Would Spurrier have surpassed Bryant's SEC win total if he had stayed at UF?

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When asked eight months ago during the SEC spring meetings in Destin, Fla. if he aimed to eclipse Bear Bryant's all-time SEC wins record, Steve Spurrier responded in classic HBC fashion.

"Had I wanted to break that record, I would have stayed at Florida," Spurrier laughed.

Considering Spurrier averaged 7.3 conference wins per year in Gainesville (87-14, including 5-3 in SEC championship games) with seven or more league victories on eight occasions, the chances he would already be the winningest coach in SEC history are good.

Spurrier, of course, opted to depart Florida following the 2001 season and take over the Washington Redskins. Three years later, he was named head coach of the Gamecocks.

According to the SEC record book, Bryant finished his legendary coaching career (1946-53 at Kentucky; 1958-82 at Alabama) with a record of 159-46-9 in SEC games. At one time, the mark was regarded as unbreakable, but Spurrier could mount a challenge to the one of the most cherished league record as long as he stays at USC for at least the next four or five seasons, perhaps longer.

Including his five SEC championship game wins, USC's third straight 6-2 conference mark this past season lifted Spurrier's career SEC record to 128-46 in 21 seasons, putting him 31 victories from Bryant.

Averaging six SEC wins for the next five years would put Spurrier on the doorstep of surpassing Bryant's standard. But will the 68-year old Spurrier still be coaching USC in 2018?

Mack Brown's recent departure from Texas elevated Spurrier (219-79-2 record as college coach) to being the second winningest active coach in the country behind Frank Beamer of Virginia Tech (266 career wins). In fact, Spurrier is now one of just four active coaches with 200 or win career wins, joining Beamer, Brian Kelly (Notre Dame) and Dennis Franchione (Texas State) in that exclusive group

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