Ranking the conferences: SEC and then the rest
Here’s a good one to argue over. ESPN.com is doing another one of its Sportsnation polls, this one about how the major college football conferences rank.
Here’s how I ranked them:
1. SEC
2. Big 12
3. ACC
4. Big 10
5. Pac 10
6. Big East
7. Mountain West
8. WAC
9. Conference USA
10. MAC
11. Sun Belt
Now, before you ACC fans start howling about me ranking the conference behind the Big 12 (and, frankly, before FSU became mediocre I probably would have flipped those), take a look at how the voting is actually going in the ESPN poll:
1. SEC (including 53 percent of the No. 1 votes)
2. Big 12
3. Big 10
4. Pac 10
5. ACC
And the rest of the list matches the way I voted.
So ESPN.com readers at large think the ACC is only the fifth best conference.
Chew on that for a while.
Tell us what you think about the site
Customer Care »
Vacation stops, manage subscriptions and more
AJC Services
Sections
Other Editions
Guides
Visitor Agreement | Privacy Statement
© 2011 The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
67 comments Add your comment
Buzz
July 10th, 2009
2:05 pm
But Tech will still beat UGA … again. So these lists mean nothing journalism boy!
RxDawg
July 10th, 2009
2:10 pm
The Big 12 does not deserve #2. Nope, no way no how.
dawgs
July 10th, 2009
2:18 pm
buzz their is no way that georgia tech will beat the dogs this year
Phil McCrotch
July 10th, 2009
2:26 pm
buzz- journalism boy? way too much credit given there.
Island Dawg
July 10th, 2009
2:26 pm
“Again”? Once every 8 years hardly constitutes a dynasty, Buzz. That would be like me saying we own UF; no, wait, I’m not a moron.
Otto
July 10th, 2009
2:26 pm
1. SEC
2. Big 12
3. ACC
4. Big 10
5. Big East
6. Mountain West
7. PAC10
8. WAC
9+ who cares
7 and 8 were a close call. How can MWC be behind the PAC10 when they had the winning record.
Otto
July 10th, 2009
2:28 pm
Buzz 2 coaches in GT’s history have ended their tenure in Atlanta with a winning record over UGA. Why should this coach change things?
Buzz
July 10th, 2009
2:30 pm
I would respond to your comments but I have a bridge to design.
Pecan
July 10th, 2009
2:32 pm
I think the ESPN poll is about right. I feel sorry for the Tech fans.
m
July 10th, 2009
2:35 pm
sec is a top heavy conference with on great team and 11 dwarfs.
The ACC is much better top to bottom. Last year, last place dook was ranked ahead of 4 (FOUR) sec teams!!!
Last year, the ACC and sec went 6-6 head to head. The last place ACC team, dook beat a sec bowl vanderbilt.
To say the sec is better than the acc because they have one outstanding team is ludicrous.
The ACC plays the sec 7 games this year. I will bet you my house that the ACC wins at least 4 out of the 7.
The sec is the all hype conference. You know…ugag was supposed to beat Tech….alabammer was supposed to beat Utah…..ole miss who beat floriduh but couldn’t beat wake forest….etc.
45-42….glad it hurts so bad.
Dawg11
July 10th, 2009
2:38 pm
Buzz, did you also design the parking garage that partially collapsed a couple of weeks ago? You know, the one located across the street from your crime-ridden campus? Maybe you should have spent more time improving your design on that project as opposed to frequenting UGA blogs. See you in Bobby Dudd in November, loser!
Angus
July 10th, 2009
2:40 pm
Not exactly sure who’s rankings to trust, but realtimerpi showed that 2008 finished:
Big 12
SEC
Big East
ACC
Big 10
MWC
Pac 10
mobettadawg
July 10th, 2009
2:41 pm
m, we are a top heavy conference; top heavy in the final AP poll of the best 25 teams in the nation. glad your geekness hurts so bad you blog on our site to remind us of your nuevo riche status; wait, thats right you’re not actually rich….h@mo.
Huh?
July 10th, 2009
2:46 pm
1. SEC
2. Big 12
3. Pac 10
4. Big 10
5. Big East
6. Mountain West
7. ACC
8. WAC
The problem is there is a big dropoff after the top dog SEC. Ranking the rest is next to impossible. One thing that everyone seems to agree on though is that the ACC is a total joke.
UGA > GT
July 10th, 2009
2:48 pm
Buzz and M, why don’t you design another parking deck together? Last place Duke was ranked ahead of 4 SEC teams because the SEC is obviously tougher. If you took the top 5 SEC teams and put them in different conferences, they would be ranked in the NCAA top 5. All we do is beat eachother up and yes Florida is the obvious #1 but any of the top 5 would beat the top ACC teams, ya’ll are jokes, and couldn’t even do well in basketball this year, the only thing ya’ll are usually good at. I understand trying to defend your conference but sometimes you have to wake up and realize you are WRONG. Alabama lost to Utah because they no longer cared, they were supposed to go to the National Championship so its a little hard to get up for the Sugar Bowl against a bunch of 25 yr old Mormons. You guys finally won one against us this year because we also no longer cared about our season, after the losses to Bama and Florida our season was over so congrats for 1 out of the past 8 years.
Buzz
July 10th, 2009
2:48 pm
I bet M’s house the ACC wins 4 of 7 too!
John
July 10th, 2009
2:49 pm
Buzz, go design your bridge. Maybe you can put some specs in to get it spray painted in Yellow like the 17th st bridge and be all proud of yourself. It ain’t gonna make your football team great. If you technies were that smart, you’d find away to spiff up that dump you call a campus over there at the North Ave Trade School. Maybe you can build some robot fans so that the “Historic Grant Field” looks like it is at least 1/2 full with Tech fans on gameday. GO DOGS!
Go Dogs
July 10th, 2009
2:59 pm
Can we all at least agree that the PAC 10 is pathetic and that if USC were in the SEC or even the ACC they would not have nearly the kind of success they have had (they cannot even beat teams from OR with any regularity for f’s sake).
Cuz
July 10th, 2009
3:02 pm
The PAC 1(0) is overrated.
Buzz
July 10th, 2009
3:03 pm
If I could design robots, I can assure you UGA would lose by an even larger margin this year. And you’d see a lot of 80-yard field goals too.
But yes, I can agree USC has fattened its win totals over the years by preying on a tepid PAC10 field.
Personally, I like the WAC … it’s like the arena football league of the NCAA.
Reality Check
July 10th, 2009
3:06 pm
ACC= Almost Can Conference. Maybe the conference chmapion will get to play Central Florida or similar team this year in the Orange Bowl if Cincinnati is not available. That is the only way that the Joke of a Champion will win a BCS game this decade. I hear they are offering free hot dogs and gas to the first 20,000 people to show up for the ACC title game and to be safe are ordering at half that amount. I would give the ACC the nod over the Mountain West and have them at #6.
Burdell
July 10th, 2009
3:22 pm
Still the mighty, preseason #1 2008 Bulldogs lost at home to the lowly Jackets who didn’t even win their division much less their conference. So the ACC must REALLY suck….
whatever
July 10th, 2009
3:23 pm
the company that built the parking deck is owned and run by two auburn grads. hmmm, wonder which conference auburn is? oh yeah, the S(uck)EC.
nice try a**wipes.
Burdell
July 10th, 2009
3:23 pm
…NOT!
Archie
July 10th, 2009
3:24 pm
I don’t think the PAC 10 is overrated, being overrated requires that somebody out there is saying they’re good in the first place, and I haven’t heard anybody in the media make that claim. So I think the Pac 10 is about as good as everyone says it is, which is about the 4th best conference. The Big 10 is probably the 5th best conference, but the Mountain West is actually charging strong on that spot.
I’m not even going to argue the SEC’s top spot, there’s too much depth there to argue. I also think the Big 12 is clearly the 2nd best conference. Texas and OU are as good a team as you’ll find anywhere in college football, and teams like OSU and Nebraska aren’t far off from being a top 10 to 15 team. Then teams like Texas Tech and Kansas can cause problems for any team. Comparing the Big 12 to the ACC, there are a lot of good teams in the ACC but nobody is better than anybody else in that conference, I think they all level off at about a top 15 or so ranking. It’s the most competitive conference, but that’s because of parity and not quality.
bb
July 10th, 2009
3:26 pm
Your rankings look about right. As an ACC fan I don’t think I would argue that, for now at least, the SEC and Big 12 are still ahead based completely on those conferences having more elite teams (i.e. in the NC conversation). As soon as a couple of ACC teams start stepping into that conversion, then we might be able to argue being as good as them.
As for the Big10 and Pac10, please. I’m not even sure they rank ahead of the Big Least or even the MWC. The Pac10 has only USC to hang it’s hat on, then nothing else. The Big10 always fizzles when they play quality OOC games.
Minnesota Dawg
July 10th, 2009
3:33 pm
How about the SEC #1 and all other conferences fight for #2 every year! Go SEC!!!
DawgEatVol
July 10th, 2009
3:35 pm
m your momma would be upset if she knew you were using her house in a bet like that.
DawgEatVol
July 10th, 2009
3:36 pm
Now act like a big boy and clean your room. Make sure you eat your veggies at dinner and do your summer reading before you turn out the light tonight.
steve
July 10th, 2009
3:44 pm
ROLL TIDE……..opening game September 5. WooHooooooooooooooooo
ACC = Irrelevant
July 10th, 2009
3:48 pm
Final Coaches Poll team rankings by Conference:
SEC: UF 1, Bama 6, UGA 10, Miss 15
Big 12: Tex 3, Okl 5, TexTech 12, Missouri 16, OkSt 18
Pac 10: USC 2, Ore 8, OreSt 19, Cal 25
Big 10: PennSt 8, OhioSt 11, Iowa 20, MichSt 24
ACC: VT 14, GT 22, FSU 23
The SEC, Big 12, Pac 10, & Big 10 all had TWO teams each ranked higher than ACC’s top ranked VT at 14. All of these conferences also had 1 more team ranked in the top 25 than the ACC (Big12 had 2 more).
But the ACC is a better conference?! yeah right. Please spare me the “Well, the ACC is a tougher conference from top to bottom” speak. What it does say is last year at least the ACC was a league full of mediorcre teams that beat up on each other, period!
slimpickens
July 10th, 2009
4:00 pm
Fire Mark Bradley!
superDawg
July 10th, 2009
4:02 pm
How long has it been since a ACC team has won or played in a national championship game.
dawgfanatic24-7
July 10th, 2009
4:05 pm
I’d put the ACC over the PAC-10 but not over the BIG-10. However Tech doesn’t make the ACC good.Tech will lose all games against an SECteam this year……even to Miss.state.
RAMBLE ON!!!
July 10th, 2009
4:05 pm
Aww, superDawg riding LSU and UF’s coat-tails, how cute.
Real Rankings boys
July 10th, 2009
4:09 pm
I’ll give the nerds some relief here. Last year as mr. irrelevant pointed out, the ACC was god awful. However, this year they seem to be turning the corner a little bit with the likes of NC St and UNC improving, FSU finally getting back to FSU status, the consistent V tech, an aspiring G Tech, and an always thugged out U of M. Here it goes:
1. SEC – Easyyyyyyyy
2. Big 12 – Easyyyyyy
3. ACC – Close call
4. Big East – Recent success
5. Pac 10 – You guys can hate on this, but you have to respect their speed (probably second fastest conference, but no coaching…)
6. Big 10 – always over-rated, ALWAYS
The others don’t really matter, but MWC definitely tops the rest.
dawgstephen
July 10th, 2009
4:10 pm
superdawg, thats a great question, i add to that, when is the last time TECH even played in a BCS game, much less won one.
http://www.dawgstephen.blogspot.com
dawgstephen
July 10th, 2009
4:11 pm
i usually get stung by a bee once every 8 years, just a fact of life. Go dawgs.
http://www.dawgstephen.blogspot.com
superDawg
July 10th, 2009
4:21 pm
ramble good coat tails are in the SEC.
heeldawg
July 10th, 2009
4:21 pm
For all of you ACC fans who denigrate Alabama for losing to the “lowly” Utes, consider this: that Utah team finished second in the nation, unbeaten, and would have easily won the ACC had it played in that conference. The 2008 ACC Champions, by contrast, would have had a hard time exceeding 0.500 in the SEC conference schedule, depending upon the draw. Head-to-head matchups (with which the ACC managed a 6-6 record against the SEC) mean very little if the matchups aren’t stratified according to in-conference ranking (i.e. if Duke played randomly-assigned 10 SEC teams, they’d likely lose at least 8 of those). The closest matchups were between a schizophrenic Ole Miss team (alternately good one week and mediocre the next) and Wake Forest and Ga Tech vs Georgia/LSU (Tech went 1-1 in those games). The difficulty in the SEC is that in any given week you might face a team with either a top-shelf coach and mediocre talent (i.e. South Carolina, Arkansas of vanderbilt), or great talent and great coaching (Alabama, Georgia, Florida) or, at bare minimum, tremendous enthusiasm and good recruiting, i.e. Tennessee). There’s no letup.
SuperB
July 10th, 2009
4:57 pm
While Buzz is dreaming, the ACC is weak. The SEC and the Big 12 are head and shoulders above the rest of the pack, and the Big Ten is soooo over-hyped. Brent Musberger, college football’s version of Conan O’Brien, thinks the Big 10 is great. Is he really—- Buzz?
Mike Bobo 17 INT
July 10th, 2009
5:09 pm
Got to agree with you on this one Bill, the SEC should be on top, however only LSU and UF carry the SEC weight. The remaining teams, including UGA are sort of the Duke’s and FAMU’s of their conference.
There is way too much emphasis on conference and not programs. Just ask Saban about Utah and the Sugar Bowl last year. If Utah destroyed Alabama, and Alabama destroyed UGA, then just imagine the beatdown if UGA had played in the Sugar Bowl.
Hey isn’t it time to give CMR another raise? He hasn’t really done anything, but needs some more cash. Go ahead and extend the contract and make Miami really poney up when he leaves UGA.
Mike Bobo 17 INT
July 10th, 2009
5:10 pm
This entire blog is the biggest joke on earth, and UGA fans bite it hook line and sinker just to keep the AJC afloat.
Altmaha Dog
July 10th, 2009
5:13 pm
Sorry it is been a while, but I have decided to change programs. UGA has been a major disappointment and I need to move on. The 2009 season is just going to be another 8-4 season at best and I am tired of being called a loser.
I have decided to join OU in the Big 12 with Heisman winner Sam Bradford. OU has many more titles than UGA, Heisman winners, and just an overall better program. Matter of fact the Big 12 is much stronger than the SEC, so I know where to put my faith.
Sorry folks, and take care.
SSI gator
July 10th, 2009
5:49 pm
Why does CMR eat his cereal out of the box? Because he is afraid he would lose the MNC BCS Bowl.
Mitch Cumstein
July 10th, 2009
10:09 pm
SSi gator……..What a homo!!!!!!!
Here’s a real joke for you….What’d you do with that money?
What money?
The money your mom gave you for comedian school!
weston
July 11th, 2009
7:28 am
The poll currently shows ACC at 5th. LMAO. That’s actually being generous.
Jacksonville St, a formidable, mighty home opener. ROLL ON THE FLOOR LMAO
If UGA joined the ACC it’d be the ACC conference champion every year.
The Grinch
July 11th, 2009
8:02 am
To RAMBLE ON
How’s that Roddy Jones man-crush thing working out for you? BWAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!
Saint Simons
July 11th, 2009
10:03 am
45-42!!!!!! hahahahahahhahahahahahaahaha
SEC
July 11th, 2009
2:04 pm
This whole blog just shows how many people dont know anything about football nationwide. The SEC rides UF and LSU? why cause they have won the recent national titles? Did people forget that UGA finish 2nd in 2007 and Bama went to the sugar bowl last year only cause they lost to UF. The media loves the PAC-10(USC). How in the world is USC ranked so high when they lost most of their top talent including their whole linebacker core(4). The ACC, come on. Are ya’ll just talking trash or do you really believe ya’ll are now a supreme confrence? Congrats to Tech for last season but ya’ll still lost 4 games. Yes you beat UGA. It was a game of two halves. I really wouldnt be bragging about giving up 42 points and on top of that losing your better than average d-line. As UGA showed last year, offense can only get you so far. As of right now the ACC does not need to be mentioned near the SEC or Big 12. If you wanna talk about riding coat tails then the Big 12 is the kings of that category.