SEC Pride: Conference looks as strong as ever

SEC fans are a prideful bunch. From historically great programs to wonderful fan traditions to the conference’s recent dominance over the college football landscape, there’s plenty to chant “S-E-C!” about. Here’s a look at five things the conference’s fans can point to at the quarter-point of the regular season.

1. The country’s two best offensive weapons. Oregon’s Marcus Mariota probably takes the title of best quarterback in the country, but the two biggest non-QB threats in the nation reside in the Southeast. Amari Cooper and Todd Gurley are both head and shoulders above their competition at wide receiver and running back, respectively. Gurley is 10th in the country in rushing, but he’s done it in three games, averaging 9.8 yards on each of his 13.7 carriers per game. Cooper is catching everything in sight as the nation’s leading receiver, despite defenses knowing the ball is coming his way. These two are going to make themselves a lot of money on Sundays in the near future.
2. The depth of the West. On Saturday, an unranked Mississippi State team marched into Death Valley, one of the toughest venues in the country, and took LSU apart. With a win against Texas A&M this Saturday, Arkansas could take the final step to having all seven SEC West teams in the top 25.
3. Points galore. The SEC has been known for its defensive talent for years, but this year the offenses are shining just as brightly. Half of the league’s 14 teams are among the top 25 nationally in points per game, with three teams (Texas A&M, Arkansas and Georgia) sitting in the top five.
4. A gutsy non-conference win. Missouri may have dropped the ball in a bad loss to Indiana, but Auburn defended the SEC’s honor on the road in Manhattan, Kan. It certainly wasn’t a pretty game for one of the country’s top offenses, but after looking like a powerhouse through two games it should inspire confidence that the Tigers were able to come through with a win in a hostile environment.
5. A good shot at two playoff teams. With the strength of the West, there’s a very good chance of a one-loss second place team being far better than whoever else is in consideration for the No. 4 spot in the College Football Playoff. Texas A&M and Alabama have looked like world beaters, and Auburn is as dangerous as ever. With the strength of the division, it wouldn’t be a hard sell to say that a one-loss team from the West is better than some undefeated teams.

Brett Weisband

A former freelance journalist from Philadelphia, Brett has made the trek down to SEC country to cover the greatest conference in college football.