The SEC Myth

[The Gipper]

The theory is that the SEC is so much superior than every other conference. Well, I am here to tell you that that theory is a myth. Why does the SEC have so many teams with such good records?

Cupcake scheduling primarily. While teams say in the Big Ten, ACC, Pac 10 etc. generally schedule 2 games a year against other power non-conference opponents (e.g. Ohio State played both Va. Tech and Cinci) generally the SEC teams will only schedule one game per year against...but in some cases SEC schools will schedule 4 non conference games against cupcakes.

Examples:

Mississippi State's non conf. schedule: So. Miss, UAB, So. Ala, UT Martin

Texas A&M non conf schedule: Lamar, Rice, SMU, Lou.-Monroe

Vanderbilt: Temple, UMass, Charleston Southern, Old Dominion

In a couple of cases SEC schools only meeting with a power conference foe resulted in the SEC school getting hammered:

Tennessee played Utah St. Ark. St., Chattanooga....but got hammered by Oklahoma 34-10

Missouri played South Dakota St., Toledo, got a decent win vs. Central Fla, but got beat by Indiana

In some cases the SEC teams only real out of conference test is yet to come:

South Carolina has taken care of cupcakes Furman/So. Alabama, beat a decent E. Carolina team....but still must play its biggest out of conference game vs. Clemson

Florida has taken out cupcakes Idaho, Eastern Michigan, Eastern Kentucky....but must still play Florida St.

Kentucky has beaten weaklings UT Martin, Ohio U, Louisian Monroe.....but must still play Louisville

OK, in a few cases the SEC team did win its one game against a decent opponent:

Alabama did beat West Virginia, while also taking on cupcakes Fla Atlantic, So. Miss., Western Carolina

Arkansas beat its one decent opponent Texas Tech while also taking on lesser lights Nicholls St., UAB, and Northern Illinois

Auburn's road defeat of Kansas St. is the best non-conference win of the year for the SEC, but they also played patty cake with San Jose St, Samford, and La. Tech.

LSU won a decent game on a neutral field against Wisconsin 28-24 while also playing cupcakes Sam Houston St, Louisiana-Monroe and New Mexico St.

Ole Miss beat Boise St. (but Boise is not what they used to be) along with Memphis, Louisana-Lafayette and Presbyterian

The ONLY SEC school that has two tough non-conference opponents on its schedule is Georgia, who has defeated Clemson so far and must take on Georgia Tech. They also played Troy and Charleston Southern. Georgia schedule is more typical of the non-conference schedules that teams in other conferences play.

In some cases, like Georgia/Georgia Tech and Florida/FSU the matchups are mandated by those state legislatures. I have no doubt in my mind that the SEC schools would probably duck those opponents if they could. Florida already ducked Miami in favor of those matchups vs. Idaho and Eastern Michigan.

If Ohio State operated like an SEC school they would have never scheduled a Virginia Tech this year, opting instead perhaps to take on Youngstown St. or some other FCS style school. They could have sited, as SEC schools apparently do, that they did take on their one major opponent in Cincinnati. But OSU and the Big Ten don't usually opt to be so ....craven.

The SEC excuse is also feckless: "well, we play so many tough in conference games that we have to have some breathers on our schedule". Sorry, but until this year there were plenty of breathers on their schedule. This is the first time probably in my life that both Ole Miss and Mississippi State were anything other than fodder. And if football Kentucky and Vandy have always been weak. No, as a general rule a good SEC team would only have really 2-3 tough games on their schedule. This year seems a bit different because of the Mississippi phenomena.....i.e. that the two schools from that state are not their usual pushover selves......but then, as noted those schools have had pushover non-conference schedules themselves this year...its just that they did indeed have some breakout wins. MSU over Auburn, Ole Miss over Alabama.

(But why do I have a feeling that this Mississippi-mania will dissipate as the year goes on and they have to play some of the teams that regularly give them ass kickings. It has already happened with Ole Miss and LSU. Now Ole Miss has to play Auburn this week.)

[The Gipper]

In case you are keeping score here is the SEC record so far vs. the other conferences:

vs. Big Ten: 1-1 (LSU over Wisc. Indiana beat Mizz)

vs. Pac 12: 0-0 no games scheduled

vs. Big 12: 3-1 (Aub. over KSU, Ala over WVa, Ark. over Texas Tech. Tenn lost to Okla)

vs. ACC: 1-0 so far with 4 games to play (Georgia over Clemson.....FLA/FSU--GA/GA Tech--SC/Clemson--KY-L-ville yet to come)

I personally predict the ACC to go 3-1 in those remaining 4 games.

[The Gipper]

Just FYI, here is the Big 10's record against the other power conferences, plus Notre Dame:

vs. Pac-12 1-4

vs. SEC 1-1

vs. Big 12 0-3

vs. ACC 3-2

vs N.D 0-2 plus one to be played (Northwestern)

[Axe]

Ohio State with Benedict Myers could not beat Ole Miss, Miss St, Alabama, Auburn, and probably not LSU or Georgia.. Maybe SC.. Maybe Texas AM..

Yep, the SEC sucks facepalm.gif

The top 4 in the SEC West this yr would beat the eventual Big10 champ.. The Big 12 champ.. The Pac whatever champ.. And the ACC champ..

The problem is, they will beat themselves.. No outsiders will beat them when it counts.

And with the SEC, if the bowl game isn't for a National Championship.. Who cares

You want it to be a myth because you know your team couldn't hang in the SEC...

[WalterWhite]

It's not a myth.

They would kick Ohio States ass up and down the field at this point.

[DieHardBrownsFan]

Ohio State, Michigan, etc. all have easy schedules and still cant stay undefeated. SEC rules college football.

[MLD Woody]

The SEC has many outside factors (other than their play) that's propping them up. Some legal,some not, most of it unfair. Media bias, oversigning, paying players, etc. These things keep this myth alive

[Axe]

Yeah, everyone cheats except Michigan and the Democrats facepalm.gif

[The Gipper]

@axe said:

Ohio State with Benedict Myers could not beat Ole Miss, Miss St, Alabama, Auburn, and probably not LSU or Georgia.. Maybe SC.. Maybe Texas AM..

Ohio State would probably beat half those teams, minimum. I mean, Indiana beat Missouri. Wisconsin lost just 28-24 to Auburn.

Yep, the SEC sucks facepalm.gif

No, they are just not the almighty powerful Wizards you apparently think they are.

The top 4 in the SEC West this yr would beat the eventual Big10 champ.. The Big 12 champ.. The Pac whatever champ.. And the ACC champ..

The problem is, they will beat themselves.. No outsiders will beat them when it counts.

Actually yes. I say right here, right now the SEC will have a losing record vs. the ACC. They have 4 more games to play. FSU/FLa. GA/Ga. Tech, Clemson/SC and KY/Louisville. ACC I predict wins 3 of those 4. Hell, they will be favored in 3 of the 4.

And with the SEC, if the bowl game isn't for a National Championship.. Who cares

You want it to be a myth because you know your team couldn't hang in the SEC...

Except for 2 game "my team" has hung fine with the SEC.

[The Gipper]

@diehardbrownsfan said:

Ohio State, Michigan, etc. all have easy schedules and still cant stay undefeated. SEC rules college football.

Did you bother to read my post? The SEC should be sponsored by Hostess since they have so many cupcakes on their schedule. Three of their teams do not play a single game against any of the other power 5 conferences.

[The Gipper]

@axe said:

Yeah, everyone cheats except Michigan and the Democrats facepalm.gif

Delete Michigan from your statement.

[Bob806]

I'm a Buckeye homer, and don't believe that OSU can beat one of these SEC teams on a neutral field this season. I have more of a problem with Oregon being ranked so high than any other team- they are the epitome of an over-hyped program.

One thing the SEC homers overlook is how they play in about a 500 mile radius bubble, including their bowl games. That never, ever gets mentioned by ESPN or CBS. Florida hasn't traveled farther than Kentucky in 40 years, for instance. Under Bear Bryant, Alabama wasn't afraid to travel anywhere.

PS Axe- I see you called him Benedict Meyer....what about Saban? Saban went from Mich St to LSU to the Dolphins, now at Bama. At every stop, he said "this is my dream job." Hmmm

[Axe]

@bob806 said:

PS Axe- I see you called him Benedict Meyer....what about Saban? Saban went from Mich St to LSU to the Dolphins, now at Bama. At every stop, he said "this is my dream job." Hmmm

I agree 1000%

4 of the top 6.. helluva myth..

College Football Playoff Rankings

RK TEAM RECORD

1 Mississippi State 7-0

2 Florida State 7-0

3 Auburn 6-1

4 Ole Miss 7-1

5 Oregon 7-1

6 Alabama 7-1

[MLD Woody]

The bias isn't myth

[The Gipper]

The rankings....including those put forth by this 12-13 person committee is just opinion.

But opinion is just opinion. By time season ends I suspect the SEC will have about a .500 record against the other power conferences. And I will repeat, they will probably have a losing record vs. the ACC. The ACC will probably even be favored in 3 of the remaining 4 games. So that is hardly dominance. If the SEC goes like 3-1 in those games....then my predicting skills will be wrong. (not that that is anything to hold your hat onto). Mississippi and Mississippi St. may not have the rankings they do if they had actually played anyone decent.

I am rooting for those two schools in the SEC as they are fresh blood in that conference but I don't know how well they would really do against outside teams.

[Bob806]

http://www.fbschedules.com/2014/04/top-5-shameful-2014-sec-non-conference-football-schedules/

The Gators have only traveled west of Fayetteville, Ar once since 1983 (@USC).

[Axe]

At the time I type this, either #3 Auburn or #4 Ole Miss will lose this game.. The loser would beat the #1 team in the Big 10(and I like MSU), they would beat the #1 team in the Big 12, they would beat the #1 team in the Pac12.. And FSU is way overrated this yr so they'd most likely beat the #1 ACC team..

Yet because they lost tonight, they'll be fucked.

And we aren't even talking about Alabama who suddenly has their ducks in a row and is probably the best team in the nation..

It's this simple.. Take #1 thru #5 out of the SEC and pit them against the #1thru #5 in ANY other conference in the nation when the game matters and the SEC easily wins 4 of 5.. In most cases 5 out of 5..

If you don't see that, you are delusional..

[Browns149]

Do they play defense in the SEC?

Georgia gave up over 400 yards rushing to a bad Fla team.

AUB had over 500 yards of offense, and Ole Miss had 492 yards

And then there is Miss st. They barely won at home against a sub .500 team.

The new poll will be out Tuesday, and it will only have 2 sec teams.

Also how in the world is #1 Miss St. playing Tenn-Martin next week????????????

And AUB plays some school named Samford the second last week of the season????????????

[Bob806]

@browns149 said:

Do they play defense in the SEC? NO, not the last few seasons. That's my biggest beef outside of the regional bubble they play in.

I'm waiting for Arkansas to crack the top 15, hey they lost 17-10 to Mississippi St., and 14-13 to 'Bama

[The Gipper]

@axe said:

At the time I type this, either #3 Auburn or #4 Ole Miss will lose this game.. The loser would beat the #1 team in the Big 10(and I like MSU), they would beat the #1 team in the Big 12, they would beat the #1 team in the Pac12.. And FSU is way overrated this yr so they'd most likely beat the #1 ACC team..

Just an opinion. Who knows what would happen on the field. Auburn has the best non-conference win in the SEC, beating K.St.

And the last time I notice, FSU was beating Auburn in the national title game.

....but if it is any consolation to you....I hope Miss. St. runs the table in the SEC.

Yet because they lost tonight, they'll be fucked.

And we aren't even talking about Alabama who suddenly has their ducks in a row and is probably the best team in the nation..

Then I guess....in you opinion both Auburn and MSU will be kicked to the curb.

It's this simple.. Take #1 thru #5 out of the SEC and pit them against the #1thru #5 in ANY other conference in the nation when the game matters and the SEC easily wins 4 of 5.. In most cases 5 out of 5..

If you don't see that, you are delusional..

The SEC will be playing the ACC in 5 games this year.....I will tell you what I believe when those games are played on the field, not when they are played in your mind.