Is the SEC really that dominant or overrated???

[jonpt]

Re: Is the SEC really that dominant or overrated???

When was Furman, Coastal Carolina, or Chattanooga ever good enough for that to be a valid excuse? They are FCS teams, there is no excuse to have FCS teams on your schedule.

Should have mentioned I was being sarcastic..my bad. But kidding aside I think it's more prevalent in the SEC simply because of the number of FCS teams in the SEC states. Just a quick look at the list of FCS teams I estimated about 35 teams in SEC states and 10 in PAC states. Big difference imo. You could make the argument that if the situation were reversed you would see the opposite happening. That being PAC playing more FCS school and the SEC not.

[BigDofBA]

Re: Is the SEC really that dominant or overrated???

Things I have stated and will state again.

1) Bama is the most dominant program in the country right now easily
2) The SEC is the best conference.

Despite saying this over and over again, it just isn't enough. With that said, SEC fans always talks about what a "gauntlet" the SEC but I just pulled up Bama's schedule to see how OU would do with this "gauntlet" and made realistic predictions

Keep in mind, this may be the worst team Stoops has ever had.


Va. Tech - Toss up
@ Texas A&M - Loss
Colorado State - Win
Ole Miss - Win (Texas destroyed them on the road and we were up 40 on UT at half)
@ Kentucky - Win...another tough SEC game
Arkansas - Win
Tennessee- Win
LSU - Toss up
@ Miss State - Win
Chattanooga - Who?....win
@Auburn - Win

So basically a down OU team would go 10-2 or 9-3 with this schedule. I put Va. Tech and LSU as toss up games. I think OU would probably beat Va. Tech and lose to LSU but the LSU game would be at home so I think OU would have a good shot.

So going 1-1 in toss up games, which I think is realistic, one of Stoops worst teams would go 10-2 with this schedule which is about what we do every year. How is this a gauntlet?

OU has a tougher schedule in the Big 12 this year and the Big 12 is down.

Texas neutral
@ Notre Dame
@ K-State
@ Oklahoma State


This is where these debates are so skewed. We're not saying the SEC doesn't have great teams and a good conference. We're just saying it's over hyped which it is.

For as good as the SEC's top teams are, even though LSU and Florida lost to the ACC and Big East last year, the other half of the conference isn't any good.

It is understandable though that half the conference that never wins anything would hang their hat on Florida, Bama, and LSU.

[Husker_OS]

Re: Is the SEC really that dominant or overrated???

If Alabama makes the SECCG and plays UGA/USC I'll say our schedule was tough, yes.

[thedudedominick]

Re: Is the SEC really that dominant or overrated???

My biggest issue with these arguments is we will never know what conference is best top to bottom because the teams don't play each other in enough games per season to judge it.

I mean a top 6 team from one conference beating a bottom 6 team from another in OOC doesn't say anything about either conference except the lower team would be bad in both conferences.

I doubt the playoff will make a difference next season anyways, the bowl games and everything else happen way too long after the season. You make teams play each other 2 weeks after the season ends and you most likely get completely different results than giving them 2 months.

Right now the SEC Champ has a free pass to the title game. I'm just afraid in the 4 team playoff the guys that pick the teams will give 2 SEC teams a shot every season. It's all about the odds. If every season you have at least a 50/50 shot of winning a title as a conference the odds are in your favor. I wish the playoffs would consist of the top 4 conference champions.

We all know 'Bama two seasons ago was the best team in the country, but they failed to prove it against LSU. They were then rewarded with a second shot so we will never know if another team could have beaten LSU or 'Bama that season since no one got to play either of them in the bowl games. I'm a firm believer that if you can't win your conference you shouldn't get a chance to win a national title no matter how good you are.

The biggest argument against a playoff has always been making the regular season less important, but I think if you only take conference champions it becomes even more important. I have no issue with the SEC being 1 of 4 teams in the playoff, but if they get 2 teams that leaves a few teams that actually won their conference on the outside looking in, unable to prove if they are actually better.

[BigDofBA]

Re: Is the SEC really that dominant or overrated???

If Alabama makes the SECCG and plays UGA/USC I'll say our schedule was tough, yes.

Why would you even care?

Your team is awesome and has won three of the last four titles.

A program like Alabama doesn't need the SEC to hold itself up or validate anything.

[Amoo316]

Re: Is the SEC really that dominant or overrated???

Things I have stated and will state again.

1) Bama is the most dominant program in the country right now easily
2) The SEC is the best conference.

Despite saying this over and over again, it just isn't enough. With that said, SEC fans always talks about what a "gauntlet" the SEC but I just pulled up Bama's schedule to see how OU would do with this "gauntlet" and made realistic predictions

Keep in mind, this may be the worst team Stoops has ever had.


Va. Tech - Toss up
@ Texas A&M - Loss
Colorado State - Win
Ole Miss - Win (Texas destroyed them on the road and we were up 40 on UT at half)
@ Kentucky - Win...another tough SEC game
Arkansas - Win
Tennessee- Win
LSU - Toss up
@ Miss State - Win
Chattanooga - Who?....win
@Auburn - Win

So basically a down OU team would go 10-2 or 9-3 with this schedule. I put Va. Tech and LSU as toss up games. I think OU would probably beat Va. Tech and lose to LSU but the LSU game would be at home so I think OU would have a good shot.

So going 1-1 in toss up games, which I think is realistic, one of Stoops worst teams would go 10-2 with this schedule which is about what we do every year. How is this a gauntlet?

OU has a tougher schedule in the Big 12 this year and the Big 12 is down.

Texas neutral
@ Notre Dame
@ K-State
@ Oklahoma State


This is where these debates are so skewed. We're not saying the SEC doesn't have great teams and a good conference. We're just saying it's over hyped which it is.

For as good as the SEC's top teams are, even though LSU and Florida lost to the ACC and Big East last year, the other half of the conference isn't any good.

It is understandable though that half the conference that never wins anything would hang their hat on Florida, Bama, and LSU.

Few things you have to consider here when making your predictions about OU against that schedule. You have to look at UT and Aubby the same way you currently look at OK ST and Tex. Both are rivalry games. You may also want to consider Auburn has Gus back now, and that is going to make a pretty big difference in where they were before.

Implying that OU would beat Ole Miss this year because of what happened last year early with a first year HC and first year starting QB seems kind of silly as well. We'll have a better idea after the Texas game this year how OU would do against this squad.

Ultimately I think your prediction of 9-3 is probably pretty solid since I don't think UT has the horses under the new regime and Ole Miss is probably still a year away, but there is more to consider then you put into it on the surface.

I would also add that I bet even Bama fans can't remember the last time their schedule didn't set up favorably. A few teams have been complaining about it for a while now.

[trobinson97]

Re: Is the SEC really that dominant or overrated???

I would also add that I bet even Bama fans can't remember the last time their schedule didn't set up favorably. A few teams have been complaining about it for a while now.

Either 2010 or 2011, one of those years where it seemed like every SEC team had a BYE scheduled before they played the Tide. For like three years BAMA played 16 of their SEC opponents who were coming off of a BYE week before them. Definitely not favorable, but don't recall anyone outside of Alabama's fans caring too much then.

[Amoo316]

Re: Is the SEC really that dominant or overrated???

Either 2010 or 2011, one of those years where it seemed like every SEC team had a BYE scheduled before they played the Tide. For like three years BAMA played 16 of their SEC opponents who were coming off of a BYE week before them. Definitely not favorable, but don't recall anyone outside of Alabama's fans caring too much then.

I'm not trying to say Bama doesn't play a good schedule, I'm saying in regards to league scheduling, Bama doesn't always end up with the toughest road, especially lately.

[p_rushing]

Re: Is the SEC really that dominant or overrated???

Should have mentioned I was being sarcastic..my bad. But kidding aside I think it's more prevalent in the SEC simply because of the number of FCS teams in the SEC states. Just a quick look at the list of FCS teams I estimated about 35 teams in SEC states and 10 in PAC states. Big difference imo. You could make the argument that if the situation were reversed you would see the opposite happening. That being PAC playing more FCS school and the SEC not.

Nope, you are wrong. If the SEC had less FCS schools in their region, they would just have other FCS schools travel from other regions to play them.

Again UF has not left Florida for an OOC game since they lost at SU in 1990. They also have not had an away OOC game other than FSU & UM in Florida. That right there is terrible scheduling and shows they are scared of losing any games outside SEC games.

[Amoo316]

Re: Is the SEC really that dominant or overrated???

Again UF has not left Florida for an OOC game since they lost at SU in 1990. They also have not had an away OOC game other than FSU & UM in Florida. That right there is terrible scheduling and shows they are scared of losing any games outside SEC games.

You and a lot of others call it terrible scheduling, the Gators call it increased revenue because of extra home games and 3 MNC...so as much as us as fans want to see it, there is not benefit to doing so and until that is changed, nothing will change.

When our OU and OSU and USC and other fans tout the tough OOC road games their teams have played, I always think about that fact. Sure it looked good and it's exciting for us as fans, but from a revenue standpoint it doesn't make sense, and if your conference is perceived to be strong enough it doesn't make sense.

[AUChase]

Re: Is the SEC really that dominant or overrated???

If anyone has had an easy SEC path to Atlanta its been Georgia

'10, '11, and '12 they didn't face Alabama or LSU in the regular season, including avoiding TAMU last year as well. Factor in how weak the SEC East has been and you start wondering why Georgia fans get mad when people say Richt has underachieved.

[jonpt]

Re: Is the SEC really that dominant or overrated???

Nope, you are wrong. If the SEC had less FCS schools in their region, they would just have other FCS schools travel from other regions to play them.

Again UF has not left Florida for an OOC game since they lost at SU in 1990. They also have not had an away OOC game other than FSU & UM in Florida. That right there is terrible scheduling and shows they are scared of losing any games outside SEC games.

Well, that's speculation because we don't know what would happen if that were to be the case. Can't really speak for each school. Was more of a broader opinion for the entire conference. And I will admit it was speculation on my part because we really don't know the primary reason certain teams are scheduled. I know in Arkansas there is pressure to play the 2 local FCS school in the state (Along with Arkansas State). But they don't because they have the stupid rule of playing no in-state schools. So I guess here they are scared of losing to local schools...(kind of the opposite reasoning for Florida stated)
One of the main reasons there is pressure to play uca, local fcs school here, is about money. UCA would make more money off that one game then all others combined which helps their athletic dept. Thankfully, Colorado put them on their schedule so that will help out this year. I just know local FCS teams beg to get a div. 1 school scheduled. And in some people's opinion it would be pretty heartless not to do that for them financially.

[NEOPARADIGM]

Re: Is the SEC really that dominant or overrated???

Sorry if it's been mentioned, but the elephant in the room in all this is how SEC fans were all over A&M, saying how they were gonna "find out" about SEC football. How'd that work out, exactly?

I mean, I know Johnny F'n Football is GOD and all that, but A&M? Really SEC? A&M comes in and shows y'all just what a "gauntlet" a SEC schedule is? This is the same A&M that's basically somewhere around Michigan State historically, right?

2002: 6-6
2003: 4-8
2004: 7-5
2005: 5-6
2006: 9-4
2007: 7-6
2008: 4-8
2009: 6-7
2010: 9-4
2011: 7-6

That A&M, right?

"Put them in the SEC and they'd go 2-9," I can still hear them saying.

[BigDofBA]

Re: Is the SEC really that dominant or overrated???

Few things you have to consider here when making your predictions about OU against that schedule. You have to look at UT and Aubby the same way you currently look at OK ST and Tex. Both are rivalry games. You may also want to consider Auburn has Gus back now, and that is going to make a pretty big difference in where they were before.

Implying that OU would beat Ole Miss this year because of what happened last year early with a first year HC and first year starting QB seems kind of silly as well. We'll have a better idea after the Texas game this year how OU would do against this squad.

Ultimately I think your prediction of 9-3 is probably pretty solid since I don't think UT has the horses under the new regime and Ole Miss is probably still a year away, but there is more to consider then you put into it on the surface.

I would also add that I bet even Bama fans can't remember the last time their schedule didn't set up favorably. A few teams have been complaining about it for a while now.

All I was saying is that the SEC schedule isn't always the gauntlet people say it is. That doesn't mean the SEC isn't the best conference.

I said OU would go 10-2 or 9-3 with Bama's schedule yet my prediction with their current schedule is 8-4 or 7-5 in the Big 12. Basically, their Big 12 schedule is tougher than it would be if they traded places with Bama. And again, that's nothing against Bama, it's just for the point of debate.

Of course, some years are going to be tougher than others but it's like that in any conference.

Your points about rivalry games are valid but Oklahoma State comes into the year a top 15 team and just won the Fiesta bowl two seasons ago. Auburn had a horrific year last year. I would much rather play at Auburn "this" season than at OSU.

[AUChase]

Re: Is the SEC really that dominant or overrated???

Put that same A&M team in the Big 12 or Big 10 (not sure which is which these days) and they would have likely won the conference.

I think most SEC fans have admitted they were wrong about A&M and Mizzou + no one even knew who Manziel was or much about Sumlin before.

This thread has become about as pointless as I thought it would. Its BigD and BK going back and forth with people who are trying to defend the SEC. Why do people always feel the need to defend their conference ? The history speaks for itself.

Third best in the West.. Fwiw