SEC vs Big 10

[Creed]

I think everyone agrees the SEC is the top conference. So can the Big 10 be up to the same level as the SEC and separate themselves from the Big 12, PAC 12 and ACC?

 

First, let me say the addition of Nebraska helps a ton. The Big 10 is barely below .500 against the SEC in the BCS era which not many conferences can say that. By adding a quality program like Nebraska helps tremendously with conference depth which will aid in bowl alignments. Also with Nebraska another team that has potential to win a NC, which only OSU has been in the discussion in recent years.

 

I think the bigger question is, what advantages does the SEC have and can the Big 10 overcome those advantages?

 

1. Recruiting - SEC is in one of the best recruiting areas (along with Tx and Cali) in the US and will get 90% of the top recruits in the SE. The Big 10 will land 1 or 2 Florida, LA, GA, SC kids but none have been differences makers like a Cam Newton or Patrick Peterson.

 

2. Playing by the Rules - In the SEC the motto is: "If you ain't cheating, you ain't trying". I know the OSU, USC and now Oregon are under the gun now but from what I hear from SEC fans is that they don't care and it's just a part of the game. I think at least one SEC team has benn on probation for the last 25 years.

 

3. Academics - It is no secret the SEC has the most lax admission policies and "special qualifiers" than other conferences. Also, look at the JC transfers the SEC gets like Cam Newton, Nick Farley, etc. Kids that could not make it academically (even with SEC standards) go to a so-called college to improve their grades. Look at Duron Carter who flunked out of OSU then is openly accepted at Alabama since they have a strong need at WR. I know Jim Delaney got in trouble a couple years ago when asked about the lack of speed in the Big 10. His response was something like: "we are not going to sacrifice academics in order to recruit a certain type of athlete". I think you know what that is code for.

 

4. Over-signing - the topic of the last year. Houston Nutt signs 38 players and through various methods eventually the numbers work-out. Football is a game of numbers and the more players you are cycling through leads to advantages. Players don't live up to expectations and are "advised" to seek employment, I mean opportunities elsewhere. Player gets injured and is cut loose. Having other quality players waiting in the wings helps the SEC schools not lose a step.

 

5. Scheduling - yes, every SEC team plays a tough conference schedule but not playing any tough non-conference regular season games does not give the other conferences a chance to prove to the media and coaches that they are a quality team as well. If they do play a non-conference game, it is early in the season where weather has little effect. Look at the non-conference road games for the SEC in recent years: UGA at Colorado and Okie St. - both losses; Auburn at WVU - loss; UT at Cal, UCLA - both losses; LSU at a below avg Washington - close win.

 

6. Bowl Alignments - most are virtual home games for the SEC. Now there's not much that will change as there will be no bowls in Chicago or Cleveland. If there were a playoff and the first round was played at Ohio State or Nebraska in December I think the SEC would not be so dominate. There's no pitch and catch then use the speed when playing in December in the Midwest.

 

7. Coaches Salary - SEC's pays the best and are going to get the top coaches like Saban, Meyer, Miles, etc.

 

So what's is it going to take to catch up to the SEC? It is impossible?

[Lil' Red]

I don't think the SEC is really that far ahead of everyone else. They have been the best conference the last few years but there isn't a gap between them and the rest of the pack.

[Haspula]

Big 10: 20 Championships

SEC: 19 Championships

 

nuff said

[Treand3]

I agree that the gap is not all that wide, but those examples are valid reasons why the SEC has an advantage in the BCS. Additionally, since we are in an instant media, 'what have you done for me lately' society, a lot of people tend to think that college football's current state will remain forever. I believe college football is a cyclical sport, as things or forces are constantly changing the makeup of competition.

[Creed]

I don't think the SEC is really that far ahead of everyone else. They have been the best conference the last few years but there isn't a gap between them and the rest of the pack.

 

 

They have 1 or 2 very solid teams every year which has led to all the NC's which is very impressive. The thing that gets me is their fans and now ESPN and other media think everyone else sucks or the other conferences are 1 or two horse races.

 

I hear the Big 10 is terrible compared to the SEC. On one talk show, some mentioned the even record in bowl games for the B10 vs SEC and I think it was Tim Brando (CBS SEC lover) response was bowl games aren't a good indicator because of layoffs, nuetral site, etc. That excuse isn't portrayed in the media when the shoe is on the other foot like last year when the SEC went 3-1 vs Big 10. It was "look how great the SEC is and how terrible the Big 10 is".

 

Another excuse is, those wins didn't come against the SEC's best (See OSU vs Ark last year). After OSU beat ARk, suddenly Ark was the 5 or 6th best team in the SEC. But wait, I thought the media and SEC fans always say the SEC is the deepest conference and any another conference's #2 team could only beat Vandy.

 

After watching some of the Big 10 (improbably) bowl wins vs SEC teams, it is funny to watch crowd shots and the reactions from SEC fans. They can't believe the SEC is losing to a lowly Big 10 team and their world is coming to an end. Look at Nebraska's win over Tenn in the '98 Orange Bowl. All the Tenn fans were gone by the mid-third quarter.

[killer cacti]

SEC will be head over heels better than everyone else in the nation until every other conference has 11 of 12 teams MAJORLY cheating.

[VectorVictor]

Big 10: 20 Championships

SEC: 19 Championships

 

nuff said

 

Is that before or after Nebraska is added to the mix?

[n.e.husker]

How will Delany respond to SEC's agenda?

 

The Big Ten-SEC rivalry stretches far beyond the playing field. The leagues also compete in setting the agenda in college sports, whether it's ventures like expansion or shaping reforms and policy issues.

 

http://espn.go.com/blog/bigten/post/_/id/29448/how-will-delany-respond-to-secs-agenda

[Coqui]

Big 10 leads the all time series head to head 91-90-6. This doesn't include Nebraska's 17-5 against the SEC.

 

/thread

[Caven]

Big 10 leads the all time series head to head 91-90-6. This doesn't include Nebraska's 17-5 against the SEC.

 

/thread

 

So once we start to include Nebraska's record we will have at least a 4-5 season lead over them if we don't get things turned around as a conference against the SEC. Of course it appears that if we just have Iowa and Nebraska play the SEC we should be ok

[Coqui]

Big 10 leads the all time series head to head 91-90-6. This doesn't include Nebraska's 17-5 against the SEC.

 

/thread

 

So once we start to include Nebraska's record we will have at least a 4-5 season lead over them if we don't get things turned around as a conference against the SEC. Of course it appears that if we just have Iowa and Nebraska play the SEC we should be ok

 

 

Michigan has a pretty damn good record against them too.

[huKSer]

SEC will be head over heels better than everyone else in the nation until every other conference has 11 of 12 teams MAJORLY cheating.

Poor Vandy - left out again

[Notre Dame Joe]

Anyone's historical record vs the SEC includes playing their all white teams, which hung around longer than it should have.

[Eric the Red]

Big 10 leads the all time series head to head 91-90-6. This doesn't include Nebraska's 17-5 against the SEC.

 

/thread

 

 

But what are we looking at as far as the last 10 years go?

[Coqui]

Big 10 leads the all time series head to head 91-90-6. This doesn't include Nebraska's 17-5 against the SEC.

 

/thread

 

 

But what are we looking at as far as the last 10 years go?

 

16-17. This is bowl games only, not head to head matchups period.