Is the SEC the best conference still?

#52
#52
VFL-82-JP said:
Well, we are playing generally above our station.

Here are the 12 SEC bowl match-ups from 2014. It shows rankings of each team within their conference, based on overall record, record within conference, head-to-head results, etc.

  • Alabama (12-2) -- SEC #1 ---played--- Ohio State -- B10 #1 (EVEN)
  • Mizzou (11-3) -- SEC #2 ---played--- Minnesota -- B10 #5 (DOWN 3)
  • Georgia (10-3) -- SEC #3 ---played--- Louisville -- ACC #4 (DOWN 1)
  • Miss St (10-3) -- SEC #4 ---played--- Ga Tech -- ACC #2 (UP 2)
  • Ole Miss (9-4) -- SEC #5 ---played--- TCU -- B12 #1 (UP 4)
  • Auburn (8-5) -- SEC #6 ---played--- Wisconsin -- B10 #3 (UP 3)
  • LSU (8-5) -- SEC #7 ---played--- ND -- Ind #1 (wash ... ND is Ind, no conference)
  • A&M (8-5) -- SEC #8 ---played--- West Virginia -- B12 #5 (UP 3)
  • Florida (7-5) -- SEC #9 ---played--- East Carolina -- AAC #4 (not Power 5 conf, so wash)
  • Tennessee (7-6) -- SEC #10 ---played--- Iowa -- B10 #7 (UP 3)
  • USCe (7-6) -- SEC #11 ---played--- Miami -- ACC #9 (UP 2)
  • Arkansas (7-6) -- SEC #12 ---played--- Texas -- B12 #6 (UP 6)

Tossing out the LSU and Florida games, because LSU played non-conference ND and Florida played a team from a non-Power 5 conference, the SEC teams played, on average, a team from a fellow Power 5 conference that was ranked two positions HIGHER in their conference than our teams were in ours.

And we still went 7-5 against them (6-4 if you leave out LSU and Florida).

We give them a 2-position advantage, on average, and still go 6-4. That's a pretty strong stat.

Now, that alone doesn't mean that we're the best conference in college football today. Because there's a conference we don't play in the post-season: the PAC.

And they happen to be the the other conference whose post-season results are very nearly identical to the SEC's in 2014. Who are, effectively, tied with the SEC atop the college football world. At least for now.
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There are some things wrong with the way you did this.
First, TCU was not #1 in their conf. (Minor)
Second. The SEC has 2-4 more teams than any other conference. You see let's take the b12 vs SEC for ex.
If you have the tenth best team from each conference play the. It's not fair. The tenth team in the b12 can't go down any. That team (Iowas St.) would be comparable to the 14th best team in the SEC not the tenth. A better way to look at it would be overall record. However, that's not perfect either. (Baylor 3 cupcakes compared to Okl playing Tulsa, La Tech p, and Tennessee (power 5).)
 
#54
#54
alexbond45 said:
Traditional teams are teams that could compete for a NC within 5 years. It depends on the coaching staff, but they are powerhouses because their brand alone can assist with recruiting.

Otherwise, we still have 5 when you remove FL and UT and add in OM
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"Traditional" teams have really nothing to do with what they can do in a timespan like that. It's something they've done consistently for a very long time that makes them traditional. Top ten-twenty all time in wins? Traditional powers.

Schools like UF or LSU could be argued modern day powers because of less than 30 years of success, or pointing to success of only a few key people in recent years. It's like comparing the Celtics or Lakers to the Miami Heat. Has the Heat been good recently or even great? Sure. You still don't put them in the same echelon as other teams though.
 
#55
#55
In the playoff era, it has never been more irrelevant which conference is the strongest. In fact, it is a huge impediment to national titles. You're better off being in a top heavy conference or an independent.
 
#58
#58
Just look at the recruiting rankings and the NFL draft. More top high school players go to SEC schools than any other conference. More players are drafted from the SEC into the NFL than any other conference.

Thats all that needs to be said. You're only as good as your players. And the SEC still has overwhelmingly the MOST good players in college football. Top to bottom its far and away the best conference. Maybe Ohio State and Florida State can be better every now and then because they recruit and develop talent as good as anyone in the country. However, that doesn't mean the ACC or Big 10 are better conferences. Top to bottom its the SEC.
 
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#59
#59
I appreciate all of the feedback and discussion. I am happy we have some good opinions and facts in here.

I think someone touched on it that obviously the media has a huge influence to voters and if they or we admit it or not, even the new playoff committee I think is influenced unless they don't read the sports section or listen to sports radio and turn and the volume off their tv when they watch games.

Media likes new stories or exciting stories that get clicks online and eye balls on the tv. Bama and Oregon are becoming old news, FSU brings a lot of money to the table and comes from the ACC which brings a lot of readers and viewers, same with OSU, they bring the same and are new to the party in the last few years coming off of sanctions.

Thus I think we are the best conference but this day in a age you have to literally eliminate all challengers and excuses we need to win the playoff title, win the majority of our bowl games and out of conference games and put more guys in the NFL to be able to claim it again. However I do think if OSU had the QB turnover and played ole miss, Arky, Florida and Mizzou in a row (I didn't want to make it too top heavy for he argument) that they would've dropped another game. I think the same for Oregon or any time that's gone undefeated lately, the SEC is the "toughest" conference in college football.
 
#63
#63
fade route said:
Recruiting rankings and game attendance don't mean squat, results in head to head match ups do. Judging by bowl outcomes and the fact that Mizzou and A&M came in and had immediate success tell you that the SEC isn't as good as most fans of SEC schools think it is.
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'Just another reason I usually don't respond to your posts, fade. But this time I'll set that good sense aside. That recent post you sent out (claiming you're optimistic...geeeeeeez!) simply typifies your and your ilk's attempts to snare "likes" out of your gathering negative comrades from one-another; all of you using the same term "I'm just being realistic." Mizzou and A&M made the SEC a deeper and even more profitable conference. Who'd like to play them year-after-year...along with the traditional old-time power houses? Last year's crop of qb's were collectively the worst I can remember, and the usual beatings our SEC teams always give one another took its toll by year's end. Talent is also superior (Yes. It DOES mean squat). Fade, you're going to discover that 2015 will be a bountiful year for the nations #1 conference. That #1 by a wide margin. Except for Vandy,the coaching staffs are...across the board...either equal or superior to the Bigs', ACC's and PAC's. I'm looking forward to UT's being the best team in the best conference for a long time. As for tradition: these current Vols have a huge potential to pick up the torch and carry it higher than ever. Care to divulge further?
 
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#64
#64
My thought on the Subject has and will always be .... It takes 4 years to prove anything in the SEC. Let Oregon or TX or whoever come here. Let them recruit here, play years of the schedule, let them GRIND like every other School in the SEC Meat Grinder... then in year 5 let's see what happens.
It can't be one Season's Bowl record, or how many teams made a Bowl, or how many guys in the NFL.
It has to be ALL the things that go into a Conf.
 
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#65
#65
Anyone who thinks the SEC isn't the best conference from top to bottom each season doesn't understand what it takes to compete and win the SEC Title each season. It is a complete grind on SEC teams just to get through the season, as there is rarely a breather on the schedule that other teams in other conferences get each week.

Winning 7 straight national titles will never be accomplished again by any conference, not to mention having 2 teams in the 2011 BCS Title game.

But, the most astounding fact to prove my point is the fact that NO team in the SEC has repeated as conference champs since UT did it in 1997-98!

Yea, that's right not even Bama (even though they won 2 straight BCS Titles) has accomplished what UT did 17 years ago! That in itself should enlighten outsiders how competitve the SEC is each year!
 
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#66
#66
HoptownVol said:
They also made Lane Kiffin look like Mike Bajakian.
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Not really, Bama scored enough points to win a game but had zero defense. The better analogy is OSU made Kirby Smart look like UT's Sal Sunseri.
 
#67
#67
2 or 3 things:
1) When one conference regularly has 6 to 7 teams ranked in the top 10 of recruiting rankings, and the next closest conference only has 1 or 2 top 10 teams in said ranking, the story is pretty much over there.
2) Playing a nationally ranked opponent week after week takes its toll.
3) Bama losing to OSU ruined it for everybody. Having watched the rerun of that game, Bama dominated the line of scrimmage but got burned on big plays (esp. when it was 3rd and long). OSU actually had negative yardage in the 4th quarter until they broke that one long run, so the stats in that game really don't tell the story. Whereas the SEC teams will bludgeon each other to death week in an week out, OSU will not play a single ranked team until the 9th or 10th game of the season. This means that they will sit their starters down after the first half and will incur fewer injuries and weary legs by the time conference championships and bowl games arrive. They will continue to be ranked at the top and will remain there until someone knocks them off (as opposed to having to claw their way back to the top every weekend by beating MEANINGFUL OPPONENTS). Sorry for the speech but by Bama not beating them last year, OSU will be guaranteed the top spot in the playoffs for several years to come. Another reason to hate the Tide...
 
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#68
#68
gunner said:
Anyone who thinks the SEC isn't the best conference from top to bottom each season doesn't understand what it takes to compete and win the SEC Title each season. It is a complete grind on SEC teams just to get through the season, as there is rarely a breather on the schedule that other teams in other conferences get each week.

Winning 7 straight national titles will never be accomplished again by any conference, not to mention having 2 teams in the 2011 BCS Title game.

But, the most astounding fact to prove my point is the fact that NO team in the SEC has repeated as conference champs since UT did it in 1997-98!

Yea, that's right not even Bama (even though they won 2 straight BCS Titles) has accomplished what UT did 17 years ago! That in itself should enlighten outsiders how competitve the SEC is each year!
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Well said, Gunner. Well said.
 
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#70
#70
Since the start of the BCS, the SEC has won it 9 times. No other conference has more than 2.

SEC record in the championship game is 9-3. (One of the losses was to another SEC school.) No other conference has a winning record.

Five different teams from the SEC have won at least 1 BCS Championship. No other conference has more that 2 teams.

Think that about does it. GBO!!!!
 
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#71
#71
Dr Dread said:
Since the start of the BCS, the SEC has won it 9 times. No other conference has more than 2.

SEC record in the championship game is 9-3. (One of the losses was to another SEC school.) No other conference has a winning record.

Five different teams from the SEC have won at least 1 BCS Championship. No other conference has more that 2 teams.

Think that about does it. GBO!!!!
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:bow2: Your argument may just take the cake. . .
 
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#72
#72
Just don't understand the garbage from the Big 10. It's mostly Buckeye fans, but how can they claim CONFERENCE dominance when Ohio State is the ONLY representative team. One team conferences are not dominant conferences. :loco:
 
#73
#73
When national talk shows center entire shows around:

--Is the SEC still the best conference?
--Talking about a team or conference did against the SEC
--Is our conference better than the SEC?

You have the answer to the first question. The SEC is still the gold standard that all other conferences are measured against. Even on the shows that are biased against the SEC.

If you have to ask, you know the answer already!!
 
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#75
#75
I never knew they manufactured this much acid in TN. outside of the "Roll Bama Roll" board on SBN, this is far and away the most delusional thread I have encountered. Manipulating statistics (or as they say here in Lower Alabama..."sastissics"). Cherry picking games to support your position...on any given day the teams from one conference can and will beat teams from another.
 
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