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

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.