Has SEC Football Been Dominant Longer Than Anyone Thought?

It is a common concept that SEC teams play weak out of conference schedules. With most SEC teams playing at least one major contender from another conference during the regular season, and another in a bowl game. This is a little misleading. Let’s take a look at how these SEC teams have fared over the last two decades.

Six SEC teams are on the list with the highest winning percentage over the last two decades. This means to get a comparison to the best 25 of the rest will take looking at the Top 32 teams. Toledo has no record against the SEC.

Here are the contenders and their 20-year record, followed by their record against the SEC.

Florida 202-52, SEC 137-31
Ohio State 193-54, SEC 0-7
Boise State 134-42, SEC 0-4
Nebraska 192-60, SEC 3-2
Florida State 182-57, SEC 13-15
Miami 184-60, SEC 5-4
Texas 184-63, SEC 4-6
Tennessee 182-66, SEC 114-47
Michigan 174-69, SEC 5-2
Virginia Tech 176-71, SEC 3-5
Penn State 174-72, SEC 7-2
Georgia 170-74, SEC 97-63
Oklahoma 171-75, SEC 3-3
Southern California 170-75, SEC 4-0
Auburn 160-79, SEC 93-65
BYU 167-83, SEC 1-2
Utah 157-82, SEC 1-0
Kansas State 158-84, SEC 1-1
Oregon 157-86, SEC 2-0
Texas A&M 157-87, SEC 5-5
Wisconsin 156-87, SEC 2-4
Notre Dame 154-87, SEC 8-5
LSU 153-89, SEC 89-72
West Virginia 151-88, SEC 5-3
Marshall 102-60, SEC 1-5
South Florida 68-40, SEC 1-4
Toledo 145-87, No Record
TCU 146-89, SEC 3-1
Alabama 141-88, SEC 105-59
Georgia Tech 147-97, SEC 12-17
Clemson 148-94, SEC 16-17
Texas Tech 147-96, SEC 2-6

How does the top half of the SEC compare to the top 25 from the rest?

Florida 16-17

Tennessee   9-8

Georgia 28-7

Auburn 8-7

LSU 8-9

Alabama 7-7

Total Record: 77-57

This means that the top half of the SEC has a winning record against the best 25 teams outside the SEC. How many teams are from the other major conferences?

Teams in top 32 (by winning percentage over the last two decades):

SEC: Florida, Tennessee, Georgia, LSU, Auburn, Alabama

Big 12: Nebraska, Texas, Oklahoma, Kansas State, Texas A&M, Texas Tech

(18-23 against the SEC)

Big 10: Ohio State, Michigan, Penn State, Wisconsin

(14-15 against the SEC)

ACC: Florida State, Miami, Virginia Tech, Georgia Tech, Clemson

(33-41 against the SEC)

Mountain West: BYU, Utah, TCU

(5-3 against the SEC)

Pac-10: Southern California, Oregon

(2-0 against the SEC)

Big East: West Virginia, South Florida

(6-7 against the SEC)

MAC: Toledo

(No Record)

WAC: Boise State

(0-4 against the SEC)

Independent: Notre Dame

(8-5 against the SEC)

One key factor in this study, the top six SEC teams played most of these teams when they were at their best in Bowl Games. There was not a case of playing these teams when they were down.