1 SEC

2 Big Ten

3 Pac 10

4 Big East

5 Big 12

 

The bowl records to me doesnt mean much because so many are obviously unevenly matched going into them. The BCS bowls are a decent measuring stick. But like the Rutgers game, it was obvious that Rutgers going in had that team outmatched, I forget who they played.

Another view on which was best BCS conference:

 

2006 BCS Conference Comparison

 

So, in that spirit, I’m going to use this column to try to rank the 6 BCS conferences in 2006.

 

To attempt such a thing, you have to first agree on a definition of “best.” I, for one, don’t buy that the SEC is the best conference just because the national champion is from there. You also can’t throw around meaningless stats like “conference X has the most bowl teams.” Almost all bowls are done because of conference affiliations, so all that number does is show how badly a conference’s teams were desired a few years ago when the contracts were written. No method is perfect, because everyone has a slightly different, personal definition of what “best” means. But, for my money, the “best” way to determine “best” is by asking this question:

 

If you were a completely average team, the most average team in America, 59.5th best out of 119 teams…in which conference would it be the hardest to have a winning record?

 

In order to answer this question, I’m going to utilize the following method:

 

List each conference in order of how the teams finished the regular season.

Compare all the first place teams against one another, and then the second, and so on, assigning point values (6 for 1st, 5 for 2nd, etc.)

Different conferences have different amounts of teams, and therefore different max points, so at the end, we’ll divide each conference’s points by their max points, and get a %, where 100% is the best possible.

 

And then maybe we’ll know, at least in 2006, which conference truly was the best.

Another view on which was best BCS conference:

 

2006 BCS Conference Comparison

 

Interesting. Certainly not the way I would've ranked them, but its not a bad system.

 

It does get unfair when the Beast/Pac10/Big11 lose out on points because they don't have 12 teams.

It does get unfair when the Beast/Pac10/Big11 lose out on points because they don't have 12 teams.

 

Different conferences have different amounts of teams, and therefore different max points, so at the end, we’ll divide each conference’s points by their max points, and get a %, where 100% is the best possible.

For what it's worth, here's his summary:

 

OK, so we’ve done it. Top to bottom. Let’s look at the standings:

 

1. SEC 62 of 65 possible = 95.3%

2. Big 12 42 of 65 possible = 64.6%

3. Big 10 38 of 62 possible = 61.2%

4. Pac 10 28 of 58 possible = 48.2%

5. ACC 28 of 65 possible = 43.0%

6. Big East 16 of 48 possible = 33.3%

 

So, there you have it. To no one’s surprise, the SEC completely dominates these rankings, earning an astounding 95% of possible points. Maybe a bit surprising is the Big 12, coming in at 2nd place, barely edging the Big 10. The Big East had three pretty good teams, but going .500 in that conference should have been the easiest, by far, for a totally average team.

SEC is the top football conference right now. Once you get past the top dogs, the middle of the pack teams in the conference were very good. The Big East is loaded at the top with UL, WVU and Rutgers but it begins to drop off.

SEC is the top football conference right now. Once you get past the top dogs, the middle of the pack teams in the conference were very good. The Big East is loaded at the top with UL, WVU and Rutgers but it begins to drop off (Temple REALLY hurts the conference's strength).

Temple hasn't been in the Big East for a few years now. You may be thinking of Syracuse or UConn.

Temple hasn't been in the Big East for a few years now. You may be thinking of Syracuse or UConn.

 

My mistake. I just felt bad for them getting pounded by UL and others this season.

My mistake. I just felt bad for them getting pounded by UL and others this season.

No problem. They certainly have struggled.

 

UK plays them next year.

Different conferences have different amounts of teams, and therefore different max points, so at the end, we’ll divide each conference’s points by their max points, and get a %, where 100% is the best possible.

 

Ahh.. missed that in all the text.

Votes are tied.. Honestly, I think at this point, it is too late to add a poll however.

Add the Chicago Sun Times' Ralph D. Russo among those who think the SEC was the best this year:

 

SEC is cut above the rest of country

SEC

SEC

 

 

 

:thumb:

Soth Eastern Confrence, without a doubt.