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Comparing conferences: A different look
Posted on 8/4/15 at 12:35 am
Posted on 8/4/15 at 12:35 am
A lot of comparing conferences going on and several ways people are doing it. SOS, OOC records, bowl records, etc. all are valid and a good place to look, but I wanted to take different view and look at program ceilings within each conference. There has been a lot of blowback towards the SEC and it's expected. I'm sure other conferences get tired of hearing about how great the SEC is constantly. Let's take a look.
National Title Contenders: Self explanatory. Teams that in any given year can win it all with the right coach in place.
ACC
Florida St
Big 10
Ohio St.
Michigan
Penn St
Big 12
Oklahoma
Texas
Pac 12
USC
Oregon (being generous)
SEC
Alabama
Auburn
LSU
Tennessee
Florida
Georgia
A rung below: teams that would need several breaks to actually win it all, but do have the ability to get right to the brink. Win double digit games, major bowls etc
ACC
Clemson
Miami (fell from NC contender)
Louisville (questionable)
Georgia Tech
Virginia Tech (slipping)
Big 10
Wisconsin
Michigan St
Nebraska (fell from NC contender)
Big 12
Baylor
TCU
KState
Pac 12
Stanford
UCLA
Arizona ST
SEC
Arkansas
Mizzou
South Carolina
aTm (could make an argument for rung above)
Bowl teams- teams that haven't been really bad or really good. Mostly mired in mediocrity. Sometimes a tick above, sometimes below. May be on the upswing.
ACC
Duke (recent entry into this category)
Pitt
NC
NC St
Virginia
Big 10
Minnesota
Iowa
Maryland
Big 12
Oklahoma St
West Virginia
Pac 12
Washington
Arizona
Utah
Oregon St
Cal
SEC
Ole Miss (might jump to the next rung)
Miss St
Pushovers- pretty much get counted as an auto win by any teams in the above category. Accomplishment just to make any bowl game, usually have losing seasons.
ACC
Wake
BC
Cuse
Big 10
Indiana (yeah, I know)
Illinois
Purdue
Rutgers
Northwestern
Big 12
Kansas
Iowa St
Pac 12
Washington St
Colorado (have really taken a nose dive)
SEC
Vandy
Kentucky (rising imo, can jump a rung this year)
Some overall thoughts. Yeah, I'm not telling you anything you didn't know. The SEC is the best, clearly. However, the fact of how I close it really is is kind of mind boggling. The SEC has at least double the amount of NC caliber programs as any other conference. That's crazy. Also, the depth of the league is unrivaled. There is really only one truly awful team in the conference and the rest have multiple cakewalks. The teams just below the top are also as good or better than any other conference.
The ACC is a joke.
The Big 10 is the closest approximation of the SECs strength, but they have less elite programs and more shitty/mediocre ones.
The Big 12 isn't much better than the ACC at this point. Their two blue bloods are not at that level currently and the best teams in that conference are upstarts and lack staying power. Lots of mediocrity and the absolute worst current P5 program resides here.
Pac 12 has an argument for #2 as well. Solid numbers at the top and good depth.
I determined all groupings by recent history to try and get a current view. Besides the NC contenders as blue bloods just don't die, with only a few exceptions.
National Title Contenders: Self explanatory. Teams that in any given year can win it all with the right coach in place.
ACC
Florida St
Big 10
Ohio St.
Michigan
Penn St
Big 12
Oklahoma
Texas
Pac 12
USC
Oregon (being generous)
SEC
Alabama
Auburn
LSU
Tennessee
Florida
Georgia
A rung below: teams that would need several breaks to actually win it all, but do have the ability to get right to the brink. Win double digit games, major bowls etc
ACC
Clemson
Miami (fell from NC contender)
Louisville (questionable)
Georgia Tech
Virginia Tech (slipping)
Big 10
Wisconsin
Michigan St
Nebraska (fell from NC contender)
Big 12
Baylor
TCU
KState
Pac 12
Stanford
UCLA
Arizona ST
SEC
Arkansas
Mizzou
South Carolina
aTm (could make an argument for rung above)
Bowl teams- teams that haven't been really bad or really good. Mostly mired in mediocrity. Sometimes a tick above, sometimes below. May be on the upswing.
ACC
Duke (recent entry into this category)
Pitt
NC
NC St
Virginia
Big 10
Minnesota
Iowa
Maryland
Big 12
Oklahoma St
West Virginia
Pac 12
Washington
Arizona
Utah
Oregon St
Cal
SEC
Ole Miss (might jump to the next rung)
Miss St
Pushovers- pretty much get counted as an auto win by any teams in the above category. Accomplishment just to make any bowl game, usually have losing seasons.
ACC
Wake
BC
Cuse
Big 10
Indiana (yeah, I know)
Illinois
Purdue
Rutgers
Northwestern
Big 12
Kansas
Iowa St
Pac 12
Washington St
Colorado (have really taken a nose dive)
SEC
Vandy
Kentucky (rising imo, can jump a rung this year)
Some overall thoughts. Yeah, I'm not telling you anything you didn't know. The SEC is the best, clearly. However, the fact of how I close it really is is kind of mind boggling. The SEC has at least double the amount of NC caliber programs as any other conference. That's crazy. Also, the depth of the league is unrivaled. There is really only one truly awful team in the conference and the rest have multiple cakewalks. The teams just below the top are also as good or better than any other conference.
The ACC is a joke.
The Big 10 is the closest approximation of the SECs strength, but they have less elite programs and more shitty/mediocre ones.
The Big 12 isn't much better than the ACC at this point. Their two blue bloods are not at that level currently and the best teams in that conference are upstarts and lack staying power. Lots of mediocrity and the absolute worst current P5 program resides here.
Pac 12 has an argument for #2 as well. Solid numbers at the top and good depth.
I determined all groupings by recent history to try and get a current view. Besides the NC contenders as blue bloods just don't die, with only a few exceptions.
Posted on 8/4/15 at 12:37 am to JesusQuintana
I would put Miami up there with FSU. Clemson as well.
Posted on 8/4/15 at 12:40 am to JesusQuintana
I may be drunk, but it seems like you missed #HailState...
ETA: nvm I'm drunk
ETA: nvm I'm drunk
This post was edited on 8/4/15 at 12:48 am
Posted on 8/4/15 at 12:41 am to cardswinagain
Clemson is a program I can't see winning a national championship. Solid program, not elite though.
Posted on 8/4/15 at 12:42 am to cardswinagain
Miami isn't at that level anymore imo. Clemson?nah
Posted on 8/4/15 at 12:46 am to JesusQuintana
And Penn State is at that level?
Posted on 8/4/15 at 12:48 am to JesusQuintana
I'd put Georgia Tech in the rung below.
Their only conference title this millennium was vacated and for the most part they stick to the middle of the road in terms of record. Every 5-6 years they go over 10 wins.
Their only conference title this millennium was vacated and for the most part they stick to the middle of the road in terms of record. Every 5-6 years they go over 10 wins.
Posted on 8/4/15 at 12:49 am to JesusQuintana
I'm sure you're mostly accurate, but I stopped reading when you put Tennessee in the category of teams that can win it all any given year. Their time is past...for example, if you put Tennessee in that category, why didn't you include Nebraska?
Posted on 8/4/15 at 1:04 am to geauxnavybeatbama
You're a joke of a Mizzou fan if you have Tennessee and Florida as National title contenders ahead of Mizzou. They've been our bitch recently, and we're much closer to a title than they will ever be.
Posted on 8/4/15 at 1:09 am to geauxnavybeatbama
I meant the original poster. I just clicked reply to the last post.
Posted on 8/4/15 at 1:10 am to geauxnavybeatbama
quote:
why is UGA on there?
Maybe because we have had 2 teams just as good as your MNC teams but didnt get the same breaks LSU got?
Posted on 8/4/15 at 1:13 am to djsdawg
quote:
Maybe because we have had 2 teams just as good as your MNC teams but didnt get the same breaks LSU got?
Like losing to Florida last year and letting poor old Mizzou take the East the past two years.
Posted on 8/4/15 at 1:20 am to geauxnavybeatbama
You asked a question, all you can do is produce tears in reaction to the answer? Amazing.
This post was edited on 8/4/15 at 1:27 am
Posted on 8/4/15 at 1:23 am to KCM0Tiger
And that's why you'll never be respected or accepted into the SECs inner circle.
3 generations of my family have witnessed Tennessee win a NC at different times through out history. Me, my old man, and his old man. Proving that you absolutely can win National championships at Tennessee with the right pieces in place. We were a TD away from playing for a chance at the NC in 07. Has Missouri ever been able to say that? Nvm. That was the one year in your life time you had a chance and all you could do was shite the bed. You're biggest accomplishment in the history of your program is getting blown out in the SECCG. And before you come back with some lame dick response about the SECCG, go and do your research on who has the 2nd most conference titles in the league.
3 generations of my family have witnessed Tennessee win a NC at different times through out history. Me, my old man, and his old man. Proving that you absolutely can win National championships at Tennessee with the right pieces in place. We were a TD away from playing for a chance at the NC in 07. Has Missouri ever been able to say that? Nvm. That was the one year in your life time you had a chance and all you could do was shite the bed. You're biggest accomplishment in the history of your program is getting blown out in the SECCG. And before you come back with some lame dick response about the SECCG, go and do your research on who has the 2nd most conference titles in the league.
This post was edited on 8/4/15 at 2:00 am
Posted on 8/4/15 at 1:27 am to TRUERockyTop
Actually yes, Missouri has been closer to a National title than Tennessee has been recently. But the point is that Tennessee is trash and will never reclaim its glory days. But by all means keep acting like Josh Dobbs is your savior while we continue to destroy you each year.
Posted on 8/4/15 at 1:27 am to TRUERockyTop
quote:
We were a TD away from playing in the NC in 07.
Mizzou was one game away from playing for it all in 2007.
This post was edited on 8/4/15 at 1:30 am
Posted on 8/4/15 at 1:32 am to TRUERockyTop
Mizzou was closer to playing for the national title in '07, than UT.
Thank you by way Mizzou.
Thank you by way Mizzou.
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