SEC who?

What's great to this all happening is that the SEC shifts over to having 9 conference games next season which makes it more likely they'll get fewer teams to have higher rankings to be considered to go in. If Bama and Texas have an additional loss last year you could see BYU make it in. Next year could likely see Texas Tech and BYU make it in. From the Big 10, Michigan and PSU won't be there in Year 1 of new coaches, Ohio State will be there, but Oregon and Indiana are replacing major prices to their recent success so the Big 10 could be hard up for 3 schools as well.
I had a huge SEC fan mention that they were going to 9 games like it was a big deal. I said well yeah it's about freaking time! He was not amused. Devotion to a sports conference is borderline cultish.
 
I’ve told this story before but I was in Gulf Shores, AL over the 4th of July a few years ago and we went to a local place for fireworks.

They had laser lights and were flashing up logos of all of the SEC teams and there was a massive “SEC! SEC! SEC!” Chant happening.

It might have been one of the weirdest moments of my life.
sounds typical. remember this is the area of the country that tried to succeed from the union
 
  • Like
Reactions: DukeofStratford
My S.E.C. CFP-Bowl Post-Mortem (from A-V) as a part-time Alabama fan:

Alabama Crimson Tide: Good and Bad, but mostly Bad. Should not have been in the CFP in the first place, but I was rooting for them to overachieve!

@ Oklahoma In their first game, they got out to an awful start but somehow figured it out and won @ OU. So credit for winning a road game against a team that had DeBoer's number twice in the past year.

Indiana in the Rose Bowl: It was the 100th Anniversary of Alabama's 1st Bowl Game (Beat Washington 20-19 in the 1926 Rose Bowl), but it was a total dud. Indiana had the best team, the best coach, the best player on the field and gave Alabama their worst Bowl loss EVER. Credit to IU for being beautiful!

Georgia Bulldogs: Lost to Mississippi in the Sugar Bowl. Didn't care that much, but I was rooting for Mississippi just because they were underdog and would be a fresher breath than Georgia. Good game as expected between two of the four teams who tied for first in the SEC Regular Season Standings (7-1). Disappointing loss by Georgia though as the SEC Champion.

L.S.U. Tigers: Ha! Ha! Lost to Houston from the Big XII in the Texas Bowl. I was rooting for the Cougars and glad they won. Wish it could have been Iowa State playing LSU instead.

Mississippi Black Bears: Rooted for Tulane in the First Round game but for the Black Bears in the Sugar Bowl and the Fiesta Bowl. Won the game they should have won, won a 50-50 game in the Sugar Bowl and played a great game in the Fiesta before losing to Miami. No shame in their post-season effort / results IMO especially with their coaching disarray.

Miss. State Bulldogs: They had no business being in a Bowl Game, but snuck in as one of the (5-7) teams. I rooted for Wake and was glad the Demon Deacons won the game.

Mizzou Tigers: I rooted for Mizzou vs. Virginia in the Gator Bowl, but I was not surprised at the result. Mizzou was a one-trick pony (Ahmad Hardy) after they lost their starting QB in the middle of the season. Just a terrible team (minus Hardy's efforts) down the stretch.

Oklahoma Sooners: Lost to Alabama at home in the First Round. I'm glad they lost, but I am not sure how they let a 17-0 lead over THAT Alabama team turn into a 24-34 loss. Bad loss by Oklahoma.

Tennessee Vols: Shame on the Vols for losing to Illinois in Nashville! Mostly because I don't like the Illini HC. Illinois was better and deserved to win. Doesn't mean I have to like it though.

Texas A&M Aggies: Was very happy they lost to Miami (Fla.) in the First Round, but it sure was a boring game.

Texas Longhorns: Was rooting for the meteor strike in the Citrus Bowl, but that didn't happen. Better team won.

Vanderbilt Commodores: Bums! Not surprised they lost, but I sure was rooting for them due to their opponent. The more talented, more physical, better coached and better prepared team won. Shame on Vandy! Couldn't beat a team ISU beat.

Most of the games I didn't care about one way or the other, but of the ones I did:

Alabama needs to reboot.
Mississippi performed well.
Tennessee and Vanderbilt should flee to the hills and hide in shame!

This is just a post-mortem on my likes and dislikes. Overall, the S.E.C. teams laid a big old rotten egg that Templeton the Rat would have been proud!

 
Last edited:
What's great to this all happening is that the SEC shifts over to having 9 conference games next season which makes it more likely they'll get fewer teams to have higher rankings to be considered to go in. If Bama and Texas have an additional loss last year you could see BYU make it in. Next year could likely see Texas Tech and BYU make it in. From the Big 10, Michigan and PSU won't be there in Year 1 of new coaches, Ohio State will be there, but Oregon and Indiana are replacing major prices to their recent success so the Big 10 could be hard up for 3 schools as well.
This is a fantastically appropriate typo.
 
I think it is possible that by helping usher in an era of unlimited NIL and transfers, the SEC opened the door to the only factor that could break through the fortified advantages that they had that allowed them to stay on the top.

The SEC has a bigger and better collection of football brands than any other league. They have tons of history, accomplishments and large fanbases.

They have top tier facilities, massive stadiums, and large AD budgets.

The region is the best recruiting footprint among any leagues. A football crazy part of the country with a growing population and good weather year round.

But in the world of unlimited pay for play, I don't think the big dog schools of the SEC match up. Large fanbases willing to donate helps, but it seems like it is access to big billionaire donors that is what really moves you to the top. And for now, those donors seem to be aligned to other schools. The southeast is still the southeast, and it has never been the part of the country at the top of the financial heep.
 
I think it is possible that by helping usher in an era of unlimited NIL and transfers, the SEC opened the door to the only factor that could break through the fortified advantages that they had that allowed them to stay on the top.

The SEC has a bigger and better collection of football brands than any other league. They have tons of history, accomplishments and large fanbases.

They have top tier facilities, massive stadiums, and large AD budgets.

The region is the best recruiting footprint among any leagues. A football crazy part of the country with a growing population and good weather year round.

But in the world of unlimited pay for play, I don't think the big dog schools of the SEC match up. Large fanbases willing to donate helps, but it seems like it is access to big billionaire donors that is what really moves you to the top. And for now, those donors seem to be aligned to other schools. The southeast is still the southeast, and it has never been the part of the country at the top of the financial heep.
They have tons of history, but most of that is in the past 20 years. They had periods where they didn’t do much. There was a 15 year period in the 1980s and 1990s where the SEC had one natty. Same thing for a 10 year period in the 1960s and 70s. And even then it was basically one school. From 1959 to 1995, there was only two other SEC teamsbesides Bama which won a natty, that was Georgia in 1980 and Ole Miss.
 
  • Like
Reactions: StPaulCyclone
LSU lost to Houston paid my first time “annual” subscription to Cyclone Fanatic and a round of drinks against a local dude - thank you!!
I place two bets a year. Waiting on MBB on the other.

* as a side note, WTF is the love on ESPN for Cam Newton!!
 
Last edited:
  • Like
Reactions: NWICY
To correct this persistent SEC-missing-from-the-CFP Championship bugaboo, the AP 2026 FBS Pre-Season Top 25 will be:
1. Georgia
2. Alabama
3. LSU
4.Texas
5 - 16. The remaining SEC teams in any order
17. Notre Dame
18. George Madison
19. Tulane
20-23. The teams the SEC might be considering during the next expansion
24, Ohio State
25. Florida State