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re: Over at ESPN, more talk of Auburn moving to East div., so.......
Posted on 5/31/16 at 5:15 pm to BHMKyle
Posted on 5/31/16 at 5:15 pm to BHMKyle
The divisions never made sense from a strength point to begin with. I think Roy Kramer and company were just looking at a map and betting on Florida improving as a program soon due to the population boom that was going on.... but it made no sense even in 1992.
Check AP Poll standings from 1936-1991, the year before divisional play:
#4 Alabama- 683 pts
#9 Tennessee- 484 pts
#12 LSU- 375 pts
#13 Arkansas- 374 pts
#14 Auburn- 357 pts
#16 Georgia- 320 pts
#20 Ole Miss- 273 pts
#35 Florida- 166 pts
#50 Kentucky- 96 pts
#59 Mississippi St.- 69 pts
#75 S. Carolina- 37 pts
#90 Vanderbilt- 14 pts
Five of the Top 7 programs according to the AP were all put into the West.
As for all-time SEC Championships prior to 1992, again the West had the built-in advantage, 38-24
Alabama- 19
Tennessee- 11
Georgia- 10
LSU- 7
Ole Miss 6
Auburn- 5
Kentucky- 2
Florida- 1
Miss. St.- 1
And it wasn't lop-sided just because of Alabama. Alabama and Tennessee were clearly put in separate divisions because they were by far the top 2 teams, but if you take both out, the West was bringing in 19 other SEC TItles all-time to the East's 13. Again, major advantage for the West.
It was clear even in 1992 that the West was the stronger division. The conference just got lucky that Florida had their Golden Age of football begin right as the SEC went to divisional play and UT also played some of their best football eve during that time.
What we've experienced since 2001 is closer to the way things were prior to divisions. That's the problem.
Check AP Poll standings from 1936-1991, the year before divisional play:
#4 Alabama- 683 pts
#9 Tennessee- 484 pts
#12 LSU- 375 pts
#13 Arkansas- 374 pts
#14 Auburn- 357 pts
#16 Georgia- 320 pts
#20 Ole Miss- 273 pts
#35 Florida- 166 pts
#50 Kentucky- 96 pts
#59 Mississippi St.- 69 pts
#75 S. Carolina- 37 pts
#90 Vanderbilt- 14 pts
Five of the Top 7 programs according to the AP were all put into the West.
As for all-time SEC Championships prior to 1992, again the West had the built-in advantage, 38-24
Alabama- 19
Tennessee- 11
Georgia- 10
LSU- 7
Ole Miss 6
Auburn- 5
Kentucky- 2
Florida- 1
Miss. St.- 1
And it wasn't lop-sided just because of Alabama. Alabama and Tennessee were clearly put in separate divisions because they were by far the top 2 teams, but if you take both out, the West was bringing in 19 other SEC TItles all-time to the East's 13. Again, major advantage for the West.
It was clear even in 1992 that the West was the stronger division. The conference just got lucky that Florida had their Golden Age of football begin right as the SEC went to divisional play and UT also played some of their best football eve during that time.
What we've experienced since 2001 is closer to the way things were prior to divisions. That's the problem.
1
Posted on 5/31/16 at 5:29 pm to BHMKyle
But it's really not. Using your two time frames the West won the conference 61% of the time pre expansion vs 73% of the time in the past 15 years. Significant gap.
And I think we can all agree modern Florida is a lot better than what they were pre expansion and I see no reason that doesn't continue.
And I think we can all agree modern Florida is a lot better than what they were pre expansion and I see no reason that doesn't continue.
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