re: Rank the SEC right now

1. S: really strong consonant with a distinctive sound.

2. E: versatile vowel. Found at beginning, middle and end of words.

3. C: makes different sounds. Inconsistent.

Arkansas above A&M? Just no.

The only time Bert beats A&M is playing NCAA '13 on xBox.

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Georgia
Auburn

Tenn
Florida

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Georgia over Florida despite Florida having less losses, Florida dominating head to head, and Florida annihilating a quality opponent in their bowl game while UGA struggled with a bad TCU team shows that you have no earthly idea what the frick you're talking about.

The only teams in the SEC that would have a claim to be #2 in the conference outside of Florida is Auburn, who has 5 losses and LSU, who Florida beat head to head in Baton Rouge.

This is not a list of how the programs of the SEC rank in terms of prestige or history. This is how they rank as far as the health and perception of their current program in this era of SEC football.

1. Alabama- I don't think there will be any debate with them in the #1 spot... and the gap is gigantic

HUGE GAP

2. Auburn- Only non-Bama SEC program to win a National Title since Saban won his first at Bama in '09. Not only that, they played for it a second time in 2013. And most recently, they finished the regular season in 2016 as the SEC's #2 team, getting them a Sugar Bowl invitation. Most likely, with the new QB coming in, they'll start next season as the SEC's 2nd highest rated team as well. While the gap between Auburn and the teams just below them is razor-thin, Auburn is clearly #2 during the current era of SEC football.

3. LSU- LSU is the only program from outside the state of Alabama to win an SEC Title since 2008. As for consistency, they've been the 2nd most consistent winner of the past several years. They've not had the lows of Auburn, but they're missing the highs Auburn has had as well (as in a National Title). That puts them at a very close #3 in my mind.

4. Georgia- Georgia is 2nd in the SEC in wins since Saban came to Bama (101 wins in 10 seasons). That's 3 more wins than LSU... 10 more wins than Florida... and 19 more wins than Auburn during the same period of time. What Georgia lacks is a Championship. No SEC title since two seasons before Saban arrived in Tuscaloosa.

5. Florida- Florida was by far the SEC's premiere "current" program headed into the 2009 SEC Championship Game. The Gators appeared to be heading towards their 3rd National Title in four seasons. But it all came crashing down with the loss to Bama in Atlanta, and Florida football has never been the same since.

HUGE GAP

6. Tennessee- Tennessee football is 10th of the current SEC programs in number of wins since 2007. They not only trail the rest of the "Big 6" but also South Carolina, Texas A&M, Arkansas, and Mississippi State. A year ago, I would have said Ole Miss and Texas A&M would both "currently" be ahead of Tennessee as for where their programs stood. But despite a somewhat disappointing season, the Vols are likely going to finish in the AP Top 25 for the 2nd consecutive season. That's a huge step in the right direction.

7. Texas A&M- It seems ever since Johnny Football dazzled everyone in 2012 that Texas A&M has been perpetually on the verge of taking the next step and being a perennial contender in the SEC. They have the facilities. They have the fan support. And quite frankly they've had the talent. But there always seems to be a missing piece that keeps them from making the next step. Now, for the first time in awhile, it seems Aggie football is on the verge of taking a step backwards. Without Trevor Knight, I don't expect much from them next season, which likely means a coaching change in 2018... and we're all still left waiting for Texas A&M to live up to their potential.

8. South Carolina- Quite frankly, South Carolina gets unnecessarily judged as a program for their one bad season which occurred in Spurrier's final year. But this is a program that rattled off 11 consecutive years without a losing season from 2004 until 2014. That included three consecutive 11-win seasons in 2011, 2012, and 2013. Yes, 2014 was a disaster (3-9). And yes, the Gamecocks were again not good in 2016 (6-7). But with absolutely zero talent, Mushchamp got this team to a 6-6 regular season mark and a spot in a bowl game. Absolutely no one expected that for this team last August. Even after two "down years", the Gamecocks are 6th in the SEC in total wins since 2010. They have more wins than Florida so far this decade.

9. Ole Miss- at halftime of the Bama game back in September, I would have thought Ole Miss was headed towards #2 in the SEC status. But the collapse at the end of the season was gigantic. Not only that, but Ole Miss' roster will decrease in talent in 2017 for the second consecutive season. With NCAA troubles looming, this program is headed south.

10. Arkansas- The Hogs continue to be one of the more consistent programs in the league. Unfortunately a consistent 7-6 record is not going to get you much higher than #10 status in this league. Arkansas fans seem to be coming around to what was obvious to everyone else several years ago: Bert is frankly not a very good coach.

11. Mississippi State- Dan Mullen has put up quite a fascade around the MSU program that gives the appearance of improvement, but in reality this program has struggled more against good competition than just about any program in the entire country. The Bulldogs are 2-32 against opponents that finished in the Final AP Top 25 since Mullen arrived in Starkville in 2009. Mullen has made a living beating up on inferior teams, aided by playing by far the weakest non-conference schedule of any program in the SEC. There are only 10 Power programs with fewer wins against ranked teams since 2009: Cal, Colorado, Duke, Illinois, Kansas, Minnesota, Oregon St., Purdue, Rutgers, and Vanderbilt. That's a pretty sad group to be lumped in with.

12. Kentucky- Things in Lexington might just be turning around. Kentucky showed promise at the end of this season.

13. Vanderbilt- Vandy made a bowl game for the 4th time in six years. Prior to this recent six-year stretch, Vandy had made just one bowl game in 28 seasons. So improvement is obvious. They will always be the SEC's weakest program historically.... and they'll likely maintain that status for most of the foreseeable future. But there is a bit of optimism in this program that I feel is vacant at the program I'm ranking #14.

14. Mizzou- Yes, as far as success goes Missouri should be way higher. They won the East in 2013 and 2014. But that seems like eons ago, and I'm not sure Odom is going to ever replicate the steady success that Mizzou achieved under Gary Pinkel. Game attendance was WAY down. And Mizzou was by far the weakest team in the league in 2016. Not sure things will improve much in 2017. While they've had success in recent years to warrant a ranking much higher, there seems to be a lack of optimism in the program.

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Bama (enough said)

LSU
Georgia
Florida
Auburn

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You gotta put Florida ahead of Georgia right now. They earned it. Florida and LSU can fight it out who deserves to be second. Right now, I would give the nod to Florida because they won head to head, and just have a way of pulling out big wins.

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4. Georgia- Georgia is 2nd in the SEC in wins since Saban came to Bama (101 wins in 10 seasons). That's 3 more wins than LSU... 10 more wins than Florida... and 19 more wins than Auburn during the same period of time. What Georgia lacks is a Championship. No SEC title since two seasons before Saban arrived in Tuscaloosa.

5. Florida- Florida was by far the SEC's premiere "current" program headed into the 2009 SEC Championship Game. The Gators appeared to be heading towards their 3rd National Title in four seasons. But it all came crashing down with the loss to Bama in Atlanta, and Florida football has never been the same since.

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The program hasn't been the same as what it was, but they still have a winning record over UGA (4-3) and more conference championship appearances. And the coach that got all of 8 of those wins is no longer there.

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You gotta put Florida ahead of Georgia right now. They earned it. Florida and LSU can fight it out who deserves to be second.

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I'm thinking ahead a bit. UGA and LSU are killing it in recruiting and will only get better with the new coaches. UF still has butter teeth and is recruiting like Mississippi State.

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I'm thinking ahead a bit. UGA and LSU are killing it in recruiting and will only get better with the new coaches. UF still has butter teeth and is recruiting like Mississippi State.

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I understand what you are saying, and tend to agree with it. However, he wanted to know about right now. You guys are still trying to recover from the turmoil and Georgia hasn't done anything yet. Hopefully we change that in 2017.

For me.....RIGHT NOW Florida gets the nod. next year, or the next is another story.

Hold that thought till NSD
Recruiting isnt about class rankings, its about WHO you get to fill needs.

Look at the rankings, teams can have 4-5 4 star players and a dozen 3s and be rated high on a point system.
Hell LSU finishes high every yr as class rankings go, i live in LA and all i hear is ppl bitch about how bad your oline is and QBs are. Yet you have great WRs and DBs that give you those high class rankings. Again its about the needs you fill, the rest is empty bragging rights.

aTm is getting too much benefit of the doubt. They lost 4 straight conference games to end the season and lost their bowl game to KSU.