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When did the "Big 6" come about?
Posted on 9/17/20 at 4:47 pm
Posted on 9/17/20 at 4:47 pm
There's a lot of debate as to when the "Big 6" began.... in order to figure that out, you really have to come up with a way to rank the programs and then go back in time to see what each program would be ranked in each given year.
Long story short, I came up with a rating system to rank just the SEC teams in the years in which they were part of the league based on the following criteria:
1. Conference Win Percentage
2. AP Poll Points
3. National Titles
4. Conference Titles
Each season is ranked up to that season, beginning with the year that team joined the league. So for the 10 programs that have been in it since the beginning, their rankings in 2000 was all of the above factors from 1933-2000. Their current ranking is now 1933-2019.
The All-Time performance accounts for 80% of the score. Meanwhile the same rating system but just during the most recent 15 seasons, i.e. "Recent Success" accounts for the other 20%.
Expansion teams are able to count their AP Poll points and National Titles prior to joining the league, but conference titles from their previous conferences do not count.
So here is how the CURRENT RANKINGS shake out up through 2019:
1. Alabama- 0.885
2. LSU- 0.537
3. Georgia- 0.468
4. Florida- 0.466
5. Tennessee- 0.460
6. Auburn- 0.431
---
7. Texas A&M- 0.306
8. Ole Miss- 0.289
9. Arkansas- 0.253
10. Missouri- 0.239
11. S. Carolina- 0.204
12. Miss St.- 0.177
13. Kentucky- 0.157
14. Vanderbilt- 0.106
First off, Bama is so far out front its ridiculous. But the next biggest gap is by far the Big 6 compared to everyone else.
So when did the "Big 6" come about? The answer: 1994
1994 is the year that Florida finally passed Ole Miss.
Ole Miss is a former conference Powerhouse. Ole Miss was ranked as high as #3 in the league from 1964-1969. From 1970-1979 they were ranked #4. From 1980-1983, they were ranked 5th. From 1984-1993, they were ranked 6th before finally falling back behind Florida in 1994.
Florida won its third SEC Title in 1994 which was enough to put them ahead of Ole Miss based upon this formula.... Ole Miss has 5 SEC Titles, however the most recent was in 1963.
In 1994, the rankings looked like this:
1. Alabama- .883
2. Tennessee- .534
3. Georgia- .507
4. Auburn- .452
5. LSU- .423
6. Florida- .344
7. Ole Miss- .327
At this point, the bigger gap was between #5 LSU and #6 Florida, so an argument could be made that it was really a "Big 5" at that point and not a "Big 6".
But Florida's performance in the mid '90s was so strong, by 1996 they had won four consecutive SEC Titles and a National Title and they catapulted all the way to #3 in the league.
So based off my research, it's my opinion that the "Big 6" is very real and its been this way since 1994.... so going on 27 seasons as of next week.
Long story short, I came up with a rating system to rank just the SEC teams in the years in which they were part of the league based on the following criteria:
1. Conference Win Percentage
2. AP Poll Points
3. National Titles
4. Conference Titles
Each season is ranked up to that season, beginning with the year that team joined the league. So for the 10 programs that have been in it since the beginning, their rankings in 2000 was all of the above factors from 1933-2000. Their current ranking is now 1933-2019.
The All-Time performance accounts for 80% of the score. Meanwhile the same rating system but just during the most recent 15 seasons, i.e. "Recent Success" accounts for the other 20%.
Expansion teams are able to count their AP Poll points and National Titles prior to joining the league, but conference titles from their previous conferences do not count.
So here is how the CURRENT RANKINGS shake out up through 2019:
1. Alabama- 0.885
2. LSU- 0.537
3. Georgia- 0.468
4. Florida- 0.466
5. Tennessee- 0.460
6. Auburn- 0.431
---
7. Texas A&M- 0.306
8. Ole Miss- 0.289
9. Arkansas- 0.253
10. Missouri- 0.239
11. S. Carolina- 0.204
12. Miss St.- 0.177
13. Kentucky- 0.157
14. Vanderbilt- 0.106
First off, Bama is so far out front its ridiculous. But the next biggest gap is by far the Big 6 compared to everyone else.
So when did the "Big 6" come about? The answer: 1994
1994 is the year that Florida finally passed Ole Miss.
Ole Miss is a former conference Powerhouse. Ole Miss was ranked as high as #3 in the league from 1964-1969. From 1970-1979 they were ranked #4. From 1980-1983, they were ranked 5th. From 1984-1993, they were ranked 6th before finally falling back behind Florida in 1994.
Florida won its third SEC Title in 1994 which was enough to put them ahead of Ole Miss based upon this formula.... Ole Miss has 5 SEC Titles, however the most recent was in 1963.
In 1994, the rankings looked like this:
1. Alabama- .883
2. Tennessee- .534
3. Georgia- .507
4. Auburn- .452
5. LSU- .423
6. Florida- .344
7. Ole Miss- .327
At this point, the bigger gap was between #5 LSU and #6 Florida, so an argument could be made that it was really a "Big 5" at that point and not a "Big 6".
But Florida's performance in the mid '90s was so strong, by 1996 they had won four consecutive SEC Titles and a National Title and they catapulted all the way to #3 in the league.
So based off my research, it's my opinion that the "Big 6" is very real and its been this way since 1994.... so going on 27 seasons as of next week.
22
Posted on 9/17/20 at 4:49 pm to BHMKyle
quote:
since 1994.... so going on 27 seasons as of next week.
Damn. Thanks for making me feel old
Posted on 9/17/20 at 4:50 pm to BHMKyle
quote:
1. Alabama- 0.885
2. LSU- 0.537
3. Georgia- 0.468
4. Florida- 0.466
5. Tennessee- 0.460
6. Auburn- 0.431
---
7. Texas A&M- 0.306
Massive drop off. Poor Aggy
Posted on 9/17/20 at 4:54 pm to BHMKyle
. I think ‘big6’ was known Before 1992 due to rivalries.
The big6 was in need of a 3:3 split if we were going to divide the conferences correctly. Sec knew that. And it works perfectly today.
The big 6 cross div rivalries are, in only my opinion, the best thing we have.
The sec East truly has the most pop with their western rivals, combined with their ACC end of year rivalry game.
ETA. There’s a jealous-assed fanbase From the outside looking in, that is triggered, sometimes, by the mention of big six.
Gotta earn ya’ keep and the nomenclature, boys. Just give it time and create your own results.
The big6 was in need of a 3:3 split if we were going to divide the conferences correctly. Sec knew that. And it works perfectly today.
The big 6 cross div rivalries are, in only my opinion, the best thing we have.
The sec East truly has the most pop with their western rivals, combined with their ACC end of year rivalry game.
ETA. There’s a jealous-assed fanbase From the outside looking in, that is triggered, sometimes, by the mention of big six.
Gotta earn ya’ keep and the nomenclature, boys. Just give it time and create your own results.
This post was edited on 9/17/20 at 5:18 pm
Posted on 9/17/20 at 4:55 pm to BHMKyle
Cool. I'd like to see how this al shakes out decade to decade.
Posted on 9/17/20 at 4:56 pm to diddlydawg7
quote:
Massive drop off. Poor Aggy
As much as I dislike aTm and Missouri being in the SEC, It’s kind of untelling because 18 of those 27 years they were not in the SEC. Things may have been different for them otherwise. But we will never know
Posted on 9/17/20 at 4:56 pm to BHMKyle
quote:
When did the "Big 6" come about?
When chicken opened the SEC rant.
Posted on 9/17/20 at 4:57 pm to Bosethus68
quote:
As much as I dislike aTm and Missouri being in the SEC, It’s kind of untelling because 18 of those 27 years they were not in the SEC.
I don’t think it would have been any better
Posted on 9/17/20 at 5:08 pm to BHMKyle
Tennessee still in good shape despite no SEC titles since 1998. Outside the Big 6, I don’t see them ever getting jumped even if they stay bad for years to come.
Posted on 9/17/20 at 5:10 pm to BHMKyle
FYI, some other interesting tidbits with this ranking system:
Alabama has been #1 in the league since 1964.
They were #1 in 1933-1935, fell back to #2 after 1936.... moved back up to #1 from 1937-1939, and then relinquished the #1 position for nearly a half century to Tennessee.
They were #2 behind Tennessee from 1940-1954
They were #3 behind Tennessee and Georgia Tech from 1955-1957.
They were #4 behind Tennessee, LSU, and Georgia Tech from 1958-1960.
Then Bama won the National Title in '61 and moved back up to #2. They regained the #1 spot in 1964 and haven't looked back since.
Believe it or not, Bama's gap between them and everyone else peaked back in 1984. That's when it reached its peak in the wake of multiple National Titles in the 1970s. In 1984 Bama had a score of .886 to #2 Georgia at .476... that's a .410 gap.
The gap narrowed down to .165 in 2007 the year before Saban's arrival and has now risen back up again.
The only teams to ever be ranked in the Top 3 of the league are the following:
Alabama
Tennessee
LSU
Florida
Georgia
Ole Miss
Georgia Tech
Tulane
Oddly enough Auburn has never made it above #4.
Alabama has been #1 in the league since 1964.
They were #1 in 1933-1935, fell back to #2 after 1936.... moved back up to #1 from 1937-1939, and then relinquished the #1 position for nearly a half century to Tennessee.
They were #2 behind Tennessee from 1940-1954
They were #3 behind Tennessee and Georgia Tech from 1955-1957.
They were #4 behind Tennessee, LSU, and Georgia Tech from 1958-1960.
Then Bama won the National Title in '61 and moved back up to #2. They regained the #1 spot in 1964 and haven't looked back since.
Believe it or not, Bama's gap between them and everyone else peaked back in 1984. That's when it reached its peak in the wake of multiple National Titles in the 1970s. In 1984 Bama had a score of .886 to #2 Georgia at .476... that's a .410 gap.
The gap narrowed down to .165 in 2007 the year before Saban's arrival and has now risen back up again.
The only teams to ever be ranked in the Top 3 of the league are the following:
Alabama
Tennessee
LSU
Florida
Georgia
Ole Miss
Georgia Tech
Tulane
Oddly enough Auburn has never made it above #4.
Posted on 9/17/20 at 5:15 pm to BHMKyle
Good stuff my man!
Posted on 9/17/20 at 5:57 pm to BHMKyle
Could you post LSU’s full ranking like you did for ole miss? I’d be interested to see where they’ve stood over the years mathematically. Especially because I wasn’t around back then to just remember.
Posted on 9/17/20 at 6:19 pm to BHMKyle
It's really simple. Only 6 SEC teams have ever won the title game since the conference went to a 2-Division format in 1992.
Posted on 9/17/20 at 6:38 pm to Leto II
quote:
since 1994.... so going on 27 seasons as of next week.
quote:
Damn. Thanks for making me feel old
Dude, you're a big enough fan of Dune that it influenced your handle. You already knew you were old.
Seen the trailer yet?
Posted on 9/17/20 at 6:41 pm to BHMKyle
quote:
In 1994, the rankings looked like this:
1. Alabama- .883
2. Tennessee- .534
3. Georgia- .507
4. Auburn- .452
5. LSU- .423
6. Florida- .344
7. Ole Miss- .327
quote:
So here is how the CURRENT RANKINGS shake out up through 2019:
1. Alabama- 0.885
2. LSU- 0.537
3. Georgia- 0.468
4. Florida- 0.466
5. Tennessee- 0.460
6. Auburn- 0.431
I'm gonna throw our Aggie friends a bone here: you're just a couple good coaching hires away from supplanting Auburn as a member of the big 6. Or, you can swap divisions with Mizzou and be in the big 6 by 2023.
Posted on 9/17/20 at 6:56 pm to diddlydawg7
quote:
Massive drop off. Poor Aggy
That's an October on the annual Aggie roller coaster sized drop.
Posted on 9/17/20 at 7:02 pm to BHMKyle
Thats good work.....thanks
Posted on 9/17/20 at 7:10 pm to WestRockyTop
SEC Titles since expansion
West
Bama
LSU
Auburn
East
Florida
Georgia
Tennessee
This is the reason for the Big Six. It never changes unless some other program can break thru and win SEC titles in football. It’s as easy as that
West
Bama
LSU
Auburn
East
Florida
Georgia
Tennessee
This is the reason for the Big Six. It never changes unless some other program can break thru and win SEC titles in football. It’s as easy as that
Posted on 9/17/20 at 7:16 pm to BHMKyle
Creation.
Posted on 9/17/20 at 7:34 pm to BHMKyle
quote:That is one of the big reasons that Alabama and Tennessee are big rivals.
They were #1 in 1933-1935, fell back to #2 after 1936.... moved back up to #1 from 1937-1939, and then relinquished the #1 position for nearly a half century to Tennessee.
quote:
They were #2 behind Tennessee from 1940-1954
They were #3 behind Tennessee and Georgia Tech from 1955-1957.
They were #4 behind Tennessee, LSU, and Georgia Tech from 1958-1960.
Bama did manage to win a SEC championship in 1945, but then along came the worse head coach Alabama has ever had.... Ears Whitworth. He had Bart Starr and didn't use him. His record was 4-24 in his 3 years.
But then Bear Bryant was hired and Bama's dynasty began. It took Bryant 3 years to get his players from 58-61 and he won a National championship in his 4th year.
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