How many times have the little 8 made the championship game?
7 times.

Breakdown by team:
Arkansas: 3
Mizzou: 2
SC: 1
MSU: 1

Record: 0-7
Games within double digits: 0
Games that were reasonably competitive: 2 (MSU 1998 and Arkansas 2006 each lost by ten.)
Games that weren't total embarrassments: 1 (Mizzou lost to AU by 17, but stayed within striking distance well into the fourth quarter.)
Total embarrassments: 4 (The closest among these was a 27 point win by UGA over Arkansas in 2002).

Who has the best shot of breaking the curse:?

1. A&M: They have the best recruiting base of the little 8 and only UGA and UF have a better one among the big 6. They have a national championship winning coach who is known as a big time recruiter. They have $$$$ and some of the best facilities in college football.

Why they won't: They still play second fiddle to Riley, Herman and to a certain extent, Oy, Oy, Oy ,Oy, Yo, Oy, Yo, football in recruiting. Even if that changes, they still may not be able to out recruit Saban or Smart. LINK

2. SC. They have some big time recruits in state if they can keep Clemson or outsiders from getting their hands on them. They've always seemed to find pretty good players from the scrap tray left by the Big 6. Those players are motivated like hell to beat those teams that didn't give them a chance.

Why they won't: There just isn't any conceivable way for them to out recruit Georgia and Florida if those schools have the right coaches. Even if they have a Booch or McElwain, it will still be difficult. When SC has been good, their strength has always been defense. That was the case even under Spurrier, but he was good enough to give them an above avg. offense that resulted in three 11 win seasons. Still, none of those teams even made it to Atlanta. And Muschamp coaches the side of the ball they usually tend to be good at and has not shown the ability to hire staff that can get the side they normally struggle with rolling.

3. Arkansas- Historically, this team has been the closest. Played NCship UF to a ten point game. And have been there the most times. Petrino proved it was possible to make this team a contender and elevate them to BCS bowl status. Heck, if Clint Stoerner hadn't snatched defeat from the jaws of victory back in 1998, we might not even be having this discussion.
Why they won't: Obviously, they have to look well outside their state borders for recruits. The surrounding states have some good ones, but mega competition from the instate schools and out of state school's in the region with higher pedigrees makes it hard. Generally, the kind of coach they need has better suitors.

4.Ole Miss: Have proven they can recruit. Came within a gnat's behind twice of beating out LSU in 2003 for a spot in Atlanta. They only lost to the Tigers by three. And had UGA beaten LSU earlier in the year in what was a very close game, Ole Miss could've absorbed the LSU loss and still made it. The state isn't exactly loaded with talent, but tends to produce more of the top end type talent (5 star and high 4 star recruits) some years than their state population would suggest.

Why they won't: They can recruit, just can't do it without making it obvious that they are cheating. Laremy Tunsil was a silent to UGA. Didn't have Ole Miss in his top three. Supposedly goes for a visit because a family member goes there. Commits on the visit a few weeks before NSD. Ya gotta tell that kid to say "Ole Miss really gave me something to think about." Take it to NSD. Pick the Ole Miss hat over the UGA hat and just tell them it was the hardest decision of your life. We all know what happened in the end. If Ole Miss ever has the team to do it, they probably won't be eligible.

5. Mizzou: Have made it twice. The East is down and they've taken advantage. Georgia has a much better roster but constantly blows a big game or two. UF and UT can't get their act together. Have proven to be able to build good offenses with underrated recruiting table scraps.

Why they won't: Can't build a good defense with scrap players. UGA much less likely to blow a game or two to someone with obvious inferior talent. Likely will only have the fifth, maybe even sixth, best roster in the East most years.

6. MSU: Were ranked no. 1 in the country at one point when they had a good coach paired with an underrated QB who is now starting in the NFL. Campus area is crap, but former coach did a heckuva job upgrading the football facilities and making it an impressive place to recruits. There are worse recruiting bases to try and build from. Even if you don't get the best, the talent is rich and you can find some 3 stars that were undervalued.

Why they won't: Stepping stone to a better job if a coach does well there. To do it, a coach will have to stay there several years and will already be on the hot list for every program looking for a new coach in the US before he can finally get them there.

7. Kentucky: Only SEC school that has a state that shares a border with Ohio, which is fertile recruiting ground. I really can't think of anything else.
Why they won't: Ohio State is in Ohio. No great up and coming coach is gonna sit and be Gilligan to Calipari's Skipper.

8. Vandy: There is a chance if everyone not named Georgia and Florida are down and the Gator and Bulldogs team plane crashes on it's way to Nashville.

Why they won't: Very little chance that happens.

I'm 45 now and in relatively good health. I'd be tempted to take the field at 50/50 it will happen before I die. But it's been 26 years already and we haven't come close.

This post was edited on 6/11/18 at 8:15 am