Which SEC School's success is most important for the Conference's health?

All

Well its not UT, they've been horrid during the SEC's most impressive run football wise

from a total athletic perspective, it would probably be LSU or UF. They both have had success is most sports across the board so one of those two

LSU or Georgia.
Maybe both.

Reason being that Alabama will
always be the focus and Florida will have the attention from the East. You need LSU/Georgia to also be good to provide balance and depth and expand the base out of Alabama.

And what in the hell would an ohio st. fan know or care about the SEC?

Doesn't matter.

Some will be up, some will be down but the SEC will always have the best depth of good teams any given years. Too many good programs that are committed to winning.

No one school matters more, as long as someone from the Big 6 is in contention. Bama is the biggest giant historically but they were down when the SEC's recent run of dominance began.

I'd go with Florida because they are in a state with 2 ACC schools that are very popular.

South Carolina ... hear me out.

South Carolina had always been mediocre prior to joining the SEC. We always had great fans and financial support, but we've endeavored to be good in the SEC.

It's taken awhile in football but we're getting there. This season will be a blip in the overall scheme of things.

But South Carolina has done well in baseball, a sport in which we were good long before we joined the SEC. Basketball has been meh except for a few years, but again, we're getting there. Women's basketball is already there. Golf - we're almost there. Could happen anytime now. Anyways, my point is ...

My point is that if South Carolina does break-through as an overall program, then it bolsters the perception of the entire league probably more than any other. We're commonly referred to as a Cinderella type program, even at times a sleeping giant given our fan support, facilities, in-state talent in all sports, etc.

Becoming a member of the SEC 25 years ago was the greatest thing to ever happen to SC, but it could also be a real public relations boon to the conference overall in the long-run because SC's success will be credited to the league (SEC) as much as it ever will our fans' undying support after decades of mediocrity.

Paul Dietzel once said, this was back in the 70s when he was pushing for us to take Ga Tech's place and the reason he got us out of the ACC in the first place ... he said, "There is no better marriage than the one that would bring Gamecock fans and the SEC together, it would be a match made in heaven."

One day I believe Coach is going to be proved to have been prophetical - even though it's been tougher for SC than I believe he thought it was going to be - still yet, our fans and our program will not quit until we get there and, when we do, it will be completely because of our marriage to this conference heart and soul.

ETA: South Carolina is also important as we are the true buffer state, the battle zone if you will, between the SEC and the ACC (particularly the state of NC and Tobacco Road). If SC takes care of business with our regular match-ups vs ACC teams in all sports, it makes the SEC look that much better as well and also helps the SEC continue to recruit well in ACC states.

I think that as long any of the 14 schools are at/near the top of the polls then the conference is doing okay, but it does seem like having a Big 6 team a the top gives the conference a little more media coverage.

None in particular, imo.