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College Football's Biggest Story
Published: 8/30/2010 5:18 PM
Last Modified: 8/30/2010 5:18 PM

One of the top stories in college football history is how good the SEC is.

This conference has produced four straight national champions!

A fifth is in the wings.

The conference is so tough, the Georgia coach and Loopy Les of LSU are under job stress.

A one-loss SEC team should trump all other undefeated teams except for somebody from the Big 12, which is clearly the nation's second best conference.

Were Boise State to play in the SEC, it would be lucky to get out at 7-5.

Why is the SEC so good?

It is a league full of great coaches, fast defenders as a priority, and a minimum of cheeseball spread offenses. Auburn is the flighty member of the conference and will probably be picked clean by tough guys.

The rest of the nation can only hope SEC teams knock each other off twice.


Reader Comments 23 Total
Kenmore (2 years ago)
Wow, you've gone totally obvious. Usually you're topics open up discussion, not this time. While it's possible that no SEC will finish either undefeated or with a single loss, I'm not holding my breath on that. Plus, it's going to take a few weeks to see just how good OU or Texas will be before making a "wild" guess as opposed to a "pull one out of your..." type.

Perhaps a better topic, "Should the Big "12" add two more teams to be at "12"? And if so, which two teams?

Anyone saying "Tulsa" should be automatically disqualified...:)
Loki (2 years ago)
The fifth in your desk drawer has more certitude than the "fifth in the wings."

You adroitly neglected to identify that fifth national champion from the SEC. Is it an Alabama team fielding nine new starters on defense?

Bama needed a kicking game to get through last year. Two freshman kickers will take up that slack this year.

Off season focus? Let's make a movie and party with agents. No distractions there. (Did you get a writing credit on "Nick Saban Gamechanger?") The market cried out for a movie about, well, Nick.

Florida, under Urban, on-again, off-again, Myer? New (probably better) QB, no Charlie Strong hounding the defense (but he wasn't that important was he?). Maybe Strong was just a recruiter, and not a coach.

That NCAA investigation about the Pouncey brothers, an agent, and money shouldn't be a distraction. A drop back passer might affect Florida's gimmicky spread offense (not much success with that cheeseball, was there?)

Is Houston "I know he's a criminal, but I need a quarterback" Nutt one of those great coaches?

If the smurfs get past Beamer's Hokies, and they run their weak table, a one loss SEC Champion might get elbowed aside. Why does everyone assume the SEC champ draws the smurfs?

This looks like a good year for the long predicted BCS implosion.

Just something to consider, Pick. Would like to know who your fifth is.
JohnnyJoeBob (2 years ago)
Even the local Knoxville supporters are hoping for at least a 6-6 season. And that's with games against UT-Martin, Memphis, and Vanderbilt. All those wins that other SEC teams are going to get must be coming at the Vols expense. Ho Hum. Give me a Houston-UTEP or a East Carolina-UCF matchup any day. And let's not forget about the first word in our oxymoron description of college sports, student-athletes.

JohnnyJoeBob in East Tennessee
UT classes of '65 and '72
tulsandn (2 years ago)
The Big 12 needs to steal Arkansas & LSU away from the SEC after Cornpone & the Buffs take a hike....
dcood (2 years ago)
Why does everyone think that Boise St would automatically fail in the Big 12 or SEC? Everytime they play a good team they always look good and usaully win. To say they would fail in a BCS league is too convenient a way to write them off when there is no real way to know... I bet they beat Va Tech this weekend. I dont see any of the big boys lining up for a home and home with them... Va Tech isnt giving a return trip to Boise next year.
MexiMike (2 years ago)
Pick, did you just say that it is league full of great coaches and yet call one of them "Loopy Les?" Hmmm...

Tulsandn, there is no way that ANYONE from the SEC will ever come to the Big 12. Not ever.

Dcood, Boise State plays ONE big opponent a year. How do you think they would do if they played big opponents every single week? They would get killed in the Big 12 or SEC. The teams they would play would wear them down week after week. It's much different playing OU, Texas, Alabama, and Florida than Idaho, Wyoming, Utah St, etc.
TMS (2 years ago)
Boise State 7-5 is likely....ditto for OU.
The Picker (2 years ago)
Didn't TU score 100 on Boise State last year?
Glenn616 (2 years ago)
If Boise State were in the Big 12 or SEC, I think they'd be about 8-4. They'd be a good, solid football team, but wouldn't compete for the conference title. However, due to geographic reasons, the chances of that happening are slim to none. A more likely scenario would be for Boise State to eventually join the PAC-10. They'd be more competitive in the Hang Ten Conference.
Glenn616 (2 years ago)
LOL, Mr. Picker! The score in last year's TU Boise State game was 28-21 in favor of BSU. It seemed like a 100, though, if you consider TU's lack of an O-Line. The biggest question for TU: Will the Golden Hurricane have an O-Line this season? If not, say hello to another 5-7 season.
The Picker (2 years ago)
Glenn, did you read in the paper today that TU could have three offensive players doubling on defense?

Isn't that a little like Eight Man ball?

Isn't that more that a little frightening?

Is that a severe lack of depth?
Coxy24 (2 years ago)
Come on, Picker... "Minimum of cheeseball spread offenses"?

What would you call what Florida runs? Oh yeah, that would be the spread. Their offense has really been "picked clean by tough guys"...

Get your facts straight.
The Picker (2 years ago)
All please note: Texas is in the process of scaling down the cheeseball spread and plans to man up and run more. Foes beware.
NYCSooner (2 years ago)
Yes, Picker. Because Texas can't throw the ball downfield. OU had two 1,000-yard backs in 2008. With a decent o-line, they could approach that again this year. Foes beware.
ABQ-Joel (2 years ago)
The biggest story in college football is conference realignment, which is destroying traditional rivals (i.e. OU vs. Neb.). The Big 12 should move OU & OSU to the North Division and add Houston & Memphis (two big schools, two big cities, and geographically good for Big 12) to the South Division before the Big 12 implodes. The BSC should add the Cotton Bowl making 12 BCS bowl bids and "only" 12-team conferences with a championship should get automatic BCS bids. Go OU!

ABQ-Joel
hootie (2 years ago)
ABQ-Joel - sure Memphis and Houston are big cities but the schools do not have that big of a fan base so there is no benefit in adding them to the Big 12.
observer1 (2 years ago)
ABQ-Joel,

You say conference realignment is destroying traditional rivals, then you say OU and OSU should go to the North. Wouldn't that destroy OU-Texas the same way as OU-Nebraska?
Loki (2 years ago)
Picker seems prepared to exhume Woody Hayes.

Oft-injured DeMarco Murray has 35 touchdowns and almost 2,500 rushing yards at OU. Apparently they've BEEN doing what Texas will START doing this year.
MexiMike (2 years ago)
ABQ-Joel, Memphis would be a good add because of the new market it would add to the Big 12 but Houston would be a waste. The Big 12 already has every TV set in the state of Texas. Adding Houston does nothing but weaken the conference.
tulsandn (2 years ago)
Hey Pick, how's Sam Bradford been doing in your eyes lately ????
okcthunderrolls (2 years ago)
I think Houston and Louisville would be better than Houston-Memphis. Colorado State hasn't been half bad past few years. CSU and UL might be better.
Loki (2 years ago)
FCS Jacksonville State does NOT share your reverence for the SEC.
MexiMike (2 years ago)
Loki, neither does Miami...of Ohio.
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Out Pick The Picker

The Picker began entertaining – and infuriating – sports fans in 1993. Each week during football season, he writes about his picks of college and NFL games in his Thursday Sports column. He's never afraid of sharing his opinions about the game and the personalities who play it. Readers have a chance to go against him each season in the Outpick the Picker contest. He welcomes the competition.

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