login | Register

Can the Big 12 or the ACC catch the SEC?

Posted: Jul 19, 2009

With every football season, the conversation around the nation leads to the inevitable question- who is the best conference? Many fans answer the same every year (their favorite) while others look a little more objectively. I found it interesting a couple of weeks ago when separate articles written in different sections of our Swampland footprint addressed the same question- could their local conference catch up to the SEC. The piece in North Carolina was a little more accepting of the gap between the ACC and SEC, while the piece in Texas was a little more optimistic in pushing the fact the Big 12 is ready to pass America’s top dog.

Let’s start with the league that has won five of the eleven BCS National Titles, including three in a row. It’s pretty difficult to debate that the SEC is not on top of the college football landscape. We wrote about it before last season started – a season that ended with another SEC National Championship. Whether it’s the tradition, facilities, recruiting, top coaches, or alumni support, the quality of SEC play across the board is second to none. That superiority was magnified even more this offseason by the league’s historic television deal with ESPN. That’s America’s “sports leader”, based in the Northeast, spending billions on a conference where the largest media markets (Atlanta/Orlando/Tampa) don’t actually have SEC campuses. That contract shows how much drawing power the league has and how high the quality of football is across the board.

The ACC boasted about its parity last year with so many teams grouped so close together. Unfortunately, Virginia Tech has been the only elite team in the league over the past three to four years. The solution for the ACC to start catching the SEC seems pretty simple- Florida State and Miami have to get back to national prominence. Both schools have won national crowns in the last decade and reside in one of the top three recruiting grounds in the country. When the ACC went to twelve teams, it put these two prominent schools in different divisions hoping they would be the flagships programs in building the football reputation of the historically basketball-driven league. FSU won the first ACC Title Game, but neither Sunshine State team has even played in the conference championship since that 2005 game. If Miami and FSU can get back on the national radar, it will raise the league’s profile along with Virginia Tech being a top team and the improving North Carolina and Georgia Tech programs.

The Big 12 is definitely closer to the SEC, but they have morphed into a Texas and Oklahoma-only race over the last five or six seasons. And as good as the Sooners have been as the conference’s lead dog recently, the reality that Bob Stoops’ club has lost their last five BCS games does not help the league’s national profile. The Big 12 is now dominated by coaches running wide-open spread offenses, and the quarterbacks are putting up huge Heisman numbers, as the above article references. That’s great for attention, but that offensive-minded approach (Big 12 defenses were horrid last season) doesn’t always work when it comes to truly elite matchups. Oklahoma had the highest scoring offense in history last year but were held to 14 points by Florida. Teams like Oklahoma State and Kansas should be very good this season, but when they lose all of their weapons in 2010, their programs will likely take a step back (a lot like Texas Tech and Missouri this year). In order for the Big 12 to “catch up”, a couple of schools not named the Sooners or Longhorns are going to need to maintain success for a few seasons, not just a couple of good seasons when they get the right skill people in place.

A lot of fans in ACC and Big 12 country (and all over the nation) are ready to see a national champion outside of an SEC team. However, it is pretty rare for regional media (known for placating to the local fan base) in those areas of Texas and North Carolina to even admit that the SEC is the conference on top of college football. CBS national writer Dennis Dodd says “we’re all tired” of the SEC. Really Dennis? I don’t think the decision makers at CBS are tired of the featured SEC game they broadcast every Saturday afternoon. The ACC and Big 12 have potential to be monster leagues, but for now, the SEC is King.
 

related tags

Tribal Fever,
West Virginia,
Virginia,
Texas,
Tennessee,
South Carolina,
Oklahoma,
North Carolina,
Missouri,
Mississippi,
Louisiana,
Kentucky,
Georgia,
Florida,
Arkansas,
Alabama,
Sports,

Wireless from AT&T

Comments

radiant says...

Mobil Keluarga Ideal Terbaik Indonesia Mobil Keluarga Mobil Ideal Mobil Terbaik Mobil Indonesia Mobil Terbaik Mobil Mobil Keluarga Mobil Keluarga Indonesia Mobil Ideal Indonesia Mobil Terbaik Indonesia Mobil ideal Keluarga Indonesia Ideal Terbaik Keluarga Terbaik Indonesia Keluarga Ideal Indonesia Terbaik Indonesia Ideal Terbaik Indonesia Mobil Keluarga Ideal Terbaik Indonesia Mobil Keluarga Ideal Terbaik Indonesia Mobil Keluarga Ideal Terbaik Indonesia Best Free Software Elliott Wave Blogger Tutorial engagement rings Free PLR Article hostgator review baby center Pampers Baby Dry Diapers baby center baby dry center baby center blog baby name center baby center Baby Center Names Mobil Keluarga Ideal Terbaik Indonesia Rumah Mungil Yang Sehat Mobil Keluarga Ideal Terbaik Indonesia Mobil Keluarga Ideal Terbaik Indonesia Mobil Keluarga Ideal Terbaik Indonesia Mobil Keluarga Ideal Terbaik Indonesia Indonesia Siap Bersaing di SERP puppies Mobil Keluarga Ideal Terbaik Indonesia Mobil Indonesia Mobil Keluarga Ideal Mobil Keluarga Terbaik Keluarga Indonesia Mobil Keluarga Ideal Terbaik Indonesia Mobil Ideal Mobil Indonesia Mobil Ideal Mobil Indonesia Mobil Terbaik Mobil Ideal Terbaik Indonesia Mobil Keluarga Mobil Keluarga Indonesia Mobil Ideal Indonesia Mobil Terbaik Indonesia Mobil ideal Keluarga Indonesia Ideal Terbaik Indonesia Keluarga Terbaik Indonesia Keluarga Ideal Indonesia Terbaik Indonesia Ideal Terbaik Indonesia Mobil Keluarga Ideal Terbaik Indonesia Mobil Keluarga Ideal Terbaik Indonesia Mobil Keluarga Ideal Terbaik Indonesia Best Free Software Elliott Wave Blogger Tutorial wedding rings Free Article Directory hostgator review baby center Pampers Baby Dry Diapers baby center baby dry center baby center blog baby name center baby center Baby Center Names Mobil Keluarga Ideal Terbaik Indonesia Rumah Mungil Yang Sehat Mobil Keluarga Ideal Terbaik Indonesia Mobil Keluarga Ideal Terbaik Indonesia Mobil Keluarga Ideal Terbaik Indonesia Mobil Keluarga Ideal Terbaik Indonesia Indonesia Siap Bersaing di SERP pet shop Mobil Keluarga Ideal Terbaik Indonesia Mobil Indonesia Mobil Keluarga Ideal Mobil Keluarga Terbaik Keluarga Indonesia

replicabags says...

In American culture celebrities replica handbags gain cult like followings. I do not care who you are. You're probably interested in a certain celebrity. It might be Sarah LV old bags Jessica Parker or Michelle Obama for ladies. Of course men may be more interested in Tom Hanks or Tom Arnold instead! There cheap Juicy Corture bags is an infatuation with that lifestyle. This is most likely because we like to live vicariously through their lives. Oh, how great LV Monogram Miroir cheap would it be to be young, rich, and famous! With the information contained in this article you can become a success. You will come to know Dolce and Gabbana replica about the various Chloe cheap that celebrities wear. You would also learn how to get your own, for less.As we all know, celebrities love big replica LV Damier Graphite. Just take a look through any magazine and you will see them all carrying big cheap Coach handbags. The latest hot new celeb designers include LV Epi Leather replica handbags, Lindsay Lohan, Jessica Simpson, Nicole Richie and the Olsen twins. But what are the greatest names for the large cheap Anyahind March bags Come on let me rattle them off Balenciaga, Balenciaga replica handbags, Gucc, and LV Monogram Vernis cheap. But of course these cheap Bottega Veneta handbags costs hundreds or thousands of dollars. You'll find out more later on how you can afford big cheap LV Damier Canvas bags.We should also pay attention to the colors and styles that these LV that's love cheap come in. It seems as if everyone is using their big replica Miu Miu bags for a pop of color. Red, white and blue are popular colors in Thomas Wylde bags. Traditional brown Chloe cheap handbags are classic and understated. There are even little details on these Fendi bags including grommets, studs, cut outs, and hardware. As we all know, hardware is huge in the fashion and accessory world. You can't get away from it nowadays.I'm sure you wonder how you can find some cheap Gucci bags wholesale for less. Even though it may appear difficult, it is actually a very simple thing to accomplish. You can either look online or at the mall. There are a few stores which give away big Miu Miu cheap handbags less than the real price. Among these stores are Wet Seal, Forever 21 and Target. Hollywood has inspired Target to produce a line of cheap LV Nomade handbags and accessories modeled after popular celebrities.Also, you can seek for large Fendi replica on the internet. A brief inquiry using the search engine of your choice is all that is required. You will find a multitude of stores that stock cheap LV Mahina handbags. A few of them are even hauling around these replica Phillip Lim for less than the original price! But of course, you have to be aware of the ones that may be YSL replica handbags.It is usually best to buy Cartier replica from someone you can trust. When looking to buy a new Louis Vuitton handbags, you will find that there are so many places that sell fashionable and popular replica Juicy Corture bags. All you have to do is walk into your local retail store. Don't overlook any LV Monogram Perforation cheap handbags, the right one could be hiding in clear sight!

replicabags says...

In American culture celebrities replica handbags gain cult like followings. I do not care who you are. You're probably interested in a certain celebrity. It might be Sarah LV old bags Jessica Parker or Michelle Obama for ladies. Of course men may be more interested in Tom Hanks or Tom Arnold instead! There cheap Juicy Corture bags is an infatuation with that lifestyle. This is most likely because we like to live vicariously through their lives. Oh, how great LV Monogram Miroir cheap would it be to be young, rich, and famous! With the information contained in this article you can become a success. You will come to know Dolce and Gabbana replica about the various Chloe cheap that celebrities wear. You would also learn how to get your own, for less.As we all know, celebrities love big replica LV Damier Graphite. Just take a look through any magazine and you will see them all carrying big cheap Coach handbags. The latest hot new celeb designers include LV Epi Leather replica handbags, Lindsay Lohan, Jessica Simpson, Nicole Richie and the Olsen twins. But what are the greatest names for the large cheap Anyahind March bags Come on let me rattle them off Balenciaga, Balenciaga replica handbags, Gucc, and LV Monogram Vernis cheap. But of course these cheap Bottega Veneta handbags costs hundreds or thousands of dollars. You'll find out more later on how you can afford big cheap LV Damier Canvas bags.We should also pay attention to the colors and styles that these LV that's love cheap come in. It seems as if everyone is using their big replica Miu Miu bags for a pop of color. Red, white and blue are popular colors in Thomas Wylde bags. Traditional brown Chloe cheap handbags are classic and understated. There are even little details on these Fendi bags including grommets, studs, cut outs, and hardware. As we all know, hardware is huge in the fashion and accessory world. You can't get away from it nowadays.I'm sure you wonder how you can find some cheap Gucci bags wholesale for less. Even though it may appear difficult, it is actually a very simple thing to accomplish. You can either look online or at the mall. There are a few stores which give away big Miu Miu cheap handbags less than the real price. Among these stores are Wet Seal, Forever 21 and Target. Hollywood has inspired Target to produce a line of cheap LV Nomade handbags and accessories modeled after popular celebrities.Also, you can seek for large Fendi replica on the internet. A brief inquiry using the search engine of your choice is all that is required. You will find a multitude of stores that stock cheap LV Mahina handbags. A few of them are even hauling around these replica Phillip Lim for less than the original price! But of course, you have to be aware of the ones that may be YSL replica handbags.It is usually best to buy Cartier replica from someone you can trust. When looking to buy a new Louis Vuitton handbags, you will find that there are so many places that sell fashionable and popular replica Juicy Corture bags. All you have to do is walk into your local retail store. Don't overlook any LV Monogram Perforation cheap handbags, the right one could be hiding in clear sight!

replicabags says...

In American culture celebrities replica handbags gain cult like followings. I do not care who you are. You're probably interested in a certain celebrity. It might be Sarah LV old bags Jessica Parker or Michelle Obama for ladies. Of course men may be more interested in Tom Hanks or Tom Arnold instead! There cheap Juicy Corture bags is an infatuation with that lifestyle. This is most likely because we like to live vicariously through their lives. Oh, how great LV Monogram Miroir cheap would it be to be young, rich, and famous! With the information contained in this article you can become a success. You will come to know Dolce and Gabbana replica about the various Chloe cheap that celebrities wear. You would also learn how to get your own, for less.As we all know, celebrities love big replica LV Damier Graphite. Just take a look through any magazine and you will see them all carrying big cheap Coach handbags. The latest hot new celeb designers include LV Epi Leather replica handbags, Lindsay Lohan, Jessica Simpson, Nicole Richie and the Olsen twins. But what are the greatest names for the large cheap Anyahind March bags Come on let me rattle them off Balenciaga, Balenciaga replica handbags, Gucc, and LV Monogram Vernis cheap. But of course these cheap Bottega Veneta handbags costs hundreds or thousands of dollars. You'll find out more later on how you can afford big cheap LV Damier Canvas bags.We should also pay attention to the colors and styles that these LV that's love cheap come in. It seems as if everyone is using their big replica Miu Miu bags for a pop of color. Red, white and blue are popular colors in Thomas Wylde bags. Traditional brown Chloe cheap handbags are classic and understated. There are even little details on these Fendi bags including grommets, studs, cut outs, and hardware. As we all know, hardware is huge in the fashion and accessory world. You can't get away from it nowadays.I'm sure you wonder how you can find some cheap Gucci bags wholesale for less. Even though it may appear difficult, it is actually a very simple thing to accomplish. You can either look online or at the mall. There are a few stores which give away big Miu Miu cheap handbags less than the real price. Among these stores are Wet Seal, Forever 21 and Target. Hollywood has inspired Target to produce a line of cheap LV Nomade handbags and accessories modeled after popular celebrities.Also, you can seek for large Fendi replica on the internet. A brief inquiry using the search engine of your choice is all that is required. You will find a multitude of stores that stock cheap LV Mahina handbags. A few of them are even hauling around these replica Phillip Lim for less than the original price! But of course, you have to be aware of the ones that may be YSL replica handbags.It is usually best to buy Cartier replica from someone you can trust. When looking to buy a new Louis Vuitton handbags, you will find that there are so many places that sell fashionable and popular replica Juicy Corture bags. All you have to do is walk into your local retail store. Don't overlook any LV Monogram Perforation cheap handbags, the right one could be hiding in clear sight!

xiaohe says...

Great article you have posted i liked it very much, it was full of information and was very interesting to read i have also suggested my friends to have look on this website to have the information. Thanks for sharing your thoughts and ideas on this one. You write about this topic very well. cheap uggs ugg classic mini classic cardy uggs ugg classic crochet ugg boots on sale classic uggs sale ugg classic short ugg 5833 cheap coach bags discount coach handbags discount coach wallets coach shoes on sale coach store coach handbags outlet coach luggage coach sunglasses Coach Outlet Online coach outlets stores designer coach handbags coach tote bag coach wallets coach purses outlet coach bags outlet coach handbags on sale coach sneakers coach outlets stores coach leather handbags Coach Sandals coach sunglasses cheap coach purses coach crossbody bags coach boots coach wristlets Gucci Outlet Gucci Bags Gucci Backpack Gucci Shoes I really enjoy reading your blog and I will definetly bookmark it! Keep up the interesting posts.

Please login or you can to leave a comment.

If you aren't registered, Register Now to start leaving comments.

Copyright 1998-2018 by Swampland Inc. All rights reserved.