By JOHN P. WISEOne Great Season
I'm aware folks think the SEC is down this year, and even veteran numbers-cruncher Jeff Sagarin has it rated third after last weekend's games.
And while I'll agree the SEC appears less dominant than usual — perhaps even vulnerable come BCS season — I still think it's the best conference in the country.
Now I'm certain you know me well enough to know I'm the farthest thing from an SEC snob who thinks only SEC teams beat up on each other every week, whereas other leagues just lose games in weak fashion. This Ohio native doesn't buy into such regionalism.
But the SEC is really the only conference with two serious national championship contenders right now. Surely this is an argument shaded in gray, but the Mountain West Conference? After TCU knocks Utah from the ranks of the unbeaten on Saturday, the Utes are out of the picture, and even TCU's candidacy will continue to be questioned. And that's just on the topic of title contention. Regarding overall league depth in the MWC, c'mon, son.
The PAC-10? Oregon is my pick to win the national championship, but the league's depth that everyone drooled over in August might have been a slight miscalculation. Four teams are tied for fifth place with 2-3 conference marks heading into the final month of the season. The league is a tad middle-heavy, not top-heavy like many were projecting.
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The Big 12? Most thought it would be Texas, Oklahoma and Nebraska this year, but that's not necessarily the case. Oklahoma State, Baylor, Missouri, Iowa State and Kansas State have been nice surprises. But for the most part, when asked to earn a signature win, each has come up short. Missouri's defeat of the Sooners was wasted after a laying a predictable egg at Nebraska the following week. Texas' struggles are well-known and Oklahoma and Nebraska aren't top-tier squads like they were expected to be.
Obviously, the Big Ten is no better than the fourth-best conference in the country. Ohio State was supposed to be elite, but it's clearly fallen short. Wisconsin has been nice. Michigan State was a cute story for a minute, as was Michigan for a half minute. Iowa is a good team.
In terms of rankings, LSU makes the SEC the top league in the nation. Backing up Auburn and Alabama, the Tigers are ranked 10th in the BCS, 12th in the AP poll and 11th in the USA Today poll. No conference has three teams among the top 10, 12 or 11 in the respective rankings.
The ACC and Big East don't deserve their own paragraphs. On with the rankings:
- SEC — Still the best. The Alabama-Auburn winner most likely will play for the league's fifth straight national championship.
- PAC-10 — Tied with the Big 12 in overall depth, but gets the edge because of Oregon, the OGS projected national champion.
- Big 12 — A handful of surprise teams keep this league in the mix, but Texas' disastrous season stings a little.
- Big 10 — Maybe another nice bowl season like last year can continue the league's upward climb.
- ACC — High hopes for this league were dashed early. Virginia Tech has rebounded nicely, but overall the ACC lacks a true power.
- Big East — Though Pittsburgh hasn't lost a league game yet, it hasn't been the bully many thought it would be.