would anyone care to re-examine this statement. It has been accepted as being 'true' all year without challenge. The past several weeks have really got me thinking that this is not the case. And let's not forget, joke though we may about West Virginia being overrated, they did beat SEC Champ Georgia in the Sugar Bowl.
I don't doubt that the SEC is the best conference. They have more good teams at the top. The Big 10 has OSU and Mich, but Wisc is the next best team and they are a good team but not as good as any of the top 5 SEC teams. I think what the SEC has year after year is more good teams than anybody else. The B12 has Texas, the Pac10 has USC, the ACC doesn't have anybody this year. And knowing that you are a PAc10 apologist I will allow that Oregon and CAL are very good teams this year, but they don't have any depth in the paC10 this year. If Nebraska can make it all the way back, and Texas and OU continue to be great teams, then toss in an improving Texas A&M, a always dangerous Texas Tech and the Boone Pickens Cowboys and the B12 will have some depth in the near future. Terry
sweeping strokes <t>you can't just say it. name them. who are these good teams and why are there more of them?<br/> <br/> I'll ignore the Pac10 apologist attack and go to another conference.<br/> <br/> Ohio State<br/> Michigan<br/> Wisconsin<br/> Penn State<br/> <br/> Name 4 teams in the SEC that are better than those 4.<br/> <br/> Florida. ummmmmm Auburn? Maybe Tennessee? Arkansas? Gasp! Dare the SEC hang their hats on the team that was pile driven in consecutive years by a Pac 10 team?<br/> <br/> Tossed from discussion are Alabama, and Georgia. They are often listed as some 'murderers row' of opponents and, baby, it just ain't so.</t>
Me attack you? No way..cough, pac10 sissy..cough.... I think Mich has faded, they are no longer IMHO the clear #2 in the country. They haven't shown much offense since the ND game to tell you the truth and in that game they were helped by 5 freakin' TO's by ND. OK 1. OSU > Fla. 2. Tenn > Mich 3. LSU, Aub, Ark, > Wisc Penn State is struggling big time right now. They only scored 12 points last weekend and 3 points today. At the moment they aren't really a good team. They are a good defense, but not a good team. But it is shocking that Georgia and Bama are bad this year.
I just love you dentists <t>and your laughing gas.<br/> <br/> Tennessee's 'defining' win this year has come against Georgia. They scraped by Air Force at home. That's a team that IF ND doesn't kill, it will show that the Irish are overrated in the eyes of many writers.<br/> <br/> My point really isn't to 'attack' the SEC so much as it is to attack the premise that they are the clear #1 conference this year. I don't think there is one.<br/> <br/> I just don't think that's the case. Auburn has squeeked by one bad team after another. To date, only Houston Nutt was smart enough to run the ball right at their quick but undersized defense. <br/> <br/> Oh, and I think you are discounting how good Wisconsin might be. Just maybe.</t>
I'll go along with the parity and no great conference argument. But the SEC is still the best conference most likely. If you were reading I posted that the 'guantlet' that Fla had to go through was n't really all that much of a guantlet. Fla schedule is good, but they are just not playing their way past the Armies of Darkness, the Crab Nebula Rangers, and those other great Out of this world teams.
Corey, I hate to go against you but please take Penn State off that list. You don't want to compare Penn State to any conference's # 4. The Big 10 is not as strong this year. A lot of new offenses which are bad and teams like Iowa & MSU which have self destructed. It's basically Michigan & OSU and no one else. Wisconsin is good but not elite. Having said this, I would join you in wacking ther SEC which I also feel is grossly overated. I'd agree with Doc, the Big 12 is better may even be the best for a change, and toss in that the Big East is much better and more formidable. ACC is down way down. PAC 10? I duno, not following it much this year.
I would join you in that AJ <t>my point isn't that any one conference is better. My point is that the SEC is not this 'clear' #1 conference in the land. No way, no how.</t>
"Tennessee's 'defining' win this year has come against Georgia" Well.....that reduces the Pac 10 to the trash heap... Nice analysis Terry on SEC vs. Big 10...I'll buy that. Meeechigan really rolled today over Ball State eh???
I wasn't saying <t>that the Pac10 is great this year. In fact, I think this is the least talented Pac10 conference in the past few years. Lots of young teams rebuilding.<br/> <br/> Take all the Pac10 shots you want. That isn't the point. The point is that there is no way in hell the SEC is hands down the best conference this year.<br/> <br/> BTW-congrats on being 'The Beast of the Least'. You needed an SEC West team to help you get to Atlanta. Of course, you wouldn't have needed that help had you not lost to another SEC West team. The funny thing is that all of those 'power' West teams that are helping/hurting you are chasing the tail of the Hogs in that division.<br/> <br/> Way to seal the deal with a big win over the 'Dores today. <br/> <br/> Can someone tell me where the pundits calling for 'style points' are now?</t>
"BTW-congrats on being 'The Beast of the Least'. You needed an SEC West team to help you get to Atlanta. Of course, you wouldn't have needed that help had you not lost to another SEC West team. The funny thing is that all of those 'power' West teams that are helping/hurting you are chasing the tail of the Hogs in that division." You're getting weak in your old age Corey. Seems to me UF is SEC East Champion because the Gators went into Knoxville and beat the Vols.....hmmmm....
it may be weak <t>but that doesn't mean its not true.<br/> <br/> I would say your statement holds a lot of water. Win one game, win the Division and go to the Conference Title game.<br/> <br/> Yeah. That sounds like the road thru the toughest conference in the nation.</t>
sure <t>its about running that 4 game gauntlet of:<br/> <br/> Alabama<br/> LSU<br/> Auburn<br/> Georgia<br/> <br/> Of those games, you got 2 at home, one on the road and the other is a neutral site game. You won the two games at home, as well as the other game played in FL while losing on the road. Of course, that also gives you the incredibly convenient opportunity to find anyone who has ever had something to do with the state of AL to blame the loss on.<br/> <br/> Let's check out how those 4 did today. I mean, they aren't just great teams when you play them, right? They are great all year.<br/> <br/> -Alabama-Lost at home to Mississippi State.<br/> -LSU-beat Tennessee in Knoxville. Oh if they only played in the East. In your division, you go to Atlanta for that. In the West, you're in 3rd place.<br/> -Auburn-They beat Arkansas STATE 27-0.<br/> -Georgia-Lost to Kentucky. Following a loss to UF, and Vandy etc.<br/> <br/> You have to admit that you have been given a whole lot of 'cred' by the national media for simply going 3-1 in that stretch. I think its a fair question, how tough was that stretch?</t>
I don't think Florida is as good as Ohio State...no way ...but they are as good as any other team out there...which is not saying all that much to be honest with you. Noobody is very dominant this year in CFB and everybody can lose any given week. That said even my annointed champion OSU hammered out a measly 7 point win over a Ron Zook coached Illini today. Not all that impressive.
I just think right now that Texas has the edge in the 1 loss teams, because they have such a strong offense, they have good running game, don't have to resort to end arounds and Colt McCoy is having a better year at this point than Chris Leake. Texas defense vs Gator defense is a push.
"its about running that 4 game gauntlet of: Alabama LSU Auburn Georgia" Florida's SEC East Championship is about those teams to be sure but it's more about a 21-20 win over Tenn in Knoxville than the others because Tenn is the nearest challenger and usually is. Somehow Ga has squeaked in there lately in spite of losing to Fla as happened last year.