SEC East Football: How It Is Attempting To Destroy SEC Supremacy

Make no mistake.  I am an "SEC guy" to the core.  I have grown up in the heart of SEC country.  It is all I have ever known.  I firmly believe that the SEC has the best teams, coaches and players in all of America.  However, if I'm being honest with myself I have to admit that I was worried about how the SEC would represent itself in bowl games this year. 

If you listened to all the "experts" and pundits you would have thought that the SEC would cruise through bowl season. 

What?!  Hello??  Did anyone watch the SEC regular season?  The West was great, sure, but the East...well, it was miserable. 

Unfortunately for the rest of us, the SEC East trudged into bowl season and has launched an all-out assault on SEC supremacy. 

Let's take a look at the performances turned in by SEC East teams in bowl games so far...

Tennessee Volunteers

Maybe Tennessee caught a bad break.  I mean, North Carolina did have 18 guys on the field at the end of the game...18 guys!  No matter.  North Carolina received a measly a five-yard penalty, kicked the game-tying field goal and pushed the game into overtime.  Seems like maybe Derek Dooley needs to borrow some luck from Les Miles...

How much did Tennessee contribute to the assault on SEC supremacy?  To be honest, very little. 

Tennessee was 2-6 through eight games and had to win its last four games to even be bowl eligible.  North Carolina was a preseason favorite to win the ACC and some even had them with a chance to play for a national championship. 

This wasn't a major blow to SEC supremacy, but it still contributes to an extremely poor performance from SEC East schools in bowl games.

Who's next...?

Georgia Bulldogs

Really?

If ever there was conclusive proof that the SEC East was purposely trying to sabotage SEC supremacy, this is it.

Georgia showed no passion, no energy and no pride.  For those reasons, Georgia lost to UCF, 10-6.

I honestly don't even know what to think about this loss.

Obviously, Richt's seat is on fire.  He will not be let go before the 2011 season, but with another fantastic recruiting class on the way, expectations for next year will be very high.  Can he perform?  Does he even want to?  Is there a conspiracy by SEC East teams?  I'm no scientist, but I do know that failing to score a touchdown against a C-USA team is very suspicious.

South Carolina Gamecocks

Well, turns out that all the hype surrounding Steve Spurrier and the South Carolina Gamecocks in 2010 was just that...hype.

2010 turned out to be just another five-loss season.  That is astounding when you consider that South Carolina won the SEC East.

It is true that things might have turned out differently if Marcus Lattimore hadn't been knocked out of the game early in the first quarter, but I bet Texas fans said the same thing last year after the 2010 BCS National Championship Game.  My point is that injuries are part of the game and teams have to find ways around losing a dynamic player like Lattimore.

Can South Carolina be a national contender in 2011?  With players like Connor Shaw and Marcus Lattimore coming back and recruits like Jadeveon Clowney likely joining the team...things sure look positive. 

However, after winning the East, South Carolina got blown out by Auburn in the SEC Championship Game and gave the ball away five times in their Chick-fil-A Bowl loss...

SEC supremacy took a major hit with South Carolina's loss to Florida State.

Florida Gators

I know, I know, Florida didn't lose their bowl game. 

But, Florida ended up going 8-5 in Urban's final season.  However, given what the expectations were for this team in the preseason I think it is reasonable to question Florida's commitment to the SEC and it's supremacy over other conferences.

Is he quitting?  Is he staying?  Is it for health or family?  Who knows why Meyer really wanted out of Florida, but it doesn't matter now.  All that I know is that Florida was thought to be bound for another trip to Atlanta to represent the East in the SEC Championship Game.  I also know that when it mattered most and a trip to Atlanta was on the line against South Carolina, Florida folded like a cheap lawn chair and got blown out.

I don't know if Will Muschamp can make a difference and turn things around in Gainesville, but I do know that after 2010 I'm very skeptical of Florida.

STOP!!

After questioning the commitment of SEC East teams to the continued supremacy of the conference I think it is fair to have a look at what SEC West teams have done in bowl games so far.  Mississippi State and Alabama are the only two SEC West teams that have played thus far, but I think the results turned in by those two teams illustrates just how much better the SEC West was this year.

Despite the abysmal performances turned in by East teams it seems as if the West will carry the conference flag.

Let's have a look, shall we...

Mississippi State Bulldogs

52-14.  Probably all you need to know about Mississippi State's performance against Michigan in the Progressive Gator Bowl.

Remember when everyone in America was talking about how great Denard Robinson was?  Well, they were right.  Robinson is phenomenal.  He is a very rare, "Michael Vick" type athlete.  Good thing Mississippi State doesn't read the press clippings.

Mississippi State came out from the start of the game with their foot on the gas and just never let up. 

I think we can all agree that Mississippi State's performance, and by association, the SEC West, looked very impressive on New Year's Day.

Alabama Crimson Tide

So Alabama was predicted to repeat as BCS National Champions.  So they were a preseason No. 1. 

Well, Alabama ended up losing three games and making a trip to Orlando for the Capital One Bowl instead of a trip to Glendale for the Tostitos BCS National Championship Game.  How disappointed do you think the players on Alabama's roster were?

Apparently, Alabama really had something to prove today and it was unfortunate that Michigan State had to be on the receiving end of a beat down.

A lot of people thought Alabama might come out like they did in the 2008 Sugar Bowl against Utah and get blown away.  Oops...

49-7 against the tri-Big Ten Champs?  Did I hear that right?

The Big Ten better just start planning on playing SEC East teams if they plan on chalking up any W's in the future

Watch out Ohio State...