SEC! SEC! SEC!
Every season you read or hear the debates about the SEC. Even if you are an SEC fan, you know it goes on. Through most of the discussions about the SEC being the best conference in the country, at least the ones I have read or been a part of, SEC fans mainly fire back with one stat. "We have won the last 7 BCS Titles." Well, I admit it, that is impressive. But that's not the whole story. Sure, that makes a pretty strong case..... But if SEC fans are going to throw stats at somebody every time this topic comes up, let's make sure ALL the stats are included. A good friend of mine, Tim Shay, did a little research and put together some interesting statistics. I have done some of my own, and we will see what we have come up with. Keep in mind, this is not meant to 'De-Throne the SEC'. It is simply meant to look at the SEC from another angle that doesn't get enough attention. I also said yesterday, that I would leave my opinion at the door.... This will simply be stats and facts, no conference bias. Here we go....
The stats I was looking for were from 2007-2012 seasons, however, Tim upped it a bit and put together stats from 2004-2012. So, Tim's stats will be the primary source used here.
2004 - 2012
LSU
SEC Record: 56-21
Vs Power 6: 15-3
Vs Top 25: 12-3
Alabama
SEC Record: 54-22
Vs Power 6: 12-3
Vs Top 25: 9-1
Florida
SEC Record: 52-25
Vs Power 6: 14-5
Vs Top 25: 8-3
Georgia
SEC Record: 52-25
Vs Power 6: 18-4
Vs Top 25: 10-6
Auburn
SEC Record: 46-30
Vs Power 6: 11-5
Vs Top 25: 4-2
South Carolina
SEC Record: 42-35
Vs Power 6: 12-8
Vs Top 25: 6-2
Arkansas
SEC Record: 35-41
Vs Power 6: 4-7
Vs Top 25: 2-6
Tennessee
SEC Record: 34-41
Vs Power 6: 5-9
Vs Top 25: 3-4
Mississippi State
SEC Record: 23-51
Vs Power 6: 2-5
Vs Top 25: 0-5
Ole Miss
SEC Record: 21-56
Vs Power 6: 3-5
Vs Top 25: 2-2
Vanderbilt
SEC Record: 20-56
Vs Power 6: 7-11
Vs Top 25: 0-1
Kentucky
SEC Record: 19-57
Vs Power 6: 7-8
Vs Top 25: 0-3
Top Tier vs Top 25: 39-13
Middle Tier vs Top 25: 15-14
Bottom Tier vs Top 25: 2-11
Top Tier vs Power 6: 59-15
Middle Tier vs Power 6: 32-29 (Pretty even there)
Lower Tier vs Power 6: 19-29
The top few teams look pretty impressive, don't they? So much so that is supports the top heavy theory, yes?
What about the bottom half? The lower 6 teams clearly aren't anything to get excited about. I point this out because fans are quick to say that their team struggles in the SEC because the conference has so much depth. Okay, depth? Then the argument shifts to "oh if my team played in another conference, they would run the table every season." Hmmmm, maybe in the Big East when Louisville wasn't good.... but any other? The truth is in the stats. The bottom half of the conference has a losing record to non-conference foes. In fact, 2 of those teams are considered middle of the road teams in the SEC and they have losing records against non-conference foes. Let me clarify that I am not saying the SEC is the only conference that looks like this.... Other conferences share some of the same stats. The argument to be made here, is that the SEC is top-heavy. They have some incredible teams at the top..... But the top teams don't make or break a conference. Yes, they help get the conference in a better spotlight, and in turn, that helps cover up the disasters at the bottom.
Kentucky isn't going to any other conference and having success. Vanderbilt over that same stretch will have the same struggles. Ole Miss and Miss. St.? Yeah, same thing. Arkansas and Tennessee? Okay, they would struggle too.
Think of it like basketball.... You have a starting 5, and then roughly 7 to 10 players on the bench. Your starting 5 may be the best in the league, but your bench is lacking. Another team may have a starting 5 not as good as your 5, but then their bench players may be better than yours... That is depth....
And look, I realize what I am setting myself up for.... I realize that many SEC fans will read this and immediately attack what I have said here.... Or say that I am just jealous of the SEC and I am looking for ways to trash talk the SEC. That is not my goal here at all. And please take notice to the fact that I am saying the SEC's Top Tier teams have performed very well, and better than most of the country..... My only point I am trying make out here, is that the SEC's depth that they talk about just isn't there..... You can't argue with stats. Depth isn't having 3 or 4 teams in the hunt at the start of the season.....
I know that I am going to get tons of feedback for this segment, and most of it will have an SEC fan telling me where I can stick my opinions.... Which won't make any sense at all, since I have left out my opinion..... But it will happen. And I know most SEC fans might say that I am just hating on the SEC.... The topics for most of my articles come from what YOU ask about or show interest in talking or reading about.
So before I get slammed with all the SEC 'Hate Mail', Let me make some of the SEC fans feel better with my personal opinion of the conference..... I know, right? "How could this guy's opinion make an SEC fan feel better?"
1. I believe the SEC has some of the best teams in the country, YEAR IN AND YEAR OUT. No doubt.
2. I think a 1 loss BAMA, or LSU might be better than a few select teams that are undefeated.
3. Yeah, It's impressive, the SEC has had 3 teams win the last 5 national titles....
4 All three of those being understood, I think the conference outside of Florida, Alabama, and LSU is no different than 3 or 4 of the other conferences. Again, that's an opinion based on the stats that I have seen. (This one might be the most controversial view of the SEC, but I am sticking to it).
If any SEC fans have made it through this segment, I respect you greatly. I want to hear from SEC fans, I want every stat you've got supporting your view of the conference. Anything and everything you want to tell me.... I don't care... Send it in. I am not closed off to changing my views if the right facts come along. Send to Jeremy.cf2d@yahoo.com or post to our Facebook page at www.facebook.com/collegefootball2day Try to keep in clean and respectful, but if you can't, I totally understand. Join the discussion at www.fans25.com.
A big thanks to Tim Shay for providing the stats used in this segment.
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