re: What must the other conferences do to compete with SEC football?

I think everyone's pretty much hit on it. The SEC has just a ridiculous amount of things in its favor. Rabid fans, huge stadiums, committed programs, and a monopoly on the nation's best talent.


What would I do if I were other conferences? Well, I would try to undermine them. You're not going to beat them on an even plane. Say they cheat, scream about oversigning, say don't care about academics, are racists, play nobodies, rig the system, get lucky, etc., etc.


Other than that, hope you can beat them in a one game scenario enough times to turn the tide, and spend more money than you've so far been willing to to hire the nations very best coaches (assuming they're willing to coach so far away from the southern talent base).

SEC teams then get to refine their level of play against the other best teams in the country. You will usually play 2-3 games against Top 10 teams with Top 10 talent. Steel sharpens steel. Florida State had at least as much if not more talent than UF this year, but UF had been refined and sharpened playing their schedule and made them look like the gap was much bigger between them.

It's really just tough to see a way other conferences can match it. Too many variables are in the SEC's favor. I almost hate it for them.