The SEC only has four wins out of conference this year against ranked teams.

Georgia over Oregon
South Carolina over Clemson
Florida over Utah
Alabama over Texas

Four really doesn't seem like too many, except when you consider that it's one shy of the combined number of the Big Ten, PAC, Big 12, and ACC:

Ohio State over Notre Dame
Southern Cal over Notre Dame
Florida State over LSU
Louisville over Central Florida
Texas over UTSA

(11-29-2022 09:17 AM)OneSockUp Wrote:  The SEC only has four wins out of conference this year against ranked teams.

Georgia over Oregon
South Carolina over Clemson
Florida over Utah
Alabama over Texas

Four really doesn't seem like too many, except when you consider that it's one shy of the combined number of the Big Ten, PAC, Big 12, and ACC combined:

Ohio State over Notre Dame
Southern Cal over Notre Dame
Florida State over LSU
Louisville over Central Florida
Texas over UTSA

Yeah, the idea that the SEC is down is not tenable, IMO.

Just yesterday I pointed out that in the latest MC, the allegedly "down" SEC West has four teams in the top 22, which is one more than the entire B1G has. And that of course doesn't count Georgia and Tennessee.

The SEC currently has an MC score of about 32. The B1G has a score of about 50. The B1G is as close to the AAC as it is to the SEC.

That is why I am not sympathetic when promoters of Michigan and Ohio State say "we have 11 wins while Alabama and Tennessee have 9" or whatever. Because they won them in a much weaker league, so far.

TN over Pitt was ranked at the time.

(11-29-2022 10:11 AM)Soobahk40050 Wrote:  TN over Pitt was ranked at the time.

I just used ranked at the end of the season because -- in theory -- all preseason bias is gone by now and we are just talking about the 25 best teams over the course of three months.

how can you beat ranked teams
if they don't play anybody OOC
14-0 vs D1AA

(11-29-2022 10:42 AM)templefootballfan Wrote:  how can you beat ranked teams
if they don't play anybody OOC
14-0 vs D1AA

Weird, right? Despite playing more games against FCS teams, the SEC also beat four times as many ranked opponents out of conference than any other league.

The SEC isn't down this year, Alabama is. Georgia is at least as good as last year, Tennessee is better, bama is worse, the entire SECW is still very good but too much parity. In recent years either Bama or LSU, sometimes both, were head and shoulders above the rest. This year our average team in the SECW is probably as good as ever, but that doesn't lead to CFP spots, that should instead lead to a bunch of bowl wins. The top team in the SECW lost to the last place team, and the game wasn't as close as the final score. The #2 team in the SECW should have lost to the last place team, too, if Jimbo knew how to call plays.

(11-29-2022 05:06 PM)bryanw1995 Wrote:  The SEC isn't down this year, Alabama is. Georgia is at least as good as last year, Tennessee is better, bama is worse, the entire SECW is still very good but too much parity. In recent years either Bama or LSU, sometimes both, were head and shoulders above the rest. This year our average team in the SECW is probably as good as ever, but that doesn't lead to CFP spots, that should instead lead to a bunch of bowl wins. The top team in the SECW lost to the last place team, and the game wasn't as close as the final score. The #2 team in the SEC should have lost to the last place team, too, if Jimbo knew how to call plays.

The number 2 team in the SEC (TN) didn't play A&M this year.

(11-29-2022 05:40 PM)Soobahk40050 Wrote:  

(11-29-2022 05:06 PM)bryanw1995 Wrote:  The SEC isn't down this year, Alabama is. Georgia is at least as good as last year, Tennessee is better, bama is worse, the entire SECW is still very good but too much parity. In recent years either Bama or LSU, sometimes both, were head and shoulders above the rest. This year our average team in the SECW is probably as good as ever, but that doesn't lead to CFP spots, that should instead lead to a bunch of bowl wins. The top team in the SECW lost to the last place team, and the game wasn't as close as the final score. The #2 team in the SEC should have lost to the last place team, too, if Jimbo knew how to call plays.

The number 2 team in the SEC (TN) didn't play A&M this year.

I meant SECW, not SEC. I'll change it, thanks.

(11-29-2022 09:38 AM)quo vadis Wrote:  

(11-29-2022 09:17 AM)OneSockUp Wrote:  The SEC only has four wins out of conference this year against ranked teams.

Georgia over Oregon
South Carolina over Clemson
Florida over Utah
Alabama over Texas

Four really doesn't seem like too many, except when you consider that it's one shy of the combined number of the Big Ten, PAC, Big 12, and ACC combined:

Ohio State over Notre Dame
Southern Cal over Notre Dame
Florida State over LSU
Louisville over Central Florida
Texas over UTSA

Yeah, the idea that the SEC is down is not tenable, IMO.

Just yesterday I pointed out that in the latest MC, the allegedly "down" SEC West has four teams in the top 22, which is one more than the entire B1G has. And that of course doesn't count Georgia and Tennessee.

The SEC currently has an MC score of about 32. The B1G has a score of about 50. The B1G is as close to the AAC as it is to the SEC.

That is why I am not sympathetic when promoters of Michigan and Ohio State say "we have 11 wins while Alabama and Tennessee have 9" or whatever. Because they won them in a much weaker league, so far.

Its still down, especially after UGA.

(11-29-2022 10:18 AM)OneSockUp Wrote:  

(11-29-2022 10:11 AM)Soobahk40050 Wrote:  TN over Pitt was ranked at the time.

I just used ranked at the end of the season because -- in theory -- all preseason bias is gone by now and we are just talking about the 25 best teams over the course of three months.

Completely fair, but "you can only play your schedule" and Pitt was the reigning ACC Champ. Pitt was 8-4 this year, so no slouch.

To be clear I am not saying that your methodology or anything is flawed.

But, perhaps a clearer picture is:
Georgia won vs Oregon (9-3), vs Georgia Tech (5-7)
TN won at Pitt (8-4)
KY won vs Louisville (7-5)
Florida won vs Utah (9-3), LOST vs FSU (9-3)
Missouri LOST at KSU (9-3)
South Carolina won at Clemson (10-2)
Vanderbilt LOST vs Wake Forest (7-5)

Alabama won at Texas (8-4)
Auburn LOST vs Penn St (10-2)
Texas A&M won vs Miami (5-7)
Arkansas won vs Cincy (9-3), won vs BYU (7-5)
Ole Miss won vs Georgia Tech (5-7)
Miss State won vs Arizona (5-7)
LSU LOST vs FSU (9-3)

The "worst" loss was to Wake Forest by Vandy. The next worst loss was Missouri at KSU or Florida at FSU.

SEC record overall vs P5 (counting Cincy and BYU) = 12-5, with 8 wins over bowl eligible teams AND no losses to bowl ineligible teams.

(11-29-2022 05:54 PM)bullet Wrote:  

(11-29-2022 09:38 AM)quo vadis Wrote:  

(11-29-2022 09:17 AM)OneSockUp Wrote:  The SEC only has four wins out of conference this year against ranked teams.

Georgia over Oregon
South Carolina over Clemson
Florida over Utah
Alabama over Texas

Four really doesn't seem like too many, except when you consider that it's one shy of the combined number of the Big Ten, PAC, Big 12, and ACC combined:

Ohio State over Notre Dame
Southern Cal over Notre Dame
Florida State over LSU
Louisville over Central Florida
Texas over UTSA

Yeah, the idea that the SEC is down is not tenable, IMO.

Just yesterday I pointed out that in the latest MC, the allegedly "down" SEC West has four teams in the top 22, which is one more than the entire B1G has. And that of course doesn't count Georgia and Tennessee.

The SEC currently has an MC score of about 32. The B1G has a score of about 50. The B1G is as close to the AAC as it is to the SEC.

That is why I am not sympathetic when promoters of Michigan and Ohio State say "we have 11 wins while Alabama and Tennessee have 9" or whatever. Because they won them in a much weaker league, so far.

Its still down, especially after UGA.

"Parity" doesn't mean "down" though. If LSU beats A&M, who was all alone in last place in the entire SEC, they're playing this week for a spot in the playoff, and the SEC has 4 of the top 8 teams. Their problem was that every single SEC team they faced was just very tough. No easy games. How many games does Clemson or tOSU lose to the last place team in their conference, ever? And I wasn't even surprised, we seemed to play better this year against better teams and mailed it in in winnable games vs Auburn, USC and Ole' Miss.

(11-29-2022 06:47 PM)bryanw1995 Wrote:  

(11-29-2022 05:54 PM)bullet Wrote:  

(11-29-2022 09:38 AM)quo vadis Wrote:  

(11-29-2022 09:17 AM)OneSockUp Wrote:  The SEC only has four wins out of conference this year against ranked teams.

Georgia over Oregon
South Carolina over Clemson
Florida over Utah
Alabama over Texas

Four really doesn't seem like too many, except when you consider that it's one shy of the combined number of the Big Ten, PAC, Big 12, and ACC combined:

Ohio State over Notre Dame
Southern Cal over Notre Dame
Florida State over LSU
Louisville over Central Florida
Texas over UTSA

Yeah, the idea that the SEC is down is not tenable, IMO.

Just yesterday I pointed out that in the latest MC, the allegedly "down" SEC West has four teams in the top 22, which is one more than the entire B1G has. And that of course doesn't count Georgia and Tennessee.

The SEC currently has an MC score of about 32. The B1G has a score of about 50. The B1G is as close to the AAC as it is to the SEC.

That is why I am not sympathetic when promoters of Michigan and Ohio State say "we have 11 wins while Alabama and Tennessee have 9" or whatever. Because they won them in a much weaker league, so far.

Its still down, especially after UGA.

"Parity" doesn't mean "down" though. If LSU beats A&M, who was all alone in last place in the entire SEC, they're playing this week for a spot in the playoff, and the SEC has 4 of the top 8 teams. Their problem was that every single SEC team they faced was just very tough. No easy games. How many games does Clemson or tOSU lose to the last place team in their conference, ever? And I wasn't even surprised, we seemed to play better this year against better teams and mailed it in in winnable games vs Auburn, USC and Ole' Miss.

After UGA the next group is not as strong as usual.

Alabama being 10-2 is the biggest reason for the perception the SEC is down but they aren't the only reason.

Auburn and Texas A&M are below .500.
Florida is .500.

I thought the SEC was poorer last season. They had everyone other than Vandy bowl eligible but Auburn, Florida, and LSU were all 6-6 (UF was 2-6 in the SEC) and Alabama, while 11-1, struggled to beat many of these teams. It wasn't until the Playoff that Georgia and Alabama flexed their muscles and proved me wrong. At least this season LSU was doing well for most of the season and Tennessee as well before Hooker got hurt. If LSU and Tennessee hadn't tailed off late, the SEC would look a lot stronger and Alabama's losses would have looked better. It hurt that Georgia didn't play either LSU (yet) or Alabama and had Tennessee at home.

(11-29-2022 08:10 PM)schmolik Wrote:  Alabama being 10-2 is the biggest reason for the perception the SEC is down but they aren't the only reason.

Auburn and Texas A&M are below .500.
Florida is .500.

I thought the SEC was poorer last season. They had everyone other than Vandy bowl eligible but Auburn, Florida, and LSU were all 6-6 (UF was 2-6 in the SEC) and Alabama, while 11-1, struggled to beat many of these teams. It wasn't until the Playoff that Georgia and Alabama flexed their muscles and proved me wrong. At least this season LSU was doing well for most of the season and Tennessee as well before Hooker got hurt. If LSU and Tennessee hadn't tailed off late, the SEC would look a lot stronger and Alabama's losses would have looked better. It hurt that Georgia didn't play either LSU (yet) or Alabama and had Tennessee at home.

I would say that the one difference between this year and some previous years is Tennessee's loss to USC. Take that one game away and we have a clear cut 2nd playoff team. Or, just have Tennessee also lose to Bama. Or have A&M lose to LSU. Lot's of things could have gone differently this year for the SEC, but when there are so many good programs and good teams you'll have a lot of years like this.

(11-29-2022 08:21 PM)bryanw1995 Wrote:  

(11-29-2022 08:10 PM)schmolik Wrote:  Alabama being 10-2 is the biggest reason for the perception the SEC is down but they aren't the only reason.

Auburn and Texas A&M are below .500.
Florida is .500.

I thought the SEC was poorer last season. They had everyone other than Vandy bowl eligible but Auburn, Florida, and LSU were all 6-6 (UF was 2-6 in the SEC) and Alabama, while 11-1, struggled to beat many of these teams. It wasn't until the Playoff that Georgia and Alabama flexed their muscles and proved me wrong. At least this season LSU was doing well for most of the season and Tennessee as well before Hooker got hurt. If LSU and Tennessee hadn't tailed off late, the SEC would look a lot stronger and Alabama's losses would have looked better. It hurt that Georgia didn't play either LSU (yet) or Alabama and had Tennessee at home.

I would say that the one difference between this year and some previous years is Tennessee's loss to USC. Take that one game away and we have a clear cut 2nd playoff team. Or, just have Tennessee also lose to Bama. Or have A&M lose to LSU. Lot's of things could have gone differently this year for the SEC, but when there are so many good programs and good teams you'll have a lot of years like this.

Every conference this year or past years can say the same thing, change one result and we'd have an extra Playoff team (or in some cases A Playoff team). The Big Ten has NEVER had two Playoff teams in the same year. How many times has the SEC? More than any other conference. Only the ACC has ever had more than one in the same year and that's because Notre Dame was a full member during the pandemic year. How many times has the SEC been shut out of the Playoff? The Big Ten's been shut out twice (at the expense of TWO SEC teams in 2017). I'm not going to cry for the SEC not getting two Playoff teams this year, especially since Georgia's probably going to win it. We saw what happened last year when Georgia played Michigan. You're lucky Michigan beat Ohio State because if Georgia played Ohio State it would be a tougher game. Wilkes University has a better chance of beating Georgia than Michigan does. Georgia Tech has a better chance of beating Georgia than Michigan does (ok too far!)

(11-29-2022 08:44 PM)schmolik Wrote:  

(11-29-2022 08:21 PM)bryanw1995 Wrote:  

(11-29-2022 08:10 PM)schmolik Wrote:  Alabama being 10-2 is the biggest reason for the perception the SEC is down but they aren't the only reason.

Auburn and Texas A&M are below .500.
Florida is .500.

I thought the SEC was poorer last season. They had everyone other than Vandy bowl eligible but Auburn, Florida, and LSU were all 6-6 (UF was 2-6 in the SEC) and Alabama, while 11-1, struggled to beat many of these teams. It wasn't until the Playoff that Georgia and Alabama flexed their muscles and proved me wrong. At least this season LSU was doing well for most of the season and Tennessee as well before Hooker got hurt. If LSU and Tennessee hadn't tailed off late, the SEC would look a lot stronger and Alabama's losses would have looked better. It hurt that Georgia didn't play either LSU (yet) or Alabama and had Tennessee at home.

I would say that the one difference between this year and some previous years is Tennessee's loss to USC. Take that one game away and we have a clear cut 2nd playoff team. Or, just have Tennessee also lose to Bama. Or have A&M lose to LSU. Lot's of things could have gone differently this year for the SEC, but when there are so many good programs and good teams you'll have a lot of years like this.

Every conference this year or past years can say the same thing, change one result and we'd have an extra Playoff team (or in some cases A Playoff team). The Big Ten has NEVER had two Playoff teams in the same year. How many times has the SEC? More than any other conference. Only the ACC has ever had more than one in the same year and that's because Notre Dame was a full member during the pandemic year. How many times has the SEC been shut out of the Playoff? The Big Ten's been shut out twice (at the expense of TWO SEC teams in 2017). I'm not going to cry for the SEC not getting two Playoff teams this year, especially since Georgia's probably going to win it. We saw what happened last year when Georgia played Michigan. You're lucky Michigan beat Ohio State because if Georgia played Ohio State it would be a tougher game. Wilkes University has a better chance of beating Georgia than Michigan does. Georgia Tech has a better chance of beating Georgia than Michigan does (ok too far!)

I don't care one way or the other for Georgia tbh, and I don't feel like I must chant "SEC" every time some team we've played once in 11 years is in a bowl. I'll root for teams we play every year from the SECW if they're in a bowl, but I certainly am not worried about whether Georgia wins or doesn't win the title this year. I have enough to worry about in College Station to worry about a bunch of SECE teams we never play. Maybe I'll have a different opinion if we really start playing every team every other year, I think that will build a lot more cohesion in the Conference.

I know the SEC wins most titles, and I think that we do have the best teams, but it's never a slam dunk, especially not this year. And having 2 teams make the playoff instead of 1 is a HUGE advantage, an advantage we won't have this year but the B1G just might.

If you want my honest opinion, I'll tell you that I think Georgia played one good team this year in Tennessee. USC was still figuring things out when they played Georgia, and Georgia was lucky to escape Missouri. Put Georgia up against a red hot USCw or tOSU with a huge grudge and you never know what will happen. Put them up against a battle tested unbeaten Michigan or TCU and it's close to a tossup. I'd say Georgia has a 35-40% chance overall of winning the Title, assuming they avoid injury and take care of business this weekend.

(11-29-2022 09:04 PM)bryanw1995 Wrote:  

(11-29-2022 08:44 PM)schmolik Wrote:  

(11-29-2022 08:21 PM)bryanw1995 Wrote:  

(11-29-2022 08:10 PM)schmolik Wrote:  Alabama being 10-2 is the biggest reason for the perception the SEC is down but they aren't the only reason.

Auburn and Texas A&M are below .500.
Florida is .500.

I thought the SEC was poorer last season. They had everyone other than Vandy bowl eligible but Auburn, Florida, and LSU were all 6-6 (UF was 2-6 in the SEC) and Alabama, while 11-1, struggled to beat many of these teams. It wasn't until the Playoff that Georgia and Alabama flexed their muscles and proved me wrong. At least this season LSU was doing well for most of the season and Tennessee as well before Hooker got hurt. If LSU and Tennessee hadn't tailed off late, the SEC would look a lot stronger and Alabama's losses would have looked better. It hurt that Georgia didn't play either LSU (yet) or Alabama and had Tennessee at home.

I would say that the one difference between this year and some previous years is Tennessee's loss to USC. Take that one game away and we have a clear cut 2nd playoff team. Or, just have Tennessee also lose to Bama. Or have A&M lose to LSU. Lot's of things could have gone differently this year for the SEC, but when there are so many good programs and good teams you'll have a lot of years like this.

Every conference this year or past years can say the same thing, change one result and we'd have an extra Playoff team (or in some cases A Playoff team). The Big Ten has NEVER had two Playoff teams in the same year. How many times has the SEC? More than any other conference. Only the ACC has ever had more than one in the same year and that's because Notre Dame was a full member during the pandemic year. How many times has the SEC been shut out of the Playoff? The Big Ten's been shut out twice (at the expense of TWO SEC teams in 2017). I'm not going to cry for the SEC not getting two Playoff teams this year, especially since Georgia's probably going to win it. We saw what happened last year when Georgia played Michigan. You're lucky Michigan beat Ohio State because if Georgia played Ohio State it would be a tougher game. Wilkes University has a better chance of beating Georgia than Michigan does. Georgia Tech has a better chance of beating Georgia than Michigan does (ok too far!)

I don't care one way or the other for Georgia tbh, and I don't feel like I must chant "SEC" every time some team we've played once in 11 years is in a bowl. I'll root for teams we play every year from the SECW if they're in a bowl, but I certainly am not worried about whether Georgia wins or doesn't win the title this year. I have enough to worry about in College Station to worry about a bunch of SECE teams we never play. Maybe I'll have a different opinion if we really start playing every team every other year, I think that will build a lot more cohesion in the Conference.

If you want my honest opinion, I'll tell you that I think Georgia played one good team this year in Tennessee. USC was still figuring things out when they played Georgia, and Georgia was lucky to escape Missouri. Put Georgia up against a red hot USCw or tOSU with a huge grudge and you never know what will happen. Put them up against a battle tested unbeaten Michigan or TCU and it's close to a tossup. I'd say Georgia has a 35-40% chance overall of winning the Title, assuming they avoid injury and take care of business this weekend.

Georgia played down to the competition. They had 2 big games and 2 big rivalries:
Oregon 49-3
Tennessee 27-13 (and it wasn't that close)
Auburn 42-10
Florida 42-20

They looked mediocre against Samford 33-0 (BTW, Samford's only loss so far), Kent St. 39-22, Missouri 26-22 and Kentucky 16-6. The rest they rolled, USCe 48-7, Vandy 55-0, MSU 45-19 and Georgia Tech (after a slow start) 37-14.

I think they roll through the CFP easily.

The SEC isn't down. Bama is down which I think for a lot of people translates to the SEC being down. The league also doesn't have a 2nd team deserving of making the playoffs, but the league as a whole was very strong and Georgia is the obvious betting favorite to win the natty.

(11-29-2022 08:44 PM)schmolik Wrote:  

(11-29-2022 08:21 PM)bryanw1995 Wrote:  

(11-29-2022 08:10 PM)schmolik Wrote:  Alabama being 10-2 is the biggest reason for the perception the SEC is down but they aren't the only reason.

Auburn and Texas A&M are below .500.
Florida is .500.

I thought the SEC was poorer last season. They had everyone other than Vandy bowl eligible but Auburn, Florida, and LSU were all 6-6 (UF was 2-6 in the SEC) and Alabama, while 11-1, struggled to beat many of these teams. It wasn't until the Playoff that Georgia and Alabama flexed their muscles and proved me wrong. At least this season LSU was doing well for most of the season and Tennessee as well before Hooker got hurt. If LSU and Tennessee hadn't tailed off late, the SEC would look a lot stronger and Alabama's losses would have looked better. It hurt that Georgia didn't play either LSU (yet) or Alabama and had Tennessee at home.

I would say that the one difference between this year and some previous years is Tennessee's loss to USC. Take that one game away and we have a clear cut 2nd playoff team. Or, just have Tennessee also lose to Bama. Or have A&M lose to LSU. Lot's of things could have gone differently this year for the SEC, but when there are so many good programs and good teams you'll have a lot of years like this.

Every conference this year or past years can say the same thing, change one result and we'd have an extra Playoff team (or in some cases A Playoff team). The Big Ten has NEVER had two Playoff teams in the same year. How many times has the SEC? More than any other conference. Only the ACC has ever had more than one in the same year and that's because Notre Dame was a full member during the pandemic year. How many times has the SEC been shut out of the Playoff? The Big Ten's been shut out twice (at the expense of TWO SEC teams in 2017). I'm not going to cry for the SEC not getting two Playoff teams this year, especially since Georgia's probably going to win it. We saw what happened last year when Georgia played Michigan. You're lucky Michigan beat Ohio State because if Georgia played Ohio State it would be a tougher game. Wilkes University has a better chance of beating Georgia than Michigan does. Georgia Tech has a better chance of beating Georgia than Michigan does (ok too far!)

Well they effectively are getting two teams in this year with Michigan and then either USC or Ohio St.