If you take USC out of the Pac 10 they wouldn't even be in consideration. If you take Ohio State out of the Big 11 then that conference becomes the Pac 10. One really good team and a bunch of ok teams. I don't think the SEC has one team that is better then the best team in the Pac 10 or Big 11 but you could take Florida or Arkansas out of the SEC and the overall conference is still strong.

Yeah, if KY finishes second in the SEC East, that absolutely means the SEC is weaker than it has been in some time. I'm pretty sure the majority would agree with that.

 

I think a lot of people would agree that this is perhaps the best UK team since the days of Couch. Certainly the best team this century. With that said, why isn't it possible for UK to improve without the rest of the conference going down? I guess with Rutgers being such a force in the Big East, that means the BEast is a terrible conference? I mean, after all, they've only got 3 teams fighting for the title. I think the Big East is weak. But NOT because Rutgers is having a great year.

Out of the four games that have been played the SEC got spanked in three of them. Also Miss St played WVU, they got spanked at home to.

 

What is embarrasingly bad is the BCS record and simply the number of times they play on the road.

The BCS wins include Duke twice, Colorado, Washington State and the two good wins Arizona and Cal.

 

Vandy(SEC's 10th best team) was beaten(not spanked) by Michigan(#2 team in the country)at Michigan.

Ky(SEC's 9th best team) was beaten by Louisville(Big East's best team)at Louisville.

Miss ST.(SEC'S 12TH best team)was beaten by WVU(Big East's second best team.

 

I would think that the three games listed above would have no ill effects on the conference ratings as all three were expected.

 

The USC/Arkansas and UT/Cal games pretty well balance out.

http://www.sportsline.com/collegefootball/story/9820472/1

That article is simply perfect, no way around that.

I think a lot of people would agree that this is perhaps the best UK team since the days of Couch. Certainly the best team this century. With that said, why isn't it possible for UK to improve without the rest of the conference going down? I guess with Rutgers being such a force in the Big East, that means the BEast is a terrible conference? I mean, after all, they've only got 3 teams fighting for the title. I think the Big East is weak. But NOT because Rutgers is having a great year.

 

The conference is down. Period. It still might be the best and you can make a good argument that it is...but it's not what it usually is.

 

I'd buy the Rutgers argument if UK had been undefeated going into last weekend.

 

Look at UK...going into the UT game, in which they have a chance to finish second in the SEC East, this is what they bring to the table. A defense that is either dead last, or very close to it, in the nation. For the season, they have been outscored 332-307 by their opponents. They have a 31 and 49 point loss on the resume. And, against their 3 best opponents (Louisville, LSU, Florida) they have been outscored 134-35...that's an average loss of 45-12 in those games. When a team with that resume can potentially finish second in the eastern division then no, it doesn't speak well for the strength of the conference. I don't see how anyone can say otherwise and keep a straight face.

Let's start with the Big East getting no respect. Not True.

The Big East has had 3 different teams in the ranked in the top 6 in the country this year by the coaches poll and the AP poll. That's R-E-S-P-E-C-T!!!!!!! I'll take the top 3 in the Big East against any other league in the country's top 3.

 

Who has UL beat?

UL Romped over the Cats by 31 points, who are bowl bound playing for 2ND place in the SEC East. UL didn't just beat Miami they thrashed em 31-7 when they were ranked #17, no one else has beaten Miami by more than 10 this year, UL hammered bowl bound K-State second in the Big 12 North 24-7 at home and they went on to beat beat mighty #2 ranked Texas, UL beat a undefeated #3 ranked WVU (last years Sugar bowl champ), UL has also beaten bowl bound So Fla and UC. If UL beats Pitt Saturday they could finish 7-1 against teams that go to bowl games this year. One more game that some may not remember, that Oregon State team that beat USC the other day was trounced on their home field last year by the Cards 63-27.

If not for the upset at Rutgers, these Cards would probably be playing OSU for the title.

 

Miami is 2-5 in the ACC(who almost everyone on here is calling the weakest BCS conference).

Kansas St. also lost to Baylor and Kansas.

Kentucky is the 9th best team in the SEC.

The conference is down. Period. It still might be the best and you can make a good argument that it is...but it's not what it usually is.

 

I'd buy the Rutgers argument if UK had been undefeated going into last weekend.

 

Look at UK...going into the UT game, in which they have a chance to finish second in the SEC East, this is what they bring to the table. A defense that is either dead last, or very close to it, in the nation. For the season, they have been outscored 332-307 by their opponents. They have a 31 and 49 point loss on the resume. And, against their 3 best opponents (Louisville, LSU, Florida) they have been outscored 134-35...that's an average loss of 45-12 in those games. When a team with that resume can potentially finish second in the eastern division then no, it doesn't speak well for the strength of the conference. I don't see how anyone can say otherwise and keep a straight face.

 

Kentucky had a very favorable conference schedule by getting to play the worst three teams in the league and also caught Georgia at a good time. I'm a UK fan, but I also realize that they are probably the 9th best team in the conference.

1. Florida 2. Arkansas 3. LSU 4. UT 5. Auburn 6. Georgia 7. Alabama 8. South Carolina 9. UK 10. Vandy 11. Miss. 12. Miss St.

Kentucky had a very favorable conference schedule by getting to play the worst three teams in the league and also caught Georgia at a good time. I'm a UK fan, but I also realize that they are probably the 9th best team in the conference.

1. Florida 2. Arkansas 3. LSU 4. UT 5. Auburn 6. Georgia 7. Alabama 8. South Carolina 9. UK 10. Vandy 11. Miss. 12. Miss St.

 

I don't dispute that they are probably the 9th best team...but that's exactly what my point is...it doesn't speak well for the conference when your 9th best team is playing for second place in the eastern division on the last weekend of the season. If the SEC was that great this year, UK wouldn't be in this position.

That article is simply perfect, no way around that.

 

I doubt many people are shocked to hear you say that.

^ He made some very valid points.

^ He made some very valid points.

 

Really? Like what? That Nebraska is in the Big 12 South? That a good Utah team beating Pitt a couple years ago in the Fiesta Bowl has anything to do with this? That Florida's late season non-conference game is a weak thing to do, while he doesn't mention that Michigan did the exact same thing? Yes. Valid points.

That article is simply perfect, no way around that.

 

I agree. I really don't feel as though Florida or Arkansas should play for the title if they win out and USC wins out.

 

Michigan or USC should face Ohio St. for the championship as these three teams appear to be the top three in the land this year.

I agree. I really don't feel as though Florida or Arkansas should play for the title if they win out and USC wins out.

 

Michigan or USC should face Ohio St. for the championship as these three teams appear to be the top three in the land this year.

 

:thumb:

 

Let me first say that I'm not a big fan of a rematch, but...

 

The opponent in the Ohio State game has to be

 

1) a one-loss USC with wins over Nebraska, Arkansas, Cal, Oregon, and Notre Dame

 

or

 

2) a one-loss Michigan team (and this is only the case if USC loses again)

 

 

If USC finishes with one loss, they have the best body of work. Period. After that, there isn't another team that's even close to Michigan and their season is done, so no one should pass them.

 

Notre Dame, Arkansas, Florida, Rutgers, U of L, West Virginia, etc...none of these teams can make a viable case against either USC or Michigan.

 

The only question left is whether SC will run the table...if they do, they're in and rightfully so, IMO. If not, then Michigan has to be the team.

I really think you're splitting hairs when comparing the top three.

This argument this year is impossible to prove.

This argument this year is impossible to prove.

 

:thumb:

 

I agree...but since I went out on a limb and stated my opinion I've been under fire.

 

When it's clear to me that the SEC is the best, then anyone on here who knows me much knows that I'll argue it all day. But, it's not clear...there is no clear "strongest" conference this year. You can make an argument for the SEC, just like you can make it for other conferences...and they're all good and they're all valid, which is pretty much the point.