I've never been a part of the "in" crowd. I've never been hated "because I'm beautiful." But being a fan of the SEC these days is starting to feel just that way. It seems that jealousy abounds among fans of the other conferences, and the potshots are coming faster and harder than ever before.
For a while, Big-10 fans thought that they were the ones that were the SEC's top rival for the mantle of college football's (and arguably college athletics as a whole) top conference. Then, with two consecutive drubbings of their top team in the national championship game, they have gotten much quieter. And it didn't help the matter that Florida beat Ohio State for the NCAA basketball tournament (on their way to a second straight title) either. Yes, the rumblings from the Big 10 have fallen to a hush.
The Big-12 fans flexed their muscle a couple of years ago when Oklahoma, and then Texas, had won the BCS championship within a couple of years of each other. The problem now is that Oklahoma is the not-so-proud owner of a four-game (and counting) bowl-losing streak, and Texas hasn't been the same since Vince Young left.
Yes, Missouri is an up-and-coming program, but it can be argued that their rise is partially due to the vacuum that has been caused by Nebraska's fall, so, from a conference standpoint, that is a wash. And Kansas didn't play anybody last year and then lost to the only decent team they played (Missouri).
Big-East fans seem more obsessed with trying to convince the Big 10 (their closest neighbors) that they are their equals instead of trying to make any convincing arguments that they are better than the SEC. And there is some merit to being realists. They do seem to revel in the fact that they are faring better than the ACC (who thought they were going to kill the Big East with their ill-timed raid).
And, speaking of the ACC, they are the losers of every BCS game they've been in since the Florida State win in the 2000 Sugar Bowl against Virginia Tech. And since Virginia Tech is now a conference member (and with that go all records too), they didn't just win that BCS game, but they get credit for losing it also. To make matters worse, since they raided the Big East and formed a "mega-conference," they have won exactly zero BCS bowl games. Therefore, there has been no challenge from ACC fans.
Today's Must Reads
Recently, I've been reading a series on here by some clown who is purporting that the Pac 1 (not a typo) is better than the SEC. His arguments have mostly to do with head-to-head matches and out-of-conference games. To this, there are points to easily dismiss both arguments.
As far as head-to-head matches go, USC is involved in more of those wins than any other Pac-10 team by far. The author even admits this and gives a second conference matchup record, which takes USC out (and LSU for some counterbalance).
In that standing, the Pac 10 is 5-2 against the SEC since 2000. Now, consider that Mississippi State (a perennial SEC cellar dweller) and 'Bama (during their NCAA probation and coaching-carousel years) account for four of those five losses and you get a different story.
As far as the out-of-conference schedule goes, three things must be considered. The first is that the SEC plays a championship game, so two of the SEC's teams are adding another game each against a top-10 opponent.
Secondly, the SEC went to nine bowl games last year and won seven including their two BCS bowls (NC game and Sugar), which means they are beating quality teams from other conferences in the postseason as well.
While the SEC is still playing some cream puffs in the early non-conference, so is everyone else. But, most importantly, the SEC teams are scheduling some good games, too. In fact, this year the SEC is playing the following non-conference:
- Arkansas vs. Texas
- Tennessee vs. UCLA
- Georgia vs. Arizona State
- Alabama vs. Clemson
- Florida vs. Miami
- Florida vs. Florida State
- South Carolina vs. Clemson
- Georgia vs. Georgia Tech
- Auburn vs. West Virginia
It should be noted that while all of these teams are not particularly dangerous this year, many of them are standing in-state rivalries (such as Florida vs. Florida State and Miami, as well as Georgia vs. Georgia Tech). By and large, these teams were selected to provide strength of schedule, and that has been accomplished.
There are many ways to compare conferences, but so many of them are conjecture or opinion. Therefore, while the author of the Pac-10 series wants to discount top-25 finishes and national championships, it seems difficult to stay fact-based if you deviate too much from measurable things. So, here are some measurable, verifiable facts about the SEC that tend to be hard to assail:
- Since conference expansion (1992), the conference has won more national championships than any other. The SEC has won six in that period, including three since 2000 and the last two in a row. This doesn't even count the fact that Auburn went 13-0 a few years back and was the odd-team out in the BCS calculations, so they weren't even allowed to play for it.
- The SEC ended the season with the No. 1 and No. 2 teams in the final polls last year.
- An SEC player won the Heisman last year (Tebow), and an SEC player was also the runner up (McFadden). In fact, McFadden was the runner up two years in a row.
- The SEC has more players in the pros than any other conference.
- The SEC has five coaches who have won national championship games (twice as many as any other conference).
- The SEC went to nine bowl games last year and won seven of them, including both BCS games they attended. The bowl losses were by Florida to a Michigan team that was playing lights out because their seniors (Henne, Hart, etc.) had never won a bowl game, and the whole team wanted to send Lloyd Carr out with a win. The other was by Arkansas who was being coached by an interim coach because Houston Nutt resigned and promptly landed at Ole Miss and didn't stay to coach the Cotton Bowl game.
- The SEC has by far the highest attendance of any league.
- The SEC is by far the highest revenue-producing conference of any league.
- The SEC consistently produces recruiting classes that are widely held to be among the very best. At least eight SEC teams usually end up in the top-30 recruiting classes, using a sampling of recruiting class data.
Those are all facts that can be verified and cannot be argued. While one could enhance these facts by creating opinions and applying them, one doesn't need to do that. Facts are stubborn things. And in this case, it seems that they fairly consistently back up the predominant thinking among college football fans. The SEC is the top conference.
Now if I could only figure out why that seems to be such a bad thing to so many people. That keeps eluding me.
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2 months ago
I agree.
When you talk about a great Conference, not just one team, the SEC has the mojo in spades right now. USC could be the team of the decade. However, they are only one team.
If you were a conference commissioner, who would you want as your top five teams? USC, Oregon, Cal, UCLA, and Arizona State or Florida, Georgia, LSU, Tennessee and Auburn?
I think if you look at this objectively, you would agree that the SEC is the best conference right now.
2 months ago
I totally agree. Great article!
The SEC is by far the best football conference in the nation hands down.
2 months ago
No question that the SEC is the strongest league in the land. There are 4 head coaches in the SEC that have won national championships. No other conference even comes close.
2 months ago
Actually, Sid, as I wrote in the article there are 5 SEC coaches with national titles. Those would be (in order of most recent): Miles, Meyer, Saban, Fulmer, and Spurrier. But you are right, no other conference comes close on that score.
2 months ago
I'm a Pac 10 guy, but there is no question that the SEC is far and away the best conference. In fact I'd say that the gap between them and the other conferences are only going to get bigger as Alabama and Arkansas are likely going to be programs breaking into the top 10 soon with their great coaches.
I think that the SEC is second to the Pac 10 as far as going out and scheduling non-conference opponents and they do a good job with their scheduling. Even if they did want to play a cupcake non-conference schedule they're the only conference where I would have no complaints with it, it's just too difficult for them to go undeated in their confernce alone. With the schedules that Georgia and Flordia play I'd say that if they manage to only lose 2 games then they should be put in the National Championship game over a one loss team.
I agree that the SEC is the top dog, and I dont think anyone else is going to be close for quite a while.
2 months ago
"And Kansas didn't play anybody last year and then lost to the only decent team they played (Missouri)."
Umm, Va. Tech?
That aside, I'm a huge Big 10 fan, but there's no way that our league is as good as the SEC top to bottom. Florida, LSU, Arkansas, Georgia, etc...Most leagues are lucky to have two teams of that caliber. Makes for an absolutely brutal conference schedule though.
from 2 months ago
"Umm, Va. Tech?"
omg, I know... That is why the Kansas Jayhawks are NATIONAL CHAMPIONS in BOTH College Football AND College Basketball, during the 2007-2008 ACADEMIC year :)
from 2 months ago
Dude, Jimson, you ARE NOT NATIONAL CHAMPS! Get over it. NOBODY considers you national champs, NOBODY.
It's actually hilarious that you keep acting like you are. Making Kansas fans look stupid.
from 2 months ago
Jimson,
You're an idiot and the most delusional person here. Give it up.
from 2 months ago
With all due respect, I am an SEC Fan Blood In Blood Out. But for you to call Missouri a "decent" team is an insult.
Kansas and Missouri play in the Big 12 Conference. In all honesty, the order goes: SEC, Pac 10, Big 12, Big Ten.
2 months ago
also tubberville has an undefeated season.
great read, i don't get all the SEC hate either.
from 2 months ago
LSU FOOTBALL
A TRADITION . . . SINCE AUGUST 2003
from 2 months ago
i love you too, jimson.
2 months ago
While I agree the SEC has made a good argument for being the conference of this decade, how can you say the SEC has won championships?
Conferences don't win championships, teams do. I think this is probably the point of contention for many football teams. For some reason, SEC fans think when an SEC team wins, it means the conference wins. There is no championship trophy for a conference. Only a team.
Look...it's this simple. The SEC fans lay claim that they are better conference because they beat OSU twice in two years. All that proves is that OSU wasn't as good as Florida, and that the SEC champion was better than the Big Ten champ. And LSU is better than the Big ten champ. But didn't Michigan beat Florida last year? And Cal beat Tennessee?
Can the Sunbelt lay claim that it's better than the SEC since La Monroe beat Bama? No, of course not.
Anyway, hope you got the gist of this. Conferences don't win championships, teams do. But I like the way the SEC overall has performed in the last 10 years. The competition is very high and the fans are really passionate.
Go Gators!
from 2 months ago
"While I agree the SEC has made a good argument for being the conference of this decade, how can you say the SEC has won championships?
Conferences don't win championships, teams do. I think this is probably the point of contention for many football teams. For some reason, SEC fans think when an SEC team wins, it means the conference wins. There is no championship trophy for a conference. Only a team.
Look...it's this simple. The SEC fans lay claim that they are better conference because they beat OSU twice in two years. All that proves is that OSU wasn't as good as Florida, and that the SEC champion was better than the Big Ten champ. And LSU is better than the Big ten champ. But didn't Michigan beat Florida last year? And Cal beat Tennessee?
Can the Sunbelt lay claim that it's better than the SEC since La Monroe beat Bama? No, of course not.
Anyway, hope you got the gist of this. Conferences don't win championships, teams do. But I like the way the SEC overall has performed in the last 10 years. The competition is very high and the fans are really passionate."
omg, I know... That is why the Kansas Jayhawks are NATIONAL CHAMPIONS in BOTH College Football AND College Basketball, during the 2007-2008 ACADEMIC year :)
from 2 months ago
Yes, but you have to admit that LSU struggled to win even six SEC games this past year. They needed a miracle to beat Auburn at home and also struggled with Florida and Alabama before winning at the very end. The Tigers even needed a break to beat Tennessee in the SECCG. And they LOST to mediocre SEC teams Kentucky and Arkansas....
....then they go into New Orleans and absolutely stomp the best team from the Big Ten.
If that doesn't show how tough the SEC has been recently, then I don't know what will.
That is why LSU fans were chanting "SEC! SEC! SEC!" after the game and not "LSU LSU LSU"
It is because all SEC fans know how important it is to represent this conference on the nation's biggest stage. And why every SEC team since Florida in '95 has won the national title game in convincing fashion.
And BTW, Lisa, you hurt my feelings. I was enjoying your writing until you threw the "Go Gators" out there. Where did that come from? :)
from about 1 month ago
Lisa, how often do you run into Bill O'Reily? :)
More Pac-1 smack. :)
2 months ago
PS...I made this pick of the day! Really well-done and a terrific read. :)
2 months ago
Year in and out, the SEC has at least 6 schools that can compete with any Top 10 team in the country. If they didn't have to play each other, they would all be ranked higher. The SEC, top to bottom is the best football conference in the country.
Our SEC Sports Report website has had over 250,000 unique visitors in just over a year! Go SEC!
JH
www.SECsportsReport.com
2 months ago
All this shows is that SEC teams that were not historically successful are merely trying to take credit for what their most successful brothers achieved on the field. There is alot to be desired when teams try to ride the coat tails of another program's success.
Alabama and Tennessee deserve respect for being traditional powers who have a long history of winning big games and championships. But recently, we are inundated with claims from LSU fans and Florida fans about how great their conference is. When arguments begin with fans of other programs, I'm sure LSU fans and Florida fans feel inferior when an OSU Buckeye or a USC Trojan brag about their long tradition of winning which simply cannot be matched by the football history of LSU or Florida.
After all, USC and OSU won more than one national title in the twentieth century while LSU could only manage one. USC, OSU, Michigan, Alabama, Tennesee and Texas certainly cemented their status as traditional college football powers prior to 1991 which is when Florida emerged on the college football landscape. Prior to winning their first SEC football championship in 1991 the history of Florida Gators football since 1906 can be considered mediocre despite one Heisman Trophy during the 84 year span.
Is USC any more a basketball power because it plays in the same conference as UCLA? Should Wisconsin be considered a basketball powerhouse just because it plays in the same conference as Indiana?
Schools should be judged on the merits of their success on-the-field and not by the success of their conference. While LSU and the University of Florida may hope to be considered a traditional football power, trying to take credit because of past Crimson Tide and Volunteers' success is just a sad ploy to hide the fact that thet were unable to earn considerable success on the field, like other programs, during the 20th century.
Bear Bryant or General Neyland would never try to take credit for another person's hard work. They went out and earned their long term success themselves. Some of the fans of the other SEC teams seem content to just ride the coat tails of those two gentleman's success.
rod
from 2 months ago
Obviously you don't understand. Powerhouses means nothing if you a "powerhouse" gets blown out TWICE in two years in the national championship game by an SEC team. I guess if I were an OSU fan I'd be pissed too and play the "history" card. The only thing that matters in winning in the here and now. It doesn't mean shit unless you're taking home the gold now.....only losers dwell on the past since their future looks bleak. The top teams in the SEC are built to win for years...The top teams in the SEC consistently ranks top in recruiting. No one is taking credit for any others teams accomplishment, people are merely pointing out the fact that you're garbage because you play in a garbage conference. Case in point...Ohio State. They dominated the Big 10 and faced a two loss SEC team twice and lost big. They lost to a teams that lost twice in the SEC. There's a saying..."it's better to be average fighting amongst giants than average dominating ants" I came up with it....it is pretty damn awesome.
from 2 months ago
FLORIDA GATORS FOOTBALL
A TRADITION . . . SINCE SEPTEMBER 7, 1991
from about 1 month ago
OSU faced a two loss SEC team that lost to the worst in your conference. Your point would be valid if LSU had lost to the better teams in the SEC but they lost to Kentucky and Arkansas. Cmon now.
"Garbage because we play in a garbage conference"--alright, Michigan beat Florida smartass. Youve gone and pissed me off. You're just another ignorant SEC fan. I can respect people that root for their indvidual teams in the SEC but by saying OSU is a garbage program, that's wrong. If u wanna focus in on the here and now meaning this decade, look at this:
OSU won the title in 02-03, finished 4th in 03-04, finished 4th in 05-06, finished 2nd in 06-07 and finished 5th in 07-08. Thats hardly garbage. By the way, I dont see the SEC scheduling any big dogs like USC or Texas.
2 months ago
http://www.censusscope.org/us/map_nhblack.gif
2 months ago
I don't recall claiming that Kansas won a Nat'l Title in football...All I'm saying is Kansas played and beat a good Va. Tech team in a BCS Bowl. It was a valid point.
from 2 months ago
I don't really know what you are talking about because... Alabama was preseason ranked #3 in 2000, but finished the season 3-8. Besides in 2000, Andrew Zow threw 6 TD's and 19 INT's :)
from 2 months ago
Jimson-What are you talking about? Seriously, what did Zow have to do with anything?!?
Anyway, very solid article; enjoyed reading it.
from 2 months ago
"Jimson-What are you talking about? Seriously, what did Zow have to do with anything?!?"
Andrew Zow was a former Alabama Crimson Tide QB... Oh, by the way, Alabama plays in the SEC :)
from 2 months ago
I'm aware but you keep throwing Zow's name and the 2000 Alabama team in every conversation. I still fail to see a connection between the 2000 Alabama team, Andrew Zow, Kansas football in this converastion. :(
from 2 months ago
WHAT THE HELL DOES THE 2000 ALAMABA TEAM HAVE TO DO WITH KANSAS? Make some sense, I'm beggin you.
from 2 months ago
"WHAT THE HELL DOES THE 2000 ALAMABA TEAM HAVE TO DO WITH KANSAS? Make some sense, I'm beggin you."
First of all, YOU MISSPELLED "Alabama"... You spelled it Alamaba! The CORRECT spelling is "ALABAMA" :)
lol, I was just saying that the 2007 Kansas Jayhawks Football team was a BETTER FOOTBALL TEAM... than the 2000 Alabama Crimson Tide Football team :)
from 2 months ago
Great article, i definitely agree... but where the hell did the 2000 Alabama team and Andrew Zow come into this conversation, that completely came out of nowhere
from 2 months ago
"Great article, i definitely agree... but where the hell did the 2000 Alabama team and Andrew Zow come into this conversation, that completely came out of nowhere"
I don't really know what you are talking about because... Alabama was preseason ranked #3 in 2000, but finished the season 3-8. Besides in 2000, Andrew Zow threw 6 TD's and 19 INT's :)
from 2 months ago
Jimson...NO ONE MENTIONED THE 2000 ALABAMA TEAM AND ZOW BUT YOU!! No one said the '07 Jayhawks were worse, so why do you think that?
2 months ago
Rod, thanks for commenting on my article. The whole point I was making you just helped me make (even though I don't really think you meant to). This was inspired by a series that is currently being written on this site about the Pac 10 being a superior conference to the SEC. However, many outside of the Pac 10 think that it begins and ends with USC. Likewise, the big 10 has been called the Big 2 (Ohio State and Michigan). What makes the SEC unique is that they do have anywhere from 5-8 really good teams year in and year out.
On another note, many of the factors I use have nothing to do with individual teams. The SEC as a conference has put more players in the pros. The SEC as a conference had 9 of its 12 teams in bowl games. The SEC continues to have around 8 teams of 12 per year netting top 30 recruiting classes. Even the lower tier of the conference sells out their stadiums even if it's because the fanbases travel so well in this conference. And there are plenty of contributors to the fact that the SEC produces more revenue. In other words, I gave stats that were mostly conference based and not based on some teams feasting off of other teams. These were collective accolades for the most part.
In other words, I agree with you that the work of individual teams (when that skews the conference as a whole) should be mostly ignored in conference discussions. That's exactly why the SEC is so good. They don't rely on just one or two teams.
2 months ago
Joe,
Given that the ACC hasn't won a BCS bowl since expansion and that same Virginia Tech team was throttled by LSU, is it really a quality win that Kansas scored in that game? I'm just explaining why I considered the only quality team they played (and coincidentally lost to) was Missouri. Thanks for reading.
from 2 months ago
I agree what you are saying but I would still consider Va Tech as a quality opponent. You have to be a quality team to make it to a BCS bowl regardless.
from 2 months ago
They were still champions of a BCS conference. In reality, it probably should have been Mizzou beating Va. Tech, but that's a whole different argument.
I did really enjoy your article though. The SEC has real quality top to bottom (Vandy excluded).
from 2 months ago
But Donald, you have to acknowledge that... MY Kansas Jayhawks are NATIONAL CHAMPIONS in BOTH College Football AND College Basketball, during the 2007-2008 ACADEMIC year :)
2 months ago
http://bleacherreport.com/articles/35196-pac-10-football-is-better-than-sec-football-a-letter-to-my-haters
2 months ago
Great read, Donald. Gave you my pick of the day and 5 Stars. Love the SEC, nothing compares to it in College Football and don't believe it ask OSU. They'll tell you with tears in their eyes.
2 months ago
Rack 'em. Case closed. Point made. Moving on. There is no discussion on who the best football conference is in the nation. I tend to not look so much at bowl records because it's a one game scenario and you have a month to prepare, anything can happen.
One game doesn't equal the grind of the SEC schedule.
2 months ago
forgot Mississippi state vs. Georgia Tech
2 months ago
The SEC has been the strongest of late, no doubt. But how about comparing the BIG 10 vs the SEC in all their match ups, not just the National Championships. The numbers might surprise you.
from 2 months ago
Kevin,
I don't think any SEC fans are going to be surprised; but you and most of the Big 10 folks would be, once it's broken down. The series conference record is 95-89-7 in favor of the Big 10. But, only Michigan has a decent record vs. SEC teams (20-5-1). Indiana also has an above .500 record vs. the SEC (26-21-1); which isn't bad, until you realize that 18 of the 26 wins came against cellar dweller Kentucky. Right there 38 of the 95 wins are accounted for by Michigan and Indiana (against maybe the second worst team in the SEC). Here's an eye-opening All-time look that isn't jaded just by records:
Big 10 Against the Top Half of the SEC (these are the SEC teams who regularly win the conference):
Big 10 vs. Bama - 9-13
Big 10 vs. Auburn - 3-6-2
Big 10 vs. Florida - 5-9
Big 10 vs. Georgia - 2-7
Big 10 vs. LSU - 4-7-1
Big 10 vs. Tennessee - 5-9
SEC Against the Top teams of the Big 10 (these are the Big 10 teams who regularly win the conference):
SEC vs. tOSU - 11-7-2 (Of tOSU's 7 wins, 3 came against Vanderbilt, 3 against Kentucky, and 1 against LSU)
SEC vs. Wisconsin - 8-4-1
SEC vs. Illinois - 6-2
SEC vs. Penn State - 16-16
SEC vs. Iowa - 3-4
SEC vs. Michigan - 5-20-1
So, basically, the Big 10 isn't really successful at all against the SEC. Michigan is the only team with any real success against them; and the Big 10 record vs. the SEC would be abysmal without them. And, the remaining success is largely over the two worst teams in the SEC, Vandy and Kentucky. I'll do you one better. Top 6 SEC vs Top 6 Big 10:
Alabama is 3-0 vs. tOSU, 1-2 vs. UM, 8-5 vs. PSU, 0-1 vs. UW, 1-0 vs. Illinois, and never played Iowa. 13-8 (.619)
Tennessee is 1-0 vs. tOSU, 1-0 vs. UM, 2-3 vs. PSU, 2-0 vs. UW, 1-1 vs. Iowa, and never played Illinois. 7-4 (.636)
Florida is 1-0 vs. tOSU, 0-2 vs. UM, 2-0 vs. PSU, 2-0 vs. Illinois, 2-1 vs. Iowa, and never played Wisky. 7-3 (.700)
LSU is 1-1-1 vs. tOSU, 0-1 vs. PSU, 2-0 vs. UW, 1-0 vs. Illinois, 0-1 vs. Iowa, and never played UM. 4-3-1 (.563)
Georgia is 1-0 vs. tOSU, 1-1 vs. UM, 0-1 vs. PSU, 2-0 vs. UW, and never played Illinois or Iowa. 4-2 (.667)
Auburn is 1-0-1 vs. tOSU, 1-1 vs. UM, 1-1 vs. PSU, 1-1-1 vs. UW, and never played Illinois or Iowa. 4-3-2 (.556)
SEC Top 6 vs. Big 10 Top 6 - 39-23-3 (.623)
Every single one of the SEC's top 6 teams has a winning record against the top 6 teams of the Big 10. Conversely, here's how it would look for the Top 6 Big 10 teams vs. Top 6 SEC:
Ohio State is 0-3 vs. Bama, 0-1 vs. UT, 0-1 vs. UF, 1-1-1 vs. LSU, 0-1 vs. UGA, and 0-1-1 vs. AU. 1-8-2 (.182)
Michigan is 2-1 vs. Bama, 0-1 vs. UT, 2-0 vs. UF, 1-1 vs. UGA, 1-1 vs. AU, and never played LSU. 6-4 (.600)
Penn State is 5-8 vs. Bama, 3-2 vs. UT, 0-2 vs. UF, 1-0 vs. LSU, 1-0 vs. UGA, 1-1 vs. AU. 11-13 (.458)
Wisconsin is 1-0 vs. Bama, 0-2 vs. UT, 0-2 vs. LSU, 0-2 vs. UGA, 1-1-1 vs. AU, and never played UF. 2-7-1 (.250)
Illinois is 0-1 vs. Bama, 0-2 vs. UF, 0-1 vs. LSU, and never played UT, UGA, or AU. 0-4 (.000)
Iowa is 1-1 vs. UT, 1-2 vs. UF, 1-0 vs. LSU, and never played Bama, UGA, or AU. 3-3 (.500)
Big 10 Top 6 vs. SEC Top 6 - 23-39-3 (.377)
Only one of the Top 6 Big 10 teams has a winning record against the Top 6 of the SEC. The Big 10 has padded its record against the SEC Junior Varsity; primarily by playing regular season gimme's against teams like UK and Vandy. Once you dig a little deeper, and analyze the wins and losses, the Big 10 is really the Tiny 10, compared to the SEC.
from about 1 month ago
G8R, I find it really interesting that although were are comparing the conference record head to head you still try and make rationalizations for why it is the way it is by singling out one team in this case UM. You SEC fans are ridiculous---I'd also like to point out that OSU loses to SEC teams in SEC country which includes bowl games considering 90% of them are in the south. Quit talking smack and come up here--you know, where it actually gets cold---and try to play ball. You guys could run ur mouth for four years about how great you are but when comes down to it, ive never seen an SEC team make the initiative to schedule us except Tennessee because they are one of the few teams in your conference willing to put their money where their mouth is.
2 months ago
Lisa,
Teams win Champs. Conferences do not. True. But without a tournament, Strength of Schedule and Public opinion play an important part in determining the best team. LSU had two losses but because they were the SEC Champs public opinion put them in the BCS Champ game. So it is important for other SEC teams to perform. It adds to to the overall strength of schedule, which in the end will help determine post season play. As a Dawg Fan, I will be rooting for UF when they play Hawaii, Miami, FSU. I will be rooting for Tenn. when they play UCLA (although if UT loses I will not lose any sleep). I want all SEC teams to be ranked as high as possible. That way UGA (if they win) will be considered the top team in the country. Your conference is very important. Very important.
from 2 months ago
Oh, I'm not arguing in terms of conference importance. I totally agree. I just said teams win trophies/championships. Not conferences.
And no worries about your Vols against UCLA- the Bruins have two new coaches and lost 25 seniors (17 starters) and right now, no healthy QB. Rocky Top should be sung about 100 times. Enjoy the game. :)
2 months ago
Kevin,
Most would argue that Ohio State is the top Big TEN team. Ohio State is 0-9 in bowl games vs. the SEC. Does that number surprise you?
2 months ago
Congrats on Pick of the day...well deserved! :)
from 2 months ago
Hey Lisa, speaking of SEC football, how are the Hogville people treating you these days? I remember you wrote an article on the Hogs a few months ago and they all went berserk.
from 2 months ago
Caleb...
No worries. They are kewl. Hog fans are very kewl. I hope Nutt has them ready to roll! It was just a few disgruntled alumni groups who were upset and jammed that blog from a thread on a message board.
from 2 months ago
I hope Nutt isn't ready to roll since he is the coach of Ole Miss now...maybe Bobby Petrino.
2 months ago
Great Article SEC>Everyone Else. Also, something about the SEC's bowl losses. Arkansas didn't care. The coaches took it as a joke and hardly any of the players cared (according to a player I know).
from 2 months ago
Typical SEC fan - our team doesnt try in non-conference games...
from 2 months ago
Yeah Thomas I don't think you understand what I was saying. I wasn't making excuses for the Razorbacks. Just pointing out the sad fact that nobody cared. But nice job trying to turn my words. Oh, and SEC is still better than the Pac-1.
2 months ago
Lisa was so dead on when she said "UF & LSU were simply better than OSU" on those given days. Nothing more. Nothing less.
I cannot for the life of me extrapolate how winning a single game against a team from another conference somehow makes that conference superior to the other.
When all of the teams in one conference plays at least one of the teams from another conference in a single season (on the field and not in the office of some statistician) then perhaps we can determine who's the so-called best.
from 2 months ago
Amen Efrem! Amen.
But in the meantime, we can certainly say that the SEC has been the most dominant conference when looking at bowl wins over the last five years. I have no problem saying that at all.
I do have a problem saying "the SEC won the championship." Seriously, that's just not right. Until all conference members play another conference's members, there cannot be a champion conference.
One conference can have a top heavy conference (like the Pac-10) and if their champ beats the SEC champ, that doesn't man the Pac-10 is the best. It simply means that one conference's champ was better than another's.
2 months ago
Donald,
If this article was written in response to the "Pac-10 is superior to SEC" in terms of conference strength, which I surmise it was, then the point, and title of this article, is misguided.
The Pac-10 article was not written because of some perceived envy that they have with the SEC conference but more of a response to the bashing that the Pac-10 has received which began in 2003 with the USC/LSU/Oklahoma/BCS fiasco. USC was crowned the AP champion that year yet that did not sit well with LSU fans who took offense that their victory over Oklahoma in the Sugar Bowl was not enough for them to also "win" the AP championship. Since that year, Auburn was snubbed for a spot in the BCS game which led to even more calls of a perceived bias against SEC teams. This bias has led to SEC teams having to justify their teams success in order to not be snubbed again in the future by telling anyone who will listen to their screaming and yelling that the SEC is the best conference and the Pac-10 is weak.
The envy that you claim was not a phenomenon that Pac-10 teams observed from afar but was more of a response to the bashing that has continued on message boards everywhere. It is not envy on the part of the Pac-10 but more of an insecurity by the SEC that their teams may get slighted again come the beginning of January despite the admirable play of some of the teams in their conference whether such and such a team is actually deserving of a spot in the championship game.
I stand by my comment that fans of some SEC schools' are trying to ride the coat tails of success of some of their more successful brothers in the conference.
Should Arizona State be a little more cautious, intimidated or approach their game with Georgia because it is an SEC team they will be going up against? Of course not, Arizona State, and Georgia, should approach their game with each other with their best preparations and effort regardless of where the team is coming from because any team can beat any team on any given Saturday regardless of conference. Teams that are going to say that ASU doesn't stand a chance against Georgia because of LSU or Florida's recent national titles is merely doing what I claim - trying to bolster their argument for a Georgia victory by taking credit for what LSU and Florida did the last two years.
Tim Tebow is the 2007 winner of the Heisman Trophy. Congratulations, but what does that have to do with the state of LSU's football program? Darren Mcfadden finished second in the Heisman race the last two years. Congratulations, but what does that have to do with the state of South Carolina's football program? By using the success that individuals and other programs have achieved thus far is exactly what it is - another program trying to take credit for what Tim Tebow did for the University of Florida and what Darren McFadden did for the University of Arkansas.
I found your article well-written but the conclusion of perceived envy towards the SEC conference incorrect. The history of college football since 2003 points to an insecurity by the SEC conference in hopes of preventing one of their own from from being snubbed for the championship game, not envy by the Pac-10.
P.S. - I think a sentence in your article is not based in fact. While not completely related to your article here, and whether it was a legitimate oversight or a line thrown into your article to support this piece, the SEC's standing as arguably the greatest conference in terms of collegiate athletics does not comport with the facts. Please check out this website and you might find more factual assertions that the Pac-10 conference is the premier conference in terms of overall collegiate athletics. While you would never find members of the Pac-10 using this chart to assert their conference's collegiate athletic superiority because of their fondness for standing on the merits of their own institution, instead of taking credit for another school's success, this chart does provide support for the Pac-10, as opposed to the SEC, Big 12, Big 10 or WAC conference.
http://www.ncaa.org/champadmin/champs_listing1.html
rod
2 months ago
Lets just look at the final poll stadings.
Pac 10: 4 teams in the top 25
Big 10: 4 teams in the top 25
Big 12: 5 teams in the top 25
ACC: 3 tems in the top 25
Big East: 2 teams in the top 25
SEC: 5 teams in the top 25, actually top 15.
Acording to the AP Poll.
from 2 months ago
Who really cares about the final poll standings???
In my opinion, those rankings are subjective :)
2 months ago
Good article. The SEC is the king of the world, debating points against the SEC just shows bias or envy. It's great to be a GA Bulldawg.
2 months ago
Great article - there's a definite pecking order in college football....as a Pitt/Big East fan, I know (objectively) where we stand.....at the bottom with the ACC.....that's the truth and I have no problem with that reality or perception by others.......the SEC is King - far and away.....but what really makes me laugh is how the majority of Big Ten fans think they are an elite conference or a conference on par with the SEC......and I think the thinking behind this is often clouded by 100,000 fannies in stadiums and that 'Big Ten mentality'.........The Big 10 is basically Ohio State , a bunch of average programs (Michigan, Wisconsin, PSU, Michigan State, Illinois, Iowa, Purdue) and some lower tiered programs (Indiana, Northwestern, Minnesota). There's the SEC.....then a BIG dropoff to the Big 10, Big 12 and Pac 10.......then a slight dropoff to the Big East and ACC....that's just the truth.
from about 1 month ago
who cares about conference strength!!! win your games---that's all that matters. everything else is excuses, plain and simple. conference power is cylical, enough said.
2 months ago
G8R,
Why should the entire Big 10 (top half and bottom) be compared to only the top half of the SEC. You completely skewed that argument to go in your/SEC favor. You can call Kentucky an SEC dweller but guess what - SO IS INDIANA! Its completely ridiculous to discount the bottom half of the SEC teams when you count teams like Indiana, Minnesota and Northwestern. I understand you matched up the top 6 vs the top 6, but isnt this article about the whole SEC, not just the top 6? Its like choosing to remember only the good.
2 months ago
What it all comes down to is that the Big 10 is winning the overall series vs the SEC. Yes, the SEC has been superior of late but when compiling statistics lets not forget to include all of them.
2 months ago
Great article, Donald. You chose a unique and intriguing topic.
I often wonder why Big Ten people are so stunned that the rest of the college football world recognizes the SEC as being the best conference.
I wonder what they were thinking when their top two teams got beaten soundly last year in bowl games. At least SEC teams are competitive when we lose bowls.
from about 1 month ago
pretty sure Michigan beat Florida pretty soundly when no one gave the Maize and Blue a chance. I guess SEC fans chose to forget that one.
from about 1 month ago
Kevin,
Fla lost by a TD. That is a pretty close game.
Also, Michigan was the #2 Big Ten team last year. They tied for second with Illinois and beat the Illini head-to-head.
Florida, meanwhile, was the 5th best SEC team. LSU, UGA, and Tenn had better SEC records, while Aub had the same record. Aub beat Fla head-to-head, making Fla the 5th best SEC team.
from about 1 month ago
I remember Michigan losing to another Southern Team in the "Big House". Some I-AA team.
2 months ago
Right on Stephen.....they live in a fantasy world.
from about 1 month ago
Fantasy world? Dude, im pretty sure you live in a fantasy world where u think that the SEC is God's gift to football. People in the Big Ten dont't like the SEC for three reasons. UGA's president called us stupid--he's an asshole considering that dumbmother went to Ohio State. We think that you are incredibly arrogant and none of you will schedule us in the reg. season. It's as simple as that.
2 months ago
I’m a Big 12 fan and I believe the SEC is the current best football conference. I wouldn’t call any conference the overall best though in every sport. However, the SEC ego has no bounds. Until the SEC can become so dominant that it wins every non-conference and bowl game they play – grow up!
2 months ago
Just for fun, to Jimson:
Kansas Jawhawk Football
A tradition...since, wait, we don't have tradition.
from about 1 month ago
LSU FOOTBALL
A TRADITION . . . SINCE AUGUST 2003
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