ACC vs. SEC: Who has the better defense?
The SEC has had an incredible run with four straight BCS national championships. Alabama is the preseason No. 1 and a strong favorite to win a second straight BCS title, something that hasn’t been done since Nebraska in 1994-95.
While we all like to talk about offense because it’s fun to watch, the SEC’s unprecedented run of success, I believe, was built on defense. You don’t need any more proof than last season.
Consider this: In the final NCAA statistics of 2009, six of the Top 26 and 10 of the top 58 defenses in college football were from the SEC. Only Auburn and Arkansas fell outside that top 58.
Here is a breakdown of 2009’s top 60 defenses by conference. The SEC, with 10, and the ACC, with eight, led all conferences. These are statistics for total defense and the national ranking is in parentheses:
SEC (10): Alabama (2), Florida (4), South Carolina (15), Ole Miss (21), Tennessee (22), LSU (26), Georgia (38), Kentucky (53), Vanderbilt (56), Miss. State (58).
ACC (8): North Carolina (6), Virginia Tech (12), Clemson (20), Boston College (26), Miami (29), Virginia (52), Georgia Tech (54), N.C. State (55).
BIG 12 (7): Texas (3), Nebraska (7), Oklahoma (8), Oklahoma State (31), Kansas State (39), Texas Tech (49), Colorado (57).
PAC-10 (6): Arizona State (13), Arizona (25), UCLA (32), Oregon (35), USC (40), Oregon State (46).
BIG EAST (5): Rutgers (18), Pittsburgh (23), USF (24), West Virginia (36), Syracuse (37).
BIG TEN (5): Ohio State (5), Penn State (9), Iowa (10), Wisconsin (17), Northwestern (47).
MOUNTAIN WEST (4): TCU (1), Air Force (11), Utah (19), BYU (28).
Note: The remaining four conferences (MAC, WAC, Sun Belt, Conference USA) plus the Independents had 15 defenses in the Top 60.
Now statistics don’t tell you everything. But it is interesting to note that neither the Pac-10 nor the Big East has a defense that is ranked in the Top 10. It is also interesting to note that the Mountain West, which is knocking on the door of being a BCS automatic qualifier, has the No. 1 defense (TCU) and four defenses in the top 28.
If there is a gap in the quality of a conference, it is usually defined by defense. Note that in the Big 12 Texas, Nebraska and Oklahoma are all in the top eight on defense. The next team is Oklahoma State at 31.
Note that in the SEC Alabama and Florida are ranked in the top four and South Carolina is next at 15.
Note that in the Big Ten Ohio State, Penn State, Iowa and Wisconsin are all in the top 17. Then the next school is Northwestern is 47.
The point is that at the end of the day the key to winning and competing for championships is not about offense but defense. Great defense is more consistent than great offense. Great defense gives you a chance to win every single game you play. Great offense does not.
A couple of other tidbits while we are taking some time with the numbers:
Is this going to be another good year for defense in the SEC? We’ll see. A total of 70 defensive starters return for the 12 teams. That’s an average of 5.8 starters per team. Alabama returns only two starters from its No. 2 defense while Florida only returns five from its No. 4 defense. Five of those six Florida starters were taken in the NFL Draft.
Here is a breakdown of the returning defensive starters in the SEC by team:
SEC (70): Alabama (2), Arkansas (7), Auburn (8), Florida (5), Georgia (5), Kentucky (7), LSU (4), Ole Miss (6), Mississippi State (8), South Carolina (7), Tennessee (6, it’s really 5 because Vols have already lost a starter in DE Ben Martin ), Vanderbilt (5).
The ACC returns 78 starters on defense. Here is that breakdown by team:
ACC (78): Boston College (7), Clemson (6), Duke (6), Florida State (6), Georgia Tech (8), Maryland (5), Miami (8), North Carolina (9), N.C. State (5), Virginia (6), Virginia Tech (5), Wake Forest (7).
So what do you think? Does the fact that Alabama and Florida have lost so many starters on defense knock the SEC down a peg or two? Will the ACC, led by that rock solid defense at North Carolina, edge out the SEC this season as college football’s best defensive conference? Could that title actually belong to the Big 12 or the Big Ten?
The floor is yours.
Please follow me on Twitter:
Personal note: I want to thank everybody for the nice notes about yesterday’s Larry Munson column. I got some more emails last night asking about the book I did with Larry: “From Herschel to a Hobnail Boot.” You can go to my website and get more information about the book and how to purchase it.:
Tell us what you think about the site
Customer Care »
Vacation stops, manage subscriptions and more
AJC Services
Sections
Other Editions
Visitor Agreement | Privacy Statement
© 2013 The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
285 comments Add your comment
Tony Barnhart
August 11th, 2010
5:05 pm
My apologies to Wake Forest, which was left off the list of returning starters. Wake Forest has seven returning starters on defense, which gives the ACC 78 total.
SILLY UGA FANS
August 11th, 2010
5:06 pm
Dawgfan,
Once again you are unable to actually READ what another person has posted. I never said the game did not matter. The game always matters for bragging and recruiting purposes. This article and what I was referring to was concerning the numbers from the 09 season and some of you seem to think that because UGA ran all over the GTs defense that means something on a national scale. CJ Spiller almost got as many yards as your two RBs put together. The U tore our defense apart as well as FSU. Point being GTs defense was horrible last year and the only reason we went 11-3 was because the offense was able to eat the clock and to brag about performing well on a really bad defense is plain stupid. Now go ahead and spin this into something I did not say to fit into whatever narrow minded world you live in. Please keep the post coming because your facination with all things GT is great.
Mootduff
August 11th, 2010
5:07 pm
The correct answer is the SEC even to the most CASUAL of observers.
ACC? LOL. It’s a great combination of lackluster offenses (with apologies to GT’s/VT’s rushing attacks and NCSU’s Russell Wilson). No wonder there are some high ranked defenses. Playing against such mediocre teams is sure to garner some high ranks.
As the UNC fans are fond of chanting”If you can’t go to college, go to State,” the same holds true for the SEC vs. the ACC. If you cannot play in the SEC, you can always go to the ACC (or, LOL, the PAC-10).
SILLY UGA FANS
August 11th, 2010
5:08 pm
Tony don’t beat yourself up most people forget about Wake Forest until overlooking them and saying why are we losing to Wake Forest.
dawgfan
August 11th, 2010
5:10 pm
George, its typically self-evident when dealing with people of even minimal intelligence, but I am dealing with Tech fans. Cute post though.
SILLY UGA FANS
August 11th, 2010
5:14 pm
Mootduff you lost the argument as soon as you mentioned Russell Wilson while forgeting Christian Ponder. FSU actually had a pretty good offense just no defense. The U also had a strong offense and could have done better if Harris had not become interception prone towrd the end. It is also funny that you say if you can’t play in the SEC go to the ACC when probably 3/4 of the players in the ACC were recruited by SEC schools as well.
I think
August 11th, 2010
5:16 pm
GT will suck even more this year than last – that’s what I think now that you asked.
Gatorbait 17-3
August 11th, 2010
6:10 pm
I think I’ll take the 5 returning Gators from the #4 ranked defense against the
5 average dawgs from the 38th ranked defense. I can assure you Florida has
two nearly equal defensive players on the depth chart, not to mention the greatest
defensive recruiting class in NCAA history.
It’s just going to be another 4 years of misery in Jacksonville,
sorry but facts are facts.
Just a little heads up on your trip to Colorado:
Boulder’s elevation is 5430 feet. The higher altitude can have extreme effects on you. Below are things you can do to make your stay in Boulder and Colorado more enjoyable!
1. Adjust – Studies show that spending two nights at a modest altitude like 5,000 feet decreases typical symptoms like headaches, fatigue or nausea. Spend some time in Boulder before you head up to the higher elevations!
2. Drink more water than usual!
3. Take it easy the first day or two! Outdoor and athletic activities require adjustments in breathing and increasing intake of hydrating fluids!
4. Reduce alcohol, caffeine and salty foods.
5. Remember we are one mile closer to the sun. Protect yourself with sun screen and sun glasses!
SuperiorIntellect
August 11th, 2010
6:41 pm
Mootduff, UNC will send a minimum of 6 players (prob more) to the pros, five of which will possibly be 1st rounders. How many will your best SEC team send to pros, and how many will be 1st rounders?
gatech12
August 11th, 2010
6:46 pm
I love how Uga always states that they beat the acc champs last year. That was your superbowl and you played like it. The better team has lost the last 2 years. Nesbitt was out for a quarter and a half when UGA went on a 14-0 run and our horrible back up turned the ball over. If he doesnt get hurt we probably win the game, hell we were a bad drop away from winning anyway. What about the year before when preseason number 1 uga was beat on their home field by a bad tech team. Paul johnson was worried about the acc championship way more then a pointless game at the end of the season. He didnt know how much the rivalry meant to Gt grads and fans. I can assure you he knows now and that game will never be taken lightly again. Good luck on your season boys I believe both defenses will be vastly improved. I think the third week makes both of our seasons. UGA vs Ark and GT vs NC. Still cant understand why both of those games are at noon, all 4 teams are ranked preseason. I wish they were night games or at least 330
POAD
August 11th, 2010
7:23 pm
Right now it is cooler at Noon than it is at a 3:30 game.
Champ
August 11th, 2010
7:24 pm
Hey Tony no team has ever won back-to-back BCS titles. Nebraska won back-to-back AP National titles
Tide4u2c
August 11th, 2010
7:54 pm
Champ
Bama has 64 and 65 and almost in 66 too but Bama was screwed by ND bias that is still here today.
jerry mills
August 11th, 2010
7:59 pm
there’s only 3 conferences in the nation. SEC, Texas football, and the other teams. lol!! ohio and usc are the most overrated in nation. SEC teams beat the hell out of each other and thats the only reason they lose to other conferences sometimes. Ain’t that right Colt? Tebow? ROOOOOOLLLLLL TIIIIIDDDDEEE!!!!!!
SEC
August 11th, 2010
8:34 pm
Special Education Conference
jackson
August 11th, 2010
9:04 pm
Several of you have stated that Nesbitt missed a quarter and a half. Just to set the record stratight, he missed 4 offensive plays. One was an interception by Jones.
bully11
August 11th, 2010
10:46 pm
You have to remember, SEC defenses play against SEC offenses. The ACC doesn’t stand a chance in either category. Just look at the last 4 National Champions and that should tell the whole story.
college football
August 11th, 2010
11:34 pm
what a lame question, the ACC is barely above high shcool level
BuLLdawg
August 12th, 2010
12:33 am
Nebraska did NOT win 2 Consecutive BCS National Championships in 1994 1995, Tony Barnhart sir. The BCS National Championship Game did not start until 1998. Tennessee won that year, the first of Six (6) BCS National Championships for The SEC.
Never done before on BCS National Championships Tony ? That is the CURRENT streak of Four (4) BCS National Championships in a Row by The SEC. In fact, it has NEVER been done before in the history of college football that 1 Conference won the National Championship all 4 years in a Row. Not in the BCS NC and not in the Final AP Poll, either.
Hilarious that you would even attempt to compare the ACC with The SEC in college football, especially defense. The SEC has 6 teams in the Preseason USA Today Coaches’ Poll.
The ACC averages # 11 in the Final AP Poll for the ACC top-ranked team over the last half a dozen years.
# 11 ACC average top-ranked team over the last half a dozen years.
OUTSIDE the Top 10 in the Final AP Poll.
While The SEC finished with the BCS National Champions the last 4 years in a row and frankly 5 of the last 6 years.
ACC Conference CHUMPionship last season for example was held the week after 2 SEC also-ran football teams BOTH battered the ACC Conference CHUMPionship teams.
SEC last season, for example, had # 1 and # 3 while the ACC was # 9 Virginia Tech as the highest ranked ACC team in the Final AP Poll.
ACC 12-15 record last season against other BCS Conference opponents.
SEC 15-8 record last season against other BCS Conference opponents.
GT Fan ...
August 12th, 2010
7:24 am
Tone …… GT technically has ten (10) starters returning with Cooper Taylor and Kyle Jackson back from injury. The only loss being SR starter Sedric Griffin.
Fellow GT fans ….. I’ve been reading a lot about true FR Isaiah Johnson and his skills (will he quickly make us forget about Morgan Burnnett??) – can’t wait to see him in game action!
FORTY ONE POINTS to your seventeen points
August 12th, 2010
7:26 am
Love the mutt’s “D”, 2008 (49-10) and ….
(((((((((((((((((((((((((41-17)))))))))))))))))
Score 90 points in 2 games, nice.
Hatfieldgeoff
August 12th, 2010
8:19 am
Tony, for these defensive stats to mean anything you have to make a corrolation with the offenses in each conference. Having a top 10 defense doesn’t mean much nationally if you play in a conference with weak offenses that lack speed and size. TCU’s defense my be good, even very good, but how would they rank playing in the SEC, ACC or Big 12, not nearly as high I’m sure. What sets the SEC apart from most of the other conferences is the speed of its defensive linemen. In general they are huge, athletic and quick and can get into the backfield to disrupt plays; while the Big 10 (or 11 or 12), for instance, has large linemen who can’t make those kind of plays. Of course there are exceptions but in general I think this is true.
Gate-Or
August 12th, 2010
8:47 am
Who cares. Gators will kill Dawgtards by thirty points as usual.
94Deac
August 12th, 2010
9:31 am
Dawgfan: “Was that ‘06 championship showdown with Tech even televised?”
I know one game that was televised: Sept 15, 1979: #12 ranked UGA loses to unranked Wake Forest in Athens, including being shut-out in the second-half. Of course, you probably want to forget all about Wake Forest considering UGA has a losing record against Wake Forest, all-time.
LOVEFALL&FOOTBALL
August 12th, 2010
10:29 am
R U Kidding me? I’m a tech fan, have been for years. However the truth HURTS. The S.E.C always has had the “knock em on their butts” defense. Also big strong offensive line, big tough, hard nose running backs. Thats the way you win games. I like P.J., and think he’s a smart coach, but the big strong, tough, teams will beat you 9 out of 10 times.
UM!
August 12th, 2010
3:43 pm
Let’s make this honest…… last year is over… we all agree, Miami is returning a lot of starters on defense, one of the nations topDE’S, and CB’S, solid at every position with great depth, a top linebacker prospect in mccarthy, and Spence. Marcus Forston one of the nations top DT returning from injury, High quality Depth at all positions. A co-ordinater who is finally in place. Not Screaming NC yet but when u describe a great defense those are common factors I always remember hearing…. not arguments of last years defense
Mike
August 12th, 2010
5:04 pm
How quickly we forget that in the 80’s and 90’s and until 2003 the SEC was not that strong! The SEC has been great this decade winning 5 national championships. Lets take a look at teams that are in the ACC now with Championships from 80-2002 The U 83,87,89,91,2001 FSU 93,99 Clemson 81 GT 90. SEC 80-2003 UG 80, Bama 92,UF 96, UT 98. Even without the U the ACC won 4 and SEC won 4.
Mike
August 12th, 2010
5:09 pm
The ACC is going to be just as strong as the SEC this year it just took the ACC to get its footing with recruiting and getting good coaches into programs to stabalize them. Da U, UNC, VT and FSU will be just as good or better than Bama, UF, LSU and UG!
bigscholar
August 12th, 2010
10:39 pm
Wow..question? why is it middle-of-the road SEC teams beat top-ranked ACC teams. According to SEC fans, all of the SEC teams are GREAT!!!! So, there are NO middle of the road SEC teams in the MIGHTY SEC…Can’t have it both ways folks. Plus it was just one year. Don’t let the ACC out play the SEC this year…..gonna hear it all the way from Oxford to Gainesville…..down year for the SEC.
The SEC is good but seriously OVERHYPED right now!
Seriously…and I do mean seriously, do you people realize that Miami and FSU play in the ACC? They’ve been down and the only two programs in the SEC (maybe LSU as of late) are on par with those programs (FL and AL). History and tradition are on Miami and FSU side for return to glory soon.
The ACC produces as many pros in football as the SEC, etc. I enjoy watching SEC football but some of the fans need to get a grip on reality and stop believing the HYPE.
This is why CFB needs a playoff to squash the conference boosterism…..best conference don’t mean best team…many of year the ACC has had the best conference in CBB but not the best team.
bigscholar
August 12th, 2010
10:51 pm
And yes, the SEC plays great defense, but there are great defenses throughout the landscape….there is more to football than the SEC…much….much more. There is parity in CFB…much more than realized.
If there were a playoff systems in CFB, results would tend to equate to those of CBB. The SEC would win their fair share, but the conference boosterism wouldn’t be necessary. The SEC commish understands the need to HYPE the name…much credit, this way you ensure a team from your conference will play in the BCS championship game. I think he realized this after Auburn got snubbed in 2004.
If they used this formula in CBB, Duke and Carolina would have 2x as many NCAA championships.
Drifter
August 14th, 2010
9:31 am
I’m a fan of GT & UGA, but this is a silly question. The SEC owns football and the ACC? Well, there’s always basketball.
Palladin
August 15th, 2010
8:51 pm
What are the upcoming SEC vs. ACC match-ups?
9/4 – LSU vs. North Carolina
9/18 – Auburn vs. Clemson – Alabama vs. Duke
11/27 – Florida vs. Florida State – Georgia vs. Georgia Tech
Did I miss any? All of these are significant games, with the exception of one. Then again, David does sometimes prevail over Goliath. This blog should probably be revisited after Thanksgiving weekend and then we’ll have a fair basis for comparing Defenses.
Tiger
August 16th, 2010
12:24 pm
SEC = Sure, Everyone Cheats
rich
August 17th, 2010
9:45 am
Alabama fans – please stop with references to 13 National Championships. You have 5. nter your comments here
ACC vs. SEC: Who has the better defense? | Football Coaching Jobs
August 19th, 2010
12:09 am
[...] View the original article here Posted in Uncategorized [...]