By upending Missouri's drive for No. 1, Oklahoma State underscored the power of the Big 12.
G. Newman Lowrance/Getty Images
G. Newman Lowrance/Getty Images
I have warned the tech folks here at SI.com -- FanNation division -- that there could be an overflow of comments on this particular Sweep post. I base that statement solely on the reaction last season when -- for one week -- I ranked the SEC second in my conference power rankings. My inbox still has not forgiven me. But tell the truth I must. The Big 12 is the king of conferences right now. Quarterbacks, skill guys, and, yes, even defenses make this conference the tops in the land. Stewart Mandel says there is no way anyone is going undefeated in this league because there are too many quality teams. And this is a league that has already had three teams receive No. 1 votes, and two actually sit at No. 1.
NOTE: The BCS+ notation reflects BCS conference teams, plus other teams ranked in the current AP Top 25.
1. Big 12 (38-10 overall, 7-8 vs. BCS+)
Last Rank: 2
The Good: It seems like the whole conference is improving week to week. Oklahoma State and Texas came up huge away from home this weekend, Oklahoma and Missouri still have to be considered national title contenders, and, oh yeah, Texas Tech is still unbeaten and in the Top 10. Wow.
The Bad: Colorado is about the only team not to put up even a decent showing the last two weeks, but remember, it already has a solid win over West Virginia on its resume.
The Verdict: Iowa State pushed Kansas to the limit last week, Baylor posted a big win over that same team this week, and Kansas State got a 14-point road win. Top, middle and bottom -- this league is the best.
2. SEC (26-4, 5-4)
Last Rank: 1
Last Rank: 1
The Good: The Gators' offense looked frightening against LSU, immediately making Florida look national title worthy again. Alabama appears able to turn it on when necessary and is sitting at the deserved No. 2 ranking. And just about every defense in the league is good-to-great (10 are ranked in the top 40 nationally).
The Bad: Too many bad offenses, especially when compared to the Big 12. Outside of Florida and Georgia, who REALLY scares you?
The Verdict: Vanderbilt, a team that mustered just over 100 yards on Saturday, leads the SEC East. That is a sign that something is amiss with what has traditionally been the nation's best conference.
3. ACC (31-10, 10-8)
Last Rank: 3
Last Rank: 3
The Good: A 5-0 non-league record since our last rankings, including 2-0 BCS+ (North Carolina beat UConn and Notre Dame).
The Bad: The Clemson-Wake Forest game on Thursday night was poorly played, which was not a good advertisement for what are supposed to be two of the league's best teams.
The Verdict: Quietly the third best conference, and making up ground on the SEC.
4. Mountain West (23-11, 8-4)
Last Rank: 5
The Good: Utah added an eighth BCS+ win to the league's ledger by edging Oregon State two weeks ago, and BYU and Utah are both in the Top 15.
The Bad: Air Force's loss to Navy stings in Colorado Springs.
The Verdict: The BYU-Utah game is still looking like one with BCS implications and millions of dollars on the line.
5. Big Ten (31-10, 6-9)
Last Rank: 4
Last Rank: 4
The Good: Penn State seems to fill up this spot every week, but the Lions are waxing EVERYBODY. Replacing fading Wisconsin, Michigan State appears to be in the elite group along with Penn State and Ohio State.
The Bad: I'll let Michigan alum Gennaro Filice fill you in.
The Verdict: The demise of Michigan and Wisconsin is offset somewhat by improvement from bottom-feeders Northwestern and Minnesota, plus I think I would take Penn State on a neutral field against anyone right now.
6. Pac-10 (11-13, 6-11)
Last Rank: 6
The Good: USC is showing signs of recovering from that strange loss to Oregon State, but with so many teams seemingly in contention, it could be another year of Pete Carroll saying he wishes there was a playoff because his team is playing the best in January.
The Bad: After UCLA's Terrance Austin was carted off the field on a stretcher during the UCLA-Oregon game, another was needed to cart off a fan who had fallen to the turf during a fight in the stands. Austin and the fan were apparently okay.
The Verdict: Arizona failed in its bid to become "the second best team behind USC" with a loss to Stanford. Applications are still being accepted.
7. Big East (18-12, 6-9)
Last Rank: 7
The Good: Louisville beat former C-USA rival Memphis in a tough environment on Friday night.
The Bad: Best team in the league (South Florida) is ranked No. 19 in the nation.
The Verdict: How long ago was it that the Big East was basking in the glow of all of its bowl victories and top 10 teams? That was just LAST year?
Marlina Moreno
Oluchi Onweagba
Mavs Dancers
College Football, Top 25 Review
Comments (180) Add A Comment
Oh, this one is gonna cause a storm :)
keithshyne
Carrollton , TX
Total Comments (49)
Even your own numbers proves that the SEC is by far the best conference in the nation. The only way you get those four loses in the SEC is because they are playing each other. Let's wait and see how they do when they have to play each other in the BCS. SEC will win it again.
Theodor
Gallman , MS
Total Comments (1)
Hmm, I was sure the ACC would be like #2.
Zeek
Shady Side , MD
Total Comments (19)
I agree with those rankings.
Now just to wait for the stampede of SEC fans chomping at the bit to tear them down.
Redwing19: MARCH…
Ottawa, ON
Total Comments (3171)
Sadly, #6 feels about right for the Pac 10. Off to mope...
Pac10Vagabond
Gladstone , OR
Total Comments (13)
Good rankings, I am a Va Tech alumni/fan, and i hate to say it, but on a neutral field, the top 5 teams from the ACC cant beat the top 5 teams from any conference but the big east
BigBills
Chester, VA
Total Comments (1)
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SEC realist
Tuscaloosa , AL
Total Comments (8)
The SEC is clearly the most overrated conference in the country. LSU shouldn't ven be in the top 25 (their 4 wins are against App State, North Texas, Auburn & Mississippi State. LSU's defense is so bad that they have actually made Auburn and Mississippi State's offenses look competent. The pollsters are still voting LSU into the top 25 based on last year's performance, what a joke! Tennessee is not much better than Meeeechigan right now, and Vanderbilt was exposed last weekend as well. The Big 12 is by far the best conference and I'm not soo sure the SEC is even second best anymore!
BigTenFan1354
Brighton , MI
Total Comments (27)
Even as an Alabama fan I can agree that the Big 12 is shaping up to be the best conference in the country, but how in your opening statements can you site defense as a part of ranking the Big12 first? You refute that shortly afterward when crewditing 10 of the sec defenses as being in the top 40. Furthermore i watched all the head to head matchups of the Big 12 this last weekend and one thing i failed to notice was a whole lot of quality defense. Everygame was a shootout.
B2theA2theM2theA
Mobile , AL
Total Comments (7)
About Time! You should have moved the Big 12 over the SEC weeks ago!!!
AFSooner
Colorado Springs , CO
Total Comments (8)
As a huge SEC fan I have to agree with Trocchi's rankings. We have superb athleticism and very physical defenses but our offenses are very offensive this year. The problem is our inferior quarterbacks (AU, Bama, LSU, Ms State, Ark, Kentucky, S car, Tenn). The elite teams of the Big 12 would not score 50+ on the average SEC defense but they would score 30 - 35 and beat the average SEC team 35-20. Notice I say average SEC team because we are lacking elite teams like the Big 12 with only Bama and maybe UF as an exception (UGA is overrated and has no offensive line). The SEC has been the best conference for 3 years now, but we should be humble and accept our place in this down year for our conference. I hope the SEC champ is not granted a "benefit of the doubt" pass to the NC title game this year at the expense of the Big 12 because we have not earned it on the field this year. Texas and Penn State look like the best teams in the nation
SEC realist
Tuscaloosa , AL
Total Comments (8)
What an idiot.
This is 2002 - 2004 all over again for the SEC.
THE REASON WHY THE OFFENSES DON'T LOOK GOOD IS BECAUSE OUR DEFENSES ARE SUPERHUMAN!!!
By comparison, the Big-XII offenses look so good because no one in that league plays defense.
Really, this is an idiotic, short-sited and plain stupid line of reasoning by the media.
DEFENSE WINS CHAMPIONSHIPS!!!
Ask Bob Stoops how many BCS Bowl games he's won with his "great" offenses the last few years.
You sure he wouldn't trade them for his defense from 2000?
The SEC will win the MNC again this year (Alabama, Georgia, Florida, and yes, LSU in the hunt).
BECAUSE OF DEFENSE, STUPID!!!
expert40
Athens , GA
Total Comments (93)
Interesting comment about taking Penn State against anyone on a neutral field. That sounds like a pretty decent description of how one might determine a #1 amongst undefeated teams. Apparently none of the AP pollsters agreed (Penn St. got no first-place votes).
Tshalla
Total Comments (38)
Come on expert 40. I am trying to give us some credibility here by stating the facts. We are hurting this year. Last year the SEC was ridiculously deep and talented and this year half the league is in shambles. That includes your overatted Hairy Dawgs that can't make it through 1 game without 50 penalties. Don't you think UGA is a tad overrated just as I think the Tide is a little high right now?
SEC realist
Tuscaloosa , AL
Total Comments (8)
Big 10 is number 3. MWC may be #4.
silars
Total Comments (1584)
Okay, for the LAST time -- Northwestern is not a "cellar-dweller" in the Big Ten. The last time it was last in the conference was 1998....since the Big Ten expanded to 11 teams in 1993, Northwestern has won THREE Big Ten titles, which is more than any team other than Michigan and Ohio State (Wisconsin also has 3 in that time period).....
Yes, Northwestern is not a top-level conference team (that's pretty much OSU, Michigan, Penn State, and Wisconsin), but it is CLEARLY in that middle level of teams. Looking for "cellar dwellers"? It's Indiana and Illinois (seriously awful over the past 15-20 years, but for last year's fluky team)
Chaddogg
Chicago, IL
Total Comments (5)
Your defenses are superhuman? Was your 3-2 Auburn/Miss St borefest due to "superhuman defense", or was it "craptacular offenses"? :)
The Auburn/Tennessee slopfest wasn't good defense...it was atrocious offense.
Man, Florida looked good, I will give the SEC that...I almost couldn't believe my eyes how easily they picked LSU apart. 'Bama is looking good, too. GA not out either.
I would put PSU up against anyone, UT or 'Bama included, and I'm sure it would be helluva game.
keithshyne
Carrollton , TX
Total Comments (49)
I rest on the proof is in the pudding argument.
The best defenders in the NFL come from where?
expert40
Athens , GA
Total Comments (93)
And I forgot to mention that the "superhuman" GA defense gave up 31...at home...in one half. If I didn't know better, I woulda thought 'Bama was playing Grambling with new color-schemed uniforms.
keithshyne
Carrollton , TX
Total Comments (49)
All over?
However, if you were to look at the Pro Bowl, I think you'd find the ACC puts out some of the better defenders. In fact, a lot of leagues have fairly good representation. The SEC does not have a monopoly on Pro Bowl defenders.
Perhaps you could bring some proof rather than a large bark?
silars
Total Comments (1584)
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