HEY ROCKY TOP

[USFMikeB]

as you are well aware, winning one game does not compare to running the gauntlet of the SEC...

take LSU's schedule for example, they had to play at Auburn, at Florida, at Tennessee, and at Arkansas.  Maybe one or two teams in the country run that unscathed, but I don't see UL or WVU winning more than 2 of those.  

Yes, they could.  Beating UGA on their home turf proved that WVU was competitive with the SEC.

[flsportsfan83]

Rockytop is UT first USF 2nd

[sdgukhsdgl]

as you are well aware, winning one game does not compare to running the gauntlet of the SEC...

take LSU's schedule for example, they had to play at Auburn, at Florida, at Tennessee, and at Arkansas.  Maybe one or two teams in the country run that unscathed, but I don't see UL or WVU winning more than 2 of those.  

Yes, they could.  Beating UGA on their home turf proved that WVU was competitive with the SEC.

Competitive, sure.  A lot of teams can be competitive, hell, Vanderbilt is competitive this year.  That does not mean WVU/UL/Rutgers would not lose 2-3 games a year in the SEC.  

[HarveyGlass]

I know this is an old topic, but man, I just have to say; We all hear how SECers think they all have great defenses, but it's a lie.  

Seriously, if UT gives up 28 points to a horrrrible LSU offense, and 33 points to a very bad Georgia offense, and 30 points to *ahem* Air Force, do you truly believe that the Vols could keep UofL or WVU under 40?  50?

RockyTop, how many SEC teams could run the guantlet of UofL, WVU, RU, Pitt, and USF?  The SEC has some good teams, and occasionally some great ones, but there are very rarely any teams that could run through any other conference like some unstoppable juggernaut.

Bottom line:  When Kentucky is second in the big, bad Eastern Division, it's not as tough as you think.

[Joe]

You do know LSU is top 10 in the nation in scoring offense right?

I agree that the top of the BE (Louisville, WVU, Rutgers) could compete for the SEC Title (or any of the other 5 conferences) this year if things fell their way. However, the SEC overall has more good teams (sorry, I cannot bring myself to proclaim Pitt as a good team, as they have lost to UConn and Michigan State; USF has yet to beat anyone with a pulse, so I cannot put them up there either)

I would LOVE to see a BE team go against a good BCS team again (not Boise or the ACC winner).

Could most of those teams stop the Louisville offense? I doubt it, they have a lot of talent on offense and a great offensive mind to go with it. I think you put Florida, Texas, Michigan, or USC against Louisville you will have one hell of a good game.

Could they beat WVU? Depends, most those top BCS team defenses are fast on the edges. Once UGA figured WVU out last year, they were able to put the clamps on and roll off 31 points to over come a 28 point WVU lead. I think WVU would give every top SEC team a great game so long as WVU's defense steps it up. NO team (any conference) in this country is going to let WVU blindside them like they did to UGA last year.

Could Rutgers beat one of teh aforementioned teams? Maybe. I'm still not sold on Rutgers for ONE reason, their QB is not very good. I know their defense is great, stopping Louisville was un-freaking-believable, however, what usually decides most college football games is plays the offenses make when the game is on the line. While Rice would get his, Teel would have to play much better than he has in any game this season. The best defense he's face is USF's and we were able to throw him into fits.

[sdgukhsdgl]

You do know LSU is top 10 in the nation in scoring offense right?

gosh, i hate when facts get in the way of such a great argument...

As for UK being in second place in the east, they still have to play Tennessee.  And they got EXTREMELY lucky on their scheduling on the games they have to play against the SEC West.  UK played Ole Miss, LSU, and Miss. St.  UT had to play Arkansas, Bama, and LSU.  Not exactly comparable.  UK has lost to almost every decent team from the SEC they played (UF, LSU, USC) and somehow beat UGA.  So saying they are in second now, hardly means anything ... and standings, outside of first place, mean nothing.    

Did you really just try to compare the gauntlet of UL, WVU, RU, Pitt, and USF to say UF, Bama, Arkansas, Auburn, UT?  At best, the top 3 are a wash, then I would think the leftover of UT/Auburn and Bama are better than USF/Pitt.  

[HarveyGlass]

No, I didn't know that LSU had a top10 scoring offense. :-[  I only followed three of their games; the 49 they put on UK, the 3 they dropped on Auburn, and the 28 they scored on UT.  In the AU and UT games, they looked pa-thet-ic.  I just naturally figured that they scored 49 on UK because, well, they were playing UK.  

That UT/LSU game was one of the worst games I've seen this year.  Neither team looked good at all.  Both teams tried to give the game away, but neither seemed competent to even do that right. lol

The way you're nit-picking the BigEast teams could be done to any team in the country.  And that's my point, I guess.  Most people have their own criteria for when, exactly, they will become "sold" on the BigEast.  The only way to overcome that, is to win head-to-head matchups.  But even then, excuses abound.

All I'm saying is that, objectively, the league stands on very firm footing.  I think any "elite" team from any conference could compete for the BigEast title, just like any "elite" team from the BigEast could compete for any other conference title.

The SEC does have more overall good teams, they also have more overall bad teams.

[HarveyGlass]

You do know LSU is top 10 in the nation in scoring offense right?

gosh, i hate when facts get in the way of such a great argument...

Yeah, yeah you got me there.   :PLike I said above, every game I saw, they looked bad.  I guess they must have run up those numbers against that tough non-conference schedule of  LA-Lafayette, Arizona, Tulane, and Fresno State (all at home).  Combined record:  14-24.

As for UK being in second place in the east, they still have to play Tennessee.  And they got EXTREMELY lucky on their scheduling on the games they have to play against the SEC West.  UK played Ole Miss, LSU, and Miss. St.  UT had to play Arkansas, Bama, and LSU.  Not exactly comparable.  UK has lost to almost every decent team from the SEC they played (UF, LSU, USC) and somehow beat UGA.  So saying they are in second now, hardly means anything ... and standings, outside of first place, mean nothing.    

Wait a minute, I thought the SEC was super tough.  Are you saying it's possible to have a weak SEC schedule!  *gasp* ;D

And the "standings mean nothing" baloney is convenient.

Did you really just try to compare the gauntlet of UL, WVU, RU, Pitt, and USF to say UF, Bama, Arkansas, Auburn, UT?  At best, the top 3 are a wash, then I would think the leftover of UT/Auburn and Bama are better than USF/Pitt.  

IMO, I think Pitt and USF could hang with UT and Bama.  Auburn, probably not.  Just my opinion, though.

[sdgukhsdgl]

The SEC does have more overall good teams, they also have more overall bad teams.

If the SEC only had 8 teams or the BE expanded to 12, this wouldn't even be close

still, Ole Miss, Miss. St., Vandy, UK are actually comparable to UCONN, Syracuse, and pick two of Cincy/Pitt/USF