SEC Football Vs. Big East Basketball: Difference Is Championships

Watching the college basketball season unfold, I really was amazed at how good and deep the Big East conference was.

Many discussions arose comparing the Big East in basketball to the SEC in football. I know I had more than one talking point about those two conferences and their respective strengths.

Every game is a battle, there are no easy games. There's so much talent and coaching in those two conferences it's crazy.

Most people would agree that since 2006, when the Big East basketball conference became what it is today, it has been the deepest, and most talented conference in college basketball.

The SEC has cemented its position as the best football conference in America in that same time frame.

One small problem for the Big East in the comparison is that they have no championships to show for it, while the SEC is coming off of three straight BCS national championships.

In the last three years, both conferences have dominated their main sports.

The Big East conference has had 16 top 25 finishes in the last three years in basketball, while the SEC has had 14 top 25 finishes in the last three years in football.

The Big East has had nine of their 16 teams finish in the top 25 in the last three years, while the SEC has had eight of their 12 teams finish in the top 25.

Both conferences have had stellar postseasons as well.

The Big East has a .629 winning percentage in NCAA tournament games in the last three seasons. The SEC has an even more impressive .730 winning percentage in bowl games from 2006-2008.

The difference though, and what separates the dominance of the SEC from the dominance of the Big East, is championships.

Ultimately, that's the most important thing in calculating the dominance of a conference.

The SEC in the last three years, has three BCS national champions—Florida in 2006 and 2008, and LSU in 2007.

Meanwhile, as good as the Big East has been, and as many teams as they have put in the NCAA tournament, they haven't won the NCAA tournament since Connecticut in 2004.

The SEC even has a Heisman Trophy winner in Tim Tebow in 2007, to go along with their national championships.

The Big East hasn't had a player of the year since Cincinnati's Kenyon Martin in 2000.

(Cincinnati is a current Big East member, but at the time was a part of Conference USA).

Before that it was 1985 and Patrick Ewing at Georgetown.

These two conferences represent the best there is in regards to college football and college basketball, truly great coaches and players year in and year out.

But until Big East basketball follows up their great seasons with championships, they can't be in the same category as SEC football is in regards to truly being the best conference in America in their dominant sport.