Quote:
Originally Posted by duncan_idaho
Here's a list of the teams that have played in the SEC title game in the past 10 years:
East Division
Florida
Georgia
Tennessee
South Carolina
West Division
Auburn
Alabama
LSU
Arkansas
LSU
Nine of the 12 teams in that conference have played in the title game. 75 percent. Much more parity in that league than the Big 12, which has seen only six teams in the Big 12 title game over the past 10 years. 50 percent.
The SEC also has great teams at the top. But the four super elites do go through cycles.
Florida is currently in a bit of a down cycle after a long run with Urban Meyer (that followed an extreme down cycle under Zook)
Alabama is riding high under Saban, but the guy is 60. There's no guarantee they'll get it right when he retires. They didn't with Shula, Price, etc.
LSU was a pretty middling school in football before Saban (their history looks a little like Missouri's - big dark period in the 80s and early 90s) and Miles rolled in. Miles is 58.
Auburn is a classic up-and-down program.
My point: If you look at the past 25 years, the SEC has always been great, but programs have cycled up and down. They've moved from the second tier to the first tier and vice versa. Some have even had years where they cycle into the third tier, fighting just to make a bowl.
Yes, the SEC is tough as hell. But what makes it tough is the depth, not that the super powers are that much more super than anyone else.
With the right coach and commitment to football, a team can find great success down there.
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Solid post. I posted something similar last night. There have been 8 different SEC teams in the conference championship game in the last 10 years. 7 of those 8 have made it at least twice.
SEC Conf. Champ. Game Appearances
LSU 4
Florida 3
Tennessee 3
Georgia 3
Arkansas 2
Auburn 2
Alabama 2
South Carolina
Further..
In the last 10 years the Big XII has had 2 teams who have been to 2 or more BCS games. In the same time period the SEC has had 5 teams with 2 or more BCS game appearances.