re: How would Chris Petersen fit into the SEC?

There's one statistics Meyer and Petersen have in common that should somewhat assuage your fears. They both dominated AQ competition whenever they played those teams at non-AQ schools.

Record against BCS competition

CUM (Bowling Green and Utah) 9-1
Petersen at Boise State 6-1

Also, CUM only coached against (and beat) two teams that finished ranked in the top 25 before he took the Florida job. Petersen's coached against seven teams that finished ranked in the top 25 and is 5-2 against those teams.