Why The SEC, Pac-10, Big Ten and ACC Are Down, and The Big 12 Is Not

The Big 12 has been a huge monster this year- like a freight train express lumbering through the breadbasket of this great country and leaving no prisoners behind. Unstoppable.

Why them? What makes them so strong this year?

The SEC has had a phenomenal run the past few years, and there is a reason for it, just like there is a reason for the current success in the Big 12. It's one reason, one reason only. It's what the Big 12 has, but what the SEC, Pac-10, Big Ten and ACC, for the most part, don't have this year.

Q-U-A-R-T-E-R-B-A-C-K-S.

Is it really that simple? Yes. It's so easy, even a caveman can figure it out. The Big 12 is the conference of quarterbacks. Sam Bradford, Colt McCoy, Graham Harrell, Colt McCoy and Chase Daniel, anyone?

So who does the SEC have? Tim Tebow, defending Heisman Trophy winner. Anyone else? John Parker Wilson? Meh. Matthew Stafford? Meh. Matt has a great arm, but his mental awareness tends to take nosedives- see Alabama and Tennessee games for proof.

They're all above average, but certainly not scaring any real fast secondary. Anyone else? Andrew Hatch, Jarrett Lee, Stephen Garcia, and everyone else didn't really impress anyone. The one that did- Ryan Perrilloux - is playing the boys in 2A now.

Jevan Snead from Ole Miss is almost there, and actually, this kid has guts. Supposedly he was told that Urban Meyer was recruiting Tim Tebow as a linebacker when he asked if he, Jevan Snead, was the man. Snead eventually signed at Ole Miss after nixing Florida and transferring from Texas.

Memo to Jevan Snead and Ryan Mallett: you are the SEC's saviors.

The Pac-10, on the other hand, suffered so many quarterback injuries, it's hard to keep track.

Washington State had two QBs go down with neck and spine fractures and UCLA lost both veteran QBs to leg injuries - forcing a JUCO transfer to step in during the Spring game after being on campus for two days - and had a young O-line in charge of protecting a green QB.

The Oregon Ducks have had no less than six quarterbacks take snaps since Dennis Dixon went down, and Rudy Carpenter has been dinged up all year. Only three schools have had healthy quarterback situations, and even then, USC's Mark Sanchez dislocated his knee.

The Big Ten fared no better, but it was mostly due to lackluster play. Illinois' Juice Williams had good numbers, but it's hard to be a sneaky quarterback when you also account for most of your team's rushing yards. The bulls eye on his back was larger than life.

Terrelle Pryor shows great promise, but two TO's against Penn State showed his inexperience. The rest? Not worth mentioning. Dismal stats (except for Iowa's, which were pretty good, and although Minnesota's were also very good, the 28 sacks erase all of the progress) and poor TD-INT ratios.

The ACC, however takes the cake. The conference's highest ranked passer, Cullen Harper, checks in at No. 55 and a 129.26 rating. From the 7-5 Clemson Tigers, mediocrity at its best. The rest? The ACC's conference champs' Tyrod Taylor and Sean Glennon don't even register to be ranked- they didn't qualify.

So what do you make of all this? Well, when you have six quarterbacks in the top twelve in the nation, your conference reigns supreme. Sometimes, it's not all about D, although if you have great D and a decent QB, you will be BCS Bowling.

Quarterbacks are the reason why the Big 12 is successful (it isn't the D, gimme me a break here) and the bottom line is that next year's recruits are going to be looking Southwest. Not Southeast. Not West.

They are looking at Big 12 country. Fasten your seat belts. The change has come. The cyclical conference strength has changed again. Time for some Howdy's, ten gallon hats and a giant BBQ.

The Big 12. Where quarterbacks live.