Don't buy into the SEC hype

[JTrain]

The media is convinced, likely because of recent seasons, that the SEC is head and shoulders above everybody else (this was reiterated on the BCS selection show by Fowler and James). Not true. Talking heads have a tendency to focus too much at the top 3-5 teams in each conference and forget the rest. Let's look at the computers, who obviously do a much fuller and more detailed analysis on conference strength.

Anderson & Hester, which boasts "the most accurate conference ratings", ranks the FBS conferences in this order:

Big 12

Southeastern

Pac-10

Big Ten

Atlantic Coast

Mountain West

WAC

Big East

Conference USA

Mid-American

Sun Belt

Wes Colley also does conference ratings. His rank out as follows:

BIG 12

SEC

BIG 10

PAC-10

WAC

ACC

BIG EAST

MWC

CUSA

MAC

SUN BELT

And finally Peter Wolfe's conference rankings:

  1 Big 12              I-A          12     5.652    0.101
   2 Pac 10              I-A          10     5.511    0.371
   3 SEC                 I-A          12     5.467    0.406
   4 Big 10              I-A          11     5.360    0.062
   5 MWC                 I-A           9     4.568    0.614
   6 I-A Indep.          I-A           3     4.464    0.118
   7 Big East            I-A           8     4.435    0.164
   8 ACC                 I-A          12     4.309    0.132
   9 WAC                 I-A           9     4.264    0.543
  10 CUSA                I-A          12     4.112    0.243
  11 MAC                 I-A          13     3.366    0.426
  12 Sun Belt            I-A           9     3.008    0.221

Jeff Sagarin doesn't do conference ratings that I know of, but if you look at the ranks of each individual team in the Big 12 and SEC, the average is as follows:

Big 12: AVG Rank 38th, AVG Rating 78.9

SEC: AVG Rank 39th, AVG Rating 78.1

As you can see, nearly identical. Still room for debate, but don't buy for a second that the SEC is far superior to everybody else. People look at the Big 12 and see a very down Texas team, but don't realize that Texas' losses were to Big 12 teams, meaning for every dent in Texas' reputation, there was an equal and opposite boost in ISU's and Baylor's.

 

[bball_backer]

As you can see, nearly identical. Still room for debate, but don't buy for a second that the SEC is far superior to everybody else. People look at the Big 12 and see a very down Texas team, but don't realize that Texas' losses were to Big 12 teams, meaning for every dent in Texas' reputation, there was an equal and opposite boost in ISU's and Baylor's.

Also to a terrible UCLA team at home...

I gotta be honest, I don't think the Big XII is good. Looking around the nation, though, I don't think any conference is "good" this year. But I would say the SEC has a slight edge over the rest

 

[corncraze]

The Big 12 is not the best conference this year! Really? Come on!

It's between the B10 and SEC

Ohio State, Mich State (who I think is a little overrated because of the Iowa and Northwestern games), Iowa, and Wisconsin v Auburn, Bama, LSU (who I believe is horribly overrated), Arkansas and SC

B12 has got us, Oklahoma, and Missouri and personally I think both of those schools were a little overrated this year but I can't really talk too much about OU I guess.

As for the Pac10, Im not sure really how good Stanford is. I do think Oregon is the best team in football this year though, and from what Ive seen from Arizona, they look like the real deal.

 

[JTrain]

The Big 12 is not the best conference this year! Really? Come on!

It's between the B10 and SEC

Ohio State, Mich State (who I think is a little overrated because of the Iowa and Northwestern games), Iowa, and Wisconsin v Auburn, Bama, LSU (who I believe is horribly overrated), Arkansas and SC

B12 has got us, Oklahoma, and Missouri and personally I think both of those schools were a little overrated this year but I can't really talk too much about OU I guess.

As for the Pac10, Im not sure really how good Stanford is. I do think Oregon is the best team in football this year though, and from what Ive seen from Arizona, they look like the real deal.

Well you certainly presented far more convincing facts than I did. I rest my case.

 

[JTrain]

Also to a terrible UCLA team at home...

True, and that's reflected in the Pac-10's ratings. But overall the Big 12 has proven to be very strong compared to almost every other conference, and right on par with the SEC. We have two very legit top 10 teams, one that should be considered very close (Mizzou), and a whole handful of other top 40 teams. Kansas is the only truly terrible Big 12 team, and even they have a decent win against GT.

While Texas is down, Baylor is having their best season in recent memory. Iowa State is legit and KSU is on the way to their best showing since before Snyder left. And don't forget Okie St. at one loss and in the top 20.

Overall the Big 12 was 36-8 OOC, which included losses to TCU, Utah and Iowa.

 

[Chaddyboxer]

eh...when Iowa St. shows up to play...they are alright...but other than that...if they aren't playing their best ball and executing...then they are horrid! Examples are the Utah and Oklahoma games. In the beginning half, the Utah vs. Iowa St. game looked competitive...then Iowa St. got smoked! When they play their best ball...they can beat mediocre teams when they ARE OFF...and not playing their best ball.