Alabama football fans are not going to like what is being said about the SEC. The SEC is not the best conference, is the hot new claim thrilling college football fans across America.
Who is to blame for such blasphemy? Alabama football fans, you can start with this guy.
"I do not consider the SEC to be the best conference... You can have better players. Your coaching is awful." — @ColinCowherd pic.twitter.com/E9fMKMb2BZ
— Herd w/Colin Cowherd (@TheHerd) May 11, 2017
Media pundits make their livelihood off their opinion. Cowherd is one of many. His comment about “the insular nature of the south” is an old nostrum, that apparently still plays well outside the south.
We can search for facts but it is a challenge to find an objective source. It is fact, in the 2016-2017 post-season, SEC teams posted six wins and seven losses. The ACC was 8-3, with a national championship. Those numbers are one season. One season does not make a trend.
The most recent fuel for the SEC being down argument came from a poll of cbssports.com college football experts. The small panel ranked all the 64 coaches from the Power 5 conferences, plus one, Brian Kelly.
In the top 25 of these 65 coaches, Nick Saban was, of course, No. 1. The next highest ranked SEC coach was Gus Malzahn at No. 19. The two other SEC coaches in the top 25 were Dan Mullin at No. 21 and Jim McElwain at No. 23. Out of the 25 top coaches in the nation, the SEC had four.
In that Top 25 list, the ACC had six coaches as did the Big 10. The Big 12 and the Pac 12 matched the SEC with four.
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Where did the other SEC coaches place? Bret Bielema was No. 27; Hugh Freeze, No. 33; Will Muschamp, No. 37; Kevin Sumlin, No. 40; Ed Orgeron, No. 48; Butch Jones, No. 52; Derek Mason, No. 53; Kirby Smart, No. 54; Mark Stoops, No. 56 and Barry Odom, No. 62.
Based upon your opinion of the panel members, Dennis Dodd, Ben Kercheval, Chip Patterson, Barton Simmons and Tom Fornelli, you can decide if their ranking supports Cowherd’s claim.
Other panels, of good, not-so-good and clueless experts will arrive at different conclusions. A more recent ranking by Athlon Sports of SEC Coaches had Dan Mullin and Jim McElwain following Saban, with Malzahn fourth best in the SEC.
How much, if any, does all this matter? Not much we suppose. Though we remain rankled by that snide “insular” comment from Cowherd.
On Tuesday we penned some words about Pat Dye’s agreement with Nick Saban Pat Dye and Saban agree. Dye also addressed the SEC is down arguments by suggesting the NFL clearly thinks otherwise.
Next: 5 Best SEC Quarterbacks not named Jalen Hurts
We have a tip for Colin Cowherd. Don’t use that insular word within arm’s length of Pat Dye. Pat is not a young man, but we’re guessing he still packs enough punch to floor Cowherd. We also presume Gene Stallings and Steve Spurrier would rise to the south’s defense in a similar fashion.