Oregon would have been in the National Title game or are we only supposed to believe the experts sometimes??

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    • Jeff Allen about 1 year ago

      Can anybody think for themself on this site? Who cares what the "experts" say would've happened? The truth is, nobody knows. It's all conjecture. Let's deal with real life, people.

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  2. Jeff Allen about 1 year ago

    "The accuracy with which experts can pick the final SEC standings just shows how predictable the conference is."

    Wow - you can make such definitive conclusions based on a sample size of one. You're one talented retard!

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  3. Tim Pollock about 1 year ago

    I can't wait for Part 5.

    Are you going to get into how the SEC has overrated coaches, too?

    I'm pretty sure you said the SEC has "no parity." That is awesome.

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  4. Will Shelton about 1 year ago

    I love the persistence, Thomas.

    Parity typically exists in both conferences because there are enough above average teams in the Pac-10 and the SEC to make it so. The same way mighty USC can get beat by lowly Stanford, Tennessee can lose to Florida by 39 and then beat Georgia by 21. But especially recently, there have been more good-to-elite teams in the SEC than in the Pac-10, even with the mighty Trojans.

    To illustrate, here are the Final AP Polls since the start of the BCS system in the last ten years:

    2007
    Pac-10 (4): #3 USC, #16 Arizona State, #23 Oregon, #25 Oregon State
    SEC (5): #1 LSU, #2 Georgia, #12 Tennessee, #13 Florida, #15 Auburn

    2006
    Pac-10 (3): #4 USC, #14 California, #21 Oregon State
    SEC (6): #1 Florida, #3 LSU, #9 Auburn, #15 Arkansas, #23 Georgia, #25 Tennessee

    2005
    Pac-10 (4): #2 USC, #12 Oregon, #16 UCLA, #25 California
    SEC (5): #6 LSU, #8 Alabama, #10 Georgia, #12 Florida, #14 Auburn

    2004
    Pac-10 (3): #1 USC, #9 California, #19 Arizona State
    SEC (4): #2 Auburn, #7 Georgia, #13 Tennessee, #16 LSU

    2003
    Pac-10 (2): #1 USC, #9 Washington State
    SEC (5): #2 LSU, #7 Georgia, #13 Ole Miss, #15 Tennessee, #24 Florida

    2002
    Pac-10 (2): #4 USC, #10 Washington State
    SEC (3): #3 Georgia, #11 Alabama, #14 Auburn

    2001
    Pac-10 (4): #2 Oregon, #10 Washington State, #16 Stanford, #19 Washington
    SEC (5): #3 Florida, #4 Tennessee, #7 LSU, #13 South Carolina, #22 Georgia

    2000
    Pac-10 (3): #3 Washington, #4 Oregon State, #7 Oregon
    SEC (6): #10 Florida, #18 Auburn, #19 South Carolina, #20 Georgia, #22 LSU, #24 Miss. State

    1999
    Pac-10 (1): #19 Oregon
    SEC (7): #8 Alabama, #9 Tennessee, #12 Florida, #13 Miss. State, #16 Georgia, #17 Arkansas, #22 Ole Miss

    1998
    Pac-10 (2): #4 Arizona, #8 UCLA
    SEC (4): #1 Tennessee, #5 Florida, #14 Georgia, #16 Arkansas

    Pac-10: 28 total teams ranked
    SEC: 50 total teams ranked

    Parity does exist on some levels - all 10 Pac-10 schools have been in the final poll at least once in the last ten years, and the same can be said for the SEC's top 10 schools (subtracting Kentucky/Vanderbilt). And USC has been tremendous since '02, no doubt. But the overall gap seems to be getting even bigger - in the last three years, the SEC has had 14 teams ranked in the Top 15. The Pac-10 has had 5 - three USC teams, and then teams from Cal and Oregon that barely slipped in at 14 and 12, respectively.

    I'm sure you'll keep firing away with this, as it seems like something you're passionate about. But no matter how you slice it, to me the Pac-10 keeps coming up as comparable in some ways, but still behind the SEC in many others.

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    • Thomas Brown about 1 year ago

      That's not a fair thing to say, theres 10 pac-10 schools and theres 12 sec schools...

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    • Will Shelton about 1 year ago

      Trust me, if you had 12 schools, you'd have a Kentucky and a Vanderbilt too.

      Well...maybe not a Vanderbilt.

      But even Kentucky, though they haven't ended a season ranked in the last ten years, beat the #1 team in the nation last year and made a couple major bowl appearances when Tim Couch was there.

      And even if you wanted to stretch this point...that means on average in the last ten years, 28% of Pac-10 schools are ranked at the end of the season, while 42% of SEC schools are ranked at the end of the season. I still don't see any argument that goes against this overall point.

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    • Thomas Brown about 1 year ago

      Pac10 already has Vanderbilt - Stanford

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    • Will Shelton about 1 year ago

      The same Stanford that's played in seven bowl games since Vanderbilt last went to one in 1982? The same Stanford that in the won the Pac-10 in 1999? The same Stanford that routinely wins the Director's Cup as the best athletic institution in America, while Vanderbilt doesn't even have an athletic department?

      Yeah, that's the same.

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    • Richard Hamilton 11 months ago

      Boo-ya! Well said Will. Silence is golden

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  5. bowlbasaur golden bears about 1 year ago

    keep up the good work, i love seeing the SEC fans squirm when they are confronted with facts

    plz include the stat that the pac 10 had a winning record vs every BCS conf last season in one of the following part, it makes them squeam some more. Pac 10 will likely have a winning record vs every BCS conf again this season (maybe 1-1 vs SEC), but don't include that since its speculation.

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  6. Nic Gulas about 1 year ago

    I am actually starting to feel sorry for TB here. First, he dodges a few of my responses on his other posts in this ridiculous series because they made too much sense. Now he is just trying to power through for as long as he can. Second, there is no concurrent flow to this article that you can respond to it. You make one claim that someone has said, yet your response has nothing remotely to do with what they said. You are just throwing words together and making your own opinions, and it just makes you look more and more ridiculous.

    "Somehow, Arkansas and Auburn play LSU tougher than USC—all because it's a conference game. As if those same teams were trying any less hard against USC."

    Yea, b/c OOC games dont mean as much as in conference games. Yea, they are trying to win the game, but the weight of the game means nothing and meant nothing on those two teams in the four match ups. Not to mentioned a hampered DMac would kinda make me wonder why even try.

    "But the fact of the matter is that the SEC will never have a second-to-last place team beating LSU."

    This just proves how little you know. Until 7 years ago, LSU was that second to last place team. And just ignore the fact that SC, a second to last place team, beat UGA last season, who was tied or 1st in the East. Or the fact that Bama, who you have listed as a second to last place team, beat East Champ UT last year. Is that parity in place when USC goes up against the next to last team in the Pac-10 and wins 49-9 or 55-13??? Is that why in the same years that those "close games" happened between those teams that the second to last team in the SEC only lost by 17 and 6 to the top SEC teams??? O no, wait, thats because the SEC sucks according to Thomas and his opinion is all that matters in the world of sport. Please.

    "If the SEC is so great top to bottom, as all SEC fans claim, why are there never big-time upsets within the conference?"

    Because it is a well known fact that anyone can beat anyone any Saturday in the SEC. Thats why teams dont come out of the SEC with 0 losses and can still whoop up on other teams outside the conference. It is expected that each team could possibly lose every game in the SEC, so a loss is not a shocker. It could also be the fact that one ranked team beating another ranked team isnt considered an upset, and when half your conference is ranked, thats gonna happen a lot. Common sense, seriously. O wait, your a Cali boy, Im expecting too much. And then you use Street and Smith's, the bottom of the pre-season mag totem pole, as your example. Geez, no wonder you arent getting anywhere.

    " I'm sorry, but when Florida plays Ole Miss, everyone knows they're going to win. "

    Really??? Cause the last three times those two teams have matched up, the Rebels have come out victorious twice.

    2002: 17-14 UM
    2003: 20-17 UM
    2007: 30-24 UF, and UF was down in the 4th qtr in that game.

    Yea, Florida winning is by far a fore-gone conclusion.

    As for those games that you point out, 3 of them are taken out immediately. Those 3 Oregon losses do not count b/c the Ducks were Dixon-less. Every SEC game is full stregnth on full stregnth teams. No cheapos like in the Pac-10.

    "and we must take a second look at why we think the SEC is "America's Best Conference." "

    Ok, when I pull up file footage from last season and we compare the SEC teams to the Pac-10 teams and their peformances on the field last year on video, we will see why the SEC is the best in the land, by far.

    So many holes, so little time to explain them.

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    • David Hedlind about 1 year ago

      If Nonconference games dont mean as much then why do teams need as near a perfect season as posible to make it to the NC game??

      Neither of your examples actually has the second to last team beating a tp team. second to last in the division doesnt mean second to last in the confernece. South Carolina was maybe 3 to last in the conference. Bama was 4th to last

      Anyone can beat anyone in every confernce. over the last few years undefeated regular season teams have been Hawaii, Ohio State, Boise State, Texas, USC, Oklahoma, USC, Auburn(oh wait aren't they from the SEC??), Utah.

      Im not really sure what in this article made you decide to take a shot at the Ducks but I am guessing you are one of the many uninformed that believe Dixon was the only injury on the team. Oregon actually finished with their 5th string Freshman QB, thier #1 rb hurt #2 injured, 2 out of the starting 3 WR were injured along with numerous backups.

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    • Nic Gulas about 1 year ago

      Lets see here, when were the 4 games that had USC vs Aub/Ark played??? Week one is the answer you are looking for. A week one loss means nothing on the entire outlook on the season.

      Second, David, I gave more than two examples about bottom feeders taking down the top dogs, but for some reason, just like TB and his "articles", you only pick out the facts that work in your favor, ruining your credibility. By the way, how much is he paying you to stick by his side, cause its hurting you as much as it is hurting him.

      Ok, so Auburn is the only example from the SEC. I see 2 teams from the Big 12, the same Pac-10 team twice, and a Big 10 team that has swept the conference two years in a row. Show me another team that has swept the confrence in this decade besides Auburn??? Maybe one other team.

      And finally, you are supporting my claim on Oregon. They were not a full stregnth in their last 3 games like they were early in the season, so why should they count in the ranked teams losing to non ranked team??? Oregon was obviously not a ranked team w/o Dixon. Hands down, end of story. If your homer glasses dont allow you to see that, any one else who knows college football will be able to tell you that.

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    • David Hedlind 12 months ago

      Just to be exact one of the Arkansas games was week 2.

      "SC, a second to last place team, beat UGA last season, who was tied or 1st in the East. Or the fact that Bama, who you have listed as a second to last place team, beat East Champ UT last year. "

      These were the only two you actually gave in example of supposed second to last teams beating top teams.

      1998 Tennessee was 8-0, 13-0

      Oregon finished in the top 25 after the bowl without Dixon so I guess all the voters disagree with you abou them not being a ranked team without Dixon.

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    • Nic Gulas 12 months ago

      "Is that parity in place when USC goes up against the next to last team in the Pac-10 and wins 49-9 or 55-13??? Is that why in the same years that those "close games" happened between those teams that the second to last team in the SEC only lost by 17 and 6 to the top SEC teams??? O no, wait, thats because the SEC sucks according to Thomas and his opinion is all that matters in the world of sport. Please."

      They werent specified, but I brought up two other teams. So only one of the 4 teams to win a NC in the SEC has done it undefeated. Thats my point exactly. Almost every year, there will be teams from other conferences who have perfect seasons or perfect conference seasons. It doesnt happen in the SEC.

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    • David Hedlind 12 months ago

      I still dont get it 1 time for the SEC and 1 undefeated but left out.
      2 for the Big 12 and Pac 10 and 1 for the Big 10 oh and Ohio State only swept the conference 1 time not 2 years in a row.

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  7. Derek Stephens about 1 year ago

    If I wanted to get ton of reads, I would create absurd articles that the Pac 10 is better than the SEC. lol.

    I like your arguments, but I'm sure if someone went in depth about how the SEC is better than the Pac 10 there would be substancial evidence towards it. The reason you don't see articles such as that is because the SEC has nothing to prove to other conference fans, the media, or anyone else. It is known throughout college football fans across America who has the fastest, best top to bottom, overall talented teams and that is the SEC. Also, taking a shot at Ole Miss was dumb on your part considering you said "everyone knows they're going to win" when Ole Miss has beat them 2 out of the last 3 times. Don't let the recent failures of the past four years on Ole Miss give you stereotypes. Ole Miss has been a decent, middle of the pack SEC team before 2003, but one year after Eli was a downyear and then we hired a Pac 10 coach to try to coach our team.

    I will go as far as to say the Pac 10 is second and is closing in, but isn't close enough to even start discussing which one's better.

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    • David Hedlind about 1 year ago

      Nothing to prove?? then why is the SEC the only conference that chants for the conference instead of the 1 team that wins?? nearly every fan I have come across feels the need to make a point of stating something to the effect of "SEC best conference in the land" or just simply "Go UGA, Go SEC" I dont know any other conference fans that do this.

      Maybe people will stop taking shots at Ole miss if others would stop taking them at Stanford. Stanford not too long ago were Pac 10 champs and playing in the Rose bowl. but recent failure has everyone forgetting that.

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  8. Erwin Wu about 1 year ago

    Nice facts. But facts don't tell the entire story. I'm a die-hard USC fan and I know that the SEC football is:

    1. more compeitive
    2. recruit more talented players
    3. has better teams "top to bottom"

    The inconsistency (aside from the Trojans) of the Pac-10 teams after the turn of the new millennium has been sub-par.

    "Better", though, is completely subjective. Good work on the article, though. And it's nice to see someone challenge the thought process of CFB fans. What better sport is there out there? None. C:

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  9. Mark Rupert about 1 year ago

    Who has the toughest schedule in 08, UGA (SEC).

    Who is predicted to win the SEC in 08. UGA, FLA, or could it be last years champion Lsu?

    Who is predicted to win the Pac-10 in 08 could it be the same team as last year and the five years before that, bet I can predict who will win the Pac-10 in 09. could it be USC ?

    Vegas has Uga and Fla at 6-1 to win MNCG and USC at 3-1, who else in the pac-10 is at 6-1?

    Who will win the SEC in 09, Uga, Fla, lsu, Aub, Ala, Tenn ?

    No team in the Pac-10 recruits top 10 year after year except for that one team (Usc), top 10 in SEC Uga, Fla, Lsu, do every year and Ala, Aub and tenn do at least one out of every three.

    How many coaches in the Pac-10 have won National Championships ? (we have more than any two confrances combined). ( Why do the mighty Trojans keep ducking the best team in the SEC ) ?

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    • Thomas Brown about 1 year ago

      Bc LSU ducks them...

      LSU couldnt schedule a better big time game than APP STATE?

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    • David Hedlind about 1 year ago

      Argueably the toughest schedule. Steele has Washington and Arkansas ahead of UGA. I cant actually find anyother current sos rankings though so i am not sure where you found that UGA has it. I am not saying that my opinion is that it isn't the toughest.
      I am not sure what your arguement here is for saying who is predicted to win the SEC and Pac 10. thats just 1 spot the arguement of the article was predicting the entire conference.

      answering your question the pac 10 has 2 with NC. Erickson when he was at Miami and Carroll
      only 1 with their current school
      The SEC 5 and 3 with the current.
      Didnt USC just play a division champ 2 years ago?? how is that ducking??

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  10. G8R 8U2 about 1 year ago

    Here are some facts for you:

    In this decade, the SEC has more teams with a winning percentage. For the uninitiated, that shows parity within the conference. The SEC has won more NC's. And, the SEC has won more of the Big 4 bowls. The PAC 10 gets kudos for OOC scheduling... that's it. And why shouldn't they play a tougher OOC schedule? Their in-conference schedule is significantly weaker than an SEC one. That's why PAC 10 schools keep doing it... they know their strength-of-schedule would be too poor to consistently remain in the upper echelon in BCS rankings. And while the schedule strength factor was dropped from being directly applied to the formula, all of the current computer formulas still use it as part of their program. And, you better believe the coaches who vote for teams take schedule strength into account, and that poll makes up a third of the formula.

    Ol' Will up there pretty much blew every argument I've read so far right out of the water, but, I'll tell you what I'll do. Here is a completely objective site with all the facts, figures, and rankings. It even gives rankings of the conferences all-time, by quarter century, and by decade. http://www.cfbdatawarehouse.com/data/rankings/rankings_index.php Between this site and Stassen's site, http://football.stassen.com/ , folks should be able to gleen all they'd ever want to know about college football, and where their team or conference stands in relation to others.

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    • Thomas Brown about 1 year ago

      G8R, are you retarded? I'll show you that your statements are wrong on every level.

      1.) SEC teams have higher winning percentage.
      As ive explained a million times before, the SEC schedules four non-conference cupcakes. 2 of your SEC games are wins (Ole Miss, Vandy...) so you automatically end up with 6 wins for every SEC team. Now, all you have to do is win half of your competitive games and you end up 8-4, a pretty good record. The only reason the SEC has a higher winning percentage is because of their weak non-conference scheudling.

      And you barely beat the Pac-10 in NCs and Big 4 bowl points, whatever that means. Congratulations, you have 12 teams and the pac-10 has 10.

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    • Aaron Ready 12 months ago

      Thomas, you credit every SEC team with 2 automatic conference wins coming from Ole Miss and Vandy. If you did a little research, you would find that these 2 teams are in separate divisions. Therefore, most teams will not play Ole Miss and Vandy in the same year. Also, if you did a little more research, you would find that up until 2004, Ole Miss was a 6-8 win team every year. They won 10 games in 2003 also.

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    • Richard Hamilton 11 months ago

      My first mistake in reading this series is thinking TB was a serious Journalist. Calling your readers retarded? Nice. Saying the SEC schedules 4 cupcakes every year...False, and you know it. 2 SEC games are wins? Vandy beat UGA in 06 and SC last year...I am sure there are others but, like you, I am too lazy to look up the facts. If you are going to compare two conferences with uneven teams then you have to look at % instead of pure numbers...which the SEC still leads.

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  11. Jeff Allen about 1 year ago

    Doesn't "parity" kind of imply that one team doesn't dominate the conference every damn year?

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  12. Josh Hamilton about 1 year ago

    Everyone on here keeps talking about facts, well the author of this article can't even get the facts straight. "There is little possibility for major upsets within the conference. Of course, there are a few example that you might name, such as Kentucky over LSU a few years back or Arkansas over LSU last year." Actually if you did your homework, Kentucky beat LSU last year, not a few years back. It's hard for me to believe any of the things that were written if he can't even get his facts straight. I do think the SEC is a tougher conference top to bottom, but both conferences have proven to be two of the elite conferences in the NCAA.

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  13. Derek Stephens about 1 year ago

    One quick question with your predictions to actual results. Do you not think it's easier to predict 2 groups of 6 (SEC West) than a whole group of 10 (Pac 10)?. I'm sure if magazines would predict the ENTIRE SEC in order from 1-12, you would see a more unpredictable outcome.

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  14. Chuck Taylor about 1 year ago

    Ask Virginia Tech about the beating they took at LSU last year. Ask Arizona. Ask Oregon St. Ask Arizona St. It goes on and on. USC is legit, but none of the others in the PAC-10 are. You obviously hate the SEC and love the PAC-10 and your bias shows in your article. Please don't write a part 5 a make a bigger idiot out of yourself. I'm starting to get embarrased for you. Your Ole Miss Florida point was priceless and show how little research you have put into your article. Also while you are at it ask Michigan about App. State.

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    • David Hedlind about 1 year ago

      Oregon State went to OT and if i remember correctly LSU held on in the last like 30 seconds to beat Arizona State in 05.
      Also look at where those teams finished.
      Arizona was last in the Pac 10 while LSU won a NC in 03. In 06 Arizona was 6th while LSU was tied for second in the west and won the Sugar Bowl.
      Oregon State finished 4th in the Pac 10 in 04 which was the highest of the opponents and like i said took LSU to OT. an LSU team that was second in the West. maybe about 4 th overall in the SEC. so thats almost a push but LSU did get the win.
      Arizona State was 5th in the Pac 10 LSU won the west. your examples proved nothing more than the fact LSU can beat the middle to the bottom of the Pac 10 and had trouble with the middle.

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  15. Derek Stephens about 1 year ago

    If Missouri, Texas, Texas Tech, Oklahoma, and Kansas all have good showings next year, is the Big 12 better than the Pac 10? I think so.

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    • David Hedlind about 1 year ago

      I think by seasons end the Big 12 was better than the Pac 10 last year.

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    • bowlbasaur golden bears 12 months ago

      Big 12 had a losing record to the Pac 10 last season, and the season before. I believe the Pac 10 is 9-2 against the Big 12 the past 2 seasons, with the only Big 12 Ws coming from OU (over Washington) and UT (over ASU).

      Meanwhile, the Pac 10 has USC over Nebraska X2, ASU over Colorado X2, Cal over TAMU, Oregon State over Missou, Oregon "over" Oklahoma, and Wassu over Baylor X2.

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  1. Derek Stephens about 1 year ago

    By the way Thomas, found an error in your article.

    Tennessee ended up winning the SEC East. Remember? Because when BCS Selection came everyone's gripe to Georgia was they weren't in the conference championship?

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  2. Michael Inglis 12 months ago

    Get over it man, your not even the second best conference.

    SEC, Big 12, Pac 10, ACC, Big 10, Big East.

    Title your aritcle, "Pac 10, only one good team"

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  3. Michael Inglis 12 months ago

    Your facts are a bit misleading. You include 3 Oregon games in your stat of unranked opponents beating ranked opponents. However, we both know that Dennis Dixon didn't play in those games and you need to ask yourself how many of those games would Oregon have won if Dixon had played? So nice misleading facts.

    Face it, USC is the Pac 10. The Pac 10 had one team finish in the top 15 of the AP Polls and off course that was USC. The SEC had 5 teams finish in the top 15. I don't make this stuff up.

    5 of the the 10 teams in the Pac 10 had losing records while only 2 of the 12 teams in the SEC had losing records. Come on Thomas, this is too easy. When half of your conference sucks, don't try to say you're better than the SEC.

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  4. Michael Inglis 12 months ago

    Another thing, you only had 9 teams in your Pac 10 standings. They call it the Pac TEN for a reason.

    Nice article, lol

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  5. Tom 11 months ago

    Since 1992, the following teams have played in SECCG: Bama (5), Ark (3), AU (3), UF (8, most in the 90's), TN (5), GA (3), LSU (3).

    Since 1992, the following teams have won the SEC: Bama (2), AU (1), UF (6, most in the 90's), TN (2), GA (2), LSU (2).

    Since 1992, the following SEC teams have won the NC: UF (96, 06), LSU (03, 07), Bama (92), TN (98) 6 total.

    You can not compare championships between the two leagues because the PAC 10 often has Co-Champs. But you can compare top-10 and top 25 teams.

    SEC First

    Since 2000, the following SEC teams have had Top 10 teams: Bama (05), AU (04, 06), TN (01), UGA (02, 03, 04, 05, 07), LSU (01, 03, 05, 06, 07), UF (00, 01, 06). 17 total.

    Since 2000, the following SEC teams were ranked 11-25: Bama (96), ARK (06), AU (00, 02, 05, 07), TN (00, 03, 04, 06, 07), LSU (00, 04), MISS (03), MISS ST (00), SC (00, 01), UF (02, 03, 04, 05, 07). 25 total

    Now for the PAC 10:

    Since 1992, the following PAC 10 teams won a NC : Wash (91), USC (03, 04). 3 total

    Since 2000, the following PAC 10 teams had a Top 10 ranking: USC (02, 03, 04, 05, 06, 07), Cal (04), OR (00, 01), OSU (00), Wash (00), WSU (01, 02, 03). 14 total.

    Since 2000, the following Pac 10 teams had a 11-25 ranking: Cal (05, 06), OR (05, 07), OSU (06, 07), ASU (04, 07), Wash (01), UCLA (05), Stan (01). 11 total

    To conclude:

    the SEC has had 6 NC since 1992 between 4 teams and the PAC 10 has 3 between 2 teams

    Since 2000, the SEC had 17 Top 10 teams between 6 schools, the PAC 10 has 14 between 6 schools.

    Since 2000, the SEC had 25 teams ranked 11-25 between 10 schools, the PAC 10 had 11 between 7 schools.

    So how is it that the SEC is TOP HEAVY? Both leagues have their bottom feeders that get a break every now then (other than UA and Vandy). But the Top of the SEC is much deeper than that of the PAC 10.

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    • Thomas Brown 11 months ago

      Tom,
      The Pac10 has 10 teams while the SEC has 12, so it makes no sense to compare how many top 25 teams it had each year. If you have more teams, obviously you will have more top 25 teams as well.

      Also, I thoughouly enjoyed you starting your comparison off in the year 1992, a completely ambiguous year (Oh, wait, didnt Bama win the NC that year? Oh, weird, strange conicidence)...how about starting in a year that doesnt automatically favor the SEC

      Another futile attempt to debase the PAC10 from its throne of superiority.

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  6. Tom 11 months ago

    Since 1992, the following teams have played in SECCG: Bama (5), Ark (3), AU (3), UF (8, most in the 90's), TN (5), GA (3), LSU (3).

    Since 1992, the following teams have won the SEC: Bama (2), AU (1), UF (6, most in the 90's), TN (2), GA (2), LSU (2).

    Since 1992, the following SEC teams have won the NC: UF (96, 06), LSU (03, 07), Bama (92), TN (98) 6 total.

    You can not compare championships between the two leagues because the PAC 10 often has Co-Champs. But you can compare top-10 and top 25 teams.

    SEC First

    Since 2000, the following SEC teams have had Top 10 teams: Bama (05), AU (04, 06), TN (01), UGA (02, 03, 04, 05, 07), LSU (01, 03, 05, 06, 07), UF (00, 01, 06). 17 total.

    Since 2000, the following SEC teams were ranked 11-25: UGA (06, 01, 00), Bama (96), ARK (06), AU (00, 02, 05, 07), TN (00, 03, 04, 06, 07), LSU (00, 04), MISS (03), MISS ST (00), SC (00, 01), UF (02, 03, 04, 05, 07). 25 total

    Now for the PAC 10:

    Since 1992, the following PAC 10 teams won a NC : Wash (91), USC (03, 04). 3 total

    Since 2000, the following PAC 10 teams had a Top 10 ranking: USC (02, 03, 04, 05, 06, 07), Cal (04), OR (00, 01), OSU (00), Wash (00), WSU (01, 02, 03). 14 total.

    Since 2000, the following Pac 10 teams had a 11-25 ranking: Cal (05, 06), OR (05, 07), OSU (06, 07), ASU (04, 07), Wash (01), UCLA (05), Stan (01). 11 total

    To conclude:

    the SEC has had 6 NC since 1992 between 4 teams and the PAC 10 has 3 between 2 teams

    Since 2000, the SEC had 17 Top 10 teams between 6 schools, the PAC 10 has 14 between 6 schools.

    Since 2000, the SEC had 25 teams ranked 11-25 between 10 schools, the PAC 10 had 11 between 7 schools.

    So how is it that the SEC is TOP HEAVY? Both leagues have their bottom feeders that get a break every now then (other than UA and Vandy). But the Top of the SEC is much deeper than that of the PAC 10.

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