Is there a consensus #2 football program in the SEC, historically?

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I hear Tennessee has tremendous history

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but I hear Tennessee has tremendous history

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So do the Incas and the Aztecs.

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s there a consensus #2 football program in the SEC, historically?

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consensus, no.

Up until the last decade it was unequivocally Tennessee with zero debate for anyone else. They've pretty much been the SEC's undisputed #2 team for many many decades.

But LSU covered enormous ground from 2003-2019, and ont he back of UGA now winning 2 more national titles the situation is quite muddled. Honestly, you could make a case that has some merit for any of those 3 programs.

It definitely isn't florida though.

Here is how the 3 teams in question compare:


Recognized National Titles
UGA/LSU - 4
Tennessee - 2/3ish

SEC Titles
UGA - 14
UT - 13
LSU - 12


All Time Wins
UGA - 868
Ten - 867
LSU - 833


Bowl Games
UGA - 61
Ten - 55
LSU - 54


Bowl Wins
UGA - 37
Ten - 30
LSU - 29


Weeks ranked in AP
LSu - 649
UGA - 645
UT - 603


Weeks at AP #1
LSU - 38
UGA - 37
Ten- 19


Overall Win Percentage
UT - 67%
UGA - 66%
LSU - 65%

Do with this information what you will

UGA has more all-time wins, more SEC titles, and more divisional titles than UT.

UGA has more all-time wins, more SEC titles, and more divisional titles than LSU.

That would be oklahoma

Soon to be Oklahoma.

Alabama is #1

Oklahoma is #2

LSU, Georgia, Texas, Florida, Tennessee, and Auburn are 3-8 in that order, but the separation between those six is smaller than the separation between #2 Oklahoma and #3 LSU… and also tighter than the gap between #8 Auburn and #9 Texas A&M.

Georgia after Kirby goes on his run. Might even pass bama.

Here’s my subjective and probably biased rankings, as where they stand now based off of the history to this point, with more weight given to more recent success but all history considered:

1. Alabama

2. LSU
3. Georgia
4. Tennessee

5. Florida
6. Auburn


7-13. Everyone else in no particular order

14. Vanderbilt

20 years ago, Tennessee was a clear #2, but they’ve fallen behind LSU and Georgia in that period. I’ve swapped LSU and UGA and out LSU #2, with that subject to change if UGA can threepeat this year.

Auburn and Florida are really close. Auburn was leaps and bounds above Florida before Spurrier got there in 1990. I give Florida the edge because of their three title seasons in 1996, 2006, and 2008. Auburn only has one, 2010, but 1993 and 2004 were undefeated non NC seasons, which have to be the only two SEC teams to go undefeated and not win NCs in the modern era, so it’s really close, but the NCs give UF the edge.