Best Conference To Bed
By Bob
10/20/2008 7:25:00 AM
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It's hard to escape all the best conference in the nation talk. It's an annual season-long discussion that generates countless television reports, radio talk rants and online posts. Who cares??? If you've ever chanted S-E-C instead of the name of your team you are D-U-M-B. A passionate Auburn fan would much rather see Bama winless instead of undefeated, despite the latter serving as some silver lining in a cloudy season.
I agree the Southeastern Conference is usually the best, but I disagree with what seems like the majority of the college football nation just blindly accepting it as so every year. This year, the Big 12 does have a great argument. With the Big 12 South having four of its six members in the top eight of the first Bowl Championship Standings of 2008, there should be no arguing the toughest division in the nation.
I point out the SEC because so many of its fans are extremely passionate about the best conference claim. It's the fans of the mediocre teams that whine the most about conference pride. "We're 6-6, but we play in the toughest conference." Guess what, you're 6-6 because you're not very good. "Our league bowl record is awesome." Wow, the 5th best SEC team beat the Sun Belt champ. Shocker! I'm sure Vegas had it as an even line. When Florida won the 2006 championship, they did, not the conference. Florida has the same number of titles in the last decade as two other schools in the sunshine state, and the Gators and Seminoles have two overall to Miami's five in the last 25 years. That makes history a pointless angle, while also solidifying Florida as the frontrunner to win the ever popular best state in college football discussion.
"But top to bottom?" Does anyone really believe the Wildcats, Gamecocks, Commodores, Volunteers, Razorbacks, Croomdogs, Rebels and Tubertigers are tough this year? None of those eight would be guaranteed a title if they switched conferences. At best they would bring another good but not great squad to the good but not great conferences. The ACC could take any of them and still be a league where it seems no members want the hassle of a conference title game appearance. If they all joined the WAC, Boise State would still be in the run for that conference's crown and would still be tough to beat on their home blue turf.
Where the SEC differs from the ACC, Big East and other lesser leagues is at the top. The Gators and Tide are clearly at the elite level this year, with LSU and the Richtdogs in the conversation while seeming to be on the second rung of the national ladder. But none of it matters because by year's end only one of them can possibly claim a crystal trophy named after whatever company can still afford to buy the BCS hardware naming rights. Besides, the best conference this year is clearly the Mid American. That's because Florida defeated the defending champion LSU Tigers, Ole Miss beat Florida, but lost to Wake Forest, who lost to Navy, which lost to Ball State. That's right, undefeated Ball State. M-A-C, M-A-C, M-A-C!!!
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