The state of the SEC brand, post-Saban.

[18IsTheMan]

No question it has taken an absolute beating this offseason and seems to be trending downward following Alabama's trajectory. Only the MAC and MWC have fewer bowl wins and only the MWC has a worse win percentage. Of course, if you take out the 2 bowl wins which came against SEC teams (Bama over OU and Ole Miss over UGA), the SEC's bowl win tally comes in at 2, with Texas over Michigan being the only notable win, the other non-conference win being Ole Miss over G5 CFP participant Tulane. This comes on the heels of a disappointing 8-7 bowl record last year.

The SEC has no dominant team and no dominant coach right now. UGA is still very good, as is Smart, but not nearly dominant. Bama does not seem close to regaining their power from the Saban days. UF is far off. Tennessee seems to have hit a ceiling with Heupel. Kiffin will be must-watch at LSU this season, but time will have to tell how that turns out.

I think the allure of the SEC brand will still carry weight in the pre-season polls, though.

 

[PrestonyteParrot]

I guess this means the opportunity is there for the taking if Beamer can pull it off with the new crew.

 

[Lurker123]

I think the allure of the SEC brand will still carry weight in the pre-season polls, though.

And that will be VERY important in the coming years.

With the 9 conference game schedule, there will be less and less games to measure the SEC against the B10 and other conferences.

The head start of preseason rankings could become more and more important.

 

[18IsTheMan]

I guess this means the opportunity is there for the taking if Beamer can pull it off with the new crew.

Good point.

Though there's no dominant team, we are still light years behind the likes of UGA. But we were neck and neck with Bama in the previous 2 seasons on the field and very easily could have won both games. Frankly, outside of the Vandy game, in which Sellers was injured early, and the OU game, all of our other SEC losses were quite winnable games if we could have mustered any kind of pulse on offense.

This is, by far, the most serious staff Beamer has assembled.

This is not to diminish the obvious wide gap we have to make up, but games are there to be won.

 

[18IsTheMan]

And that will be VERY important in the coming years.

With the 9 conference game schedule, there will be less and less games to measure the SEC against the B10 and other conferences.

The head start of preseason rankings could become more and more important.

You just have to wonder at what point people start discounting the SEC brand when it comes to preseason rankings.

 

[Harvard Gamecock]

No question it has taken an absolute beating this offseason and seems to be trending downward following Alabama's trajectory. Only the MAC and MWC have fewer bowl wins and only the MWC has a worse win percentage. Of course, if you take out the 2 bowl wins which came against SEC teams (Bama over OU and Ole Miss over UGA), the SEC's bowl win tally comes in at 2, with Texas over Michigan being the only notable win, the other non-conference win being Ole Miss over G5 CFP participant Tulane. This comes on the heels of a disappointing 8-7 bowl record last year.

The SEC has no dominant team and no dominant coach right now. UGA is still very good, as is Smart, but not nearly dominant. Bama does not seem close to regaining their power from the Saban days. UF is far off. Tennessee seems to have hit a ceiling with Heupel. Kiffin will be must-watch at LSU this season, but time will have to tell how that turns out.

I think the allure of the SEC brand will still carry weight in the pre-season polls, though.

1) Both wins by Ole Miss were rematch games, and as you stated one was a G5.
2)Tennessee did not win one game over a P4 school with a winning record. NOT ONE. Seriously overrated.

 

[Lurker123]

You just have to wonder at what point people start discounting the SEC brand when it comes to preseason rankings.

Good question. How many disappointing years before the B10 starts dominating the preseason rankings? And not just the top couple teams, but the mid level.

Thise are important because one can claim losses were to good teams as well as victories.

 

[PrestonyteParrot]

You just have to wonder at what point people start discounting the SEC brand when it comes to preseason rankings.

About the same time they start discounting the ND brand

 

[SouthernBelly]

You just have to wonder at what point people start discounting the SEC brand when it comes to preseason rankings.

Preseason rankings should always be discounted.

On your main point- yeah the SEC is less dominant. Wonder how this will impact fan impressions of next season’s record in the new schedule? The difficulty of the schedule is always offered up, especially in a season like last year; but how much of an excuse does that really get to be? Because it’s also pointed out, probably by some of the same people, that most games this past season were winnable.

 

[Bubba Fett]

From this point on, I am comparing everyone to Cignetti. Have you heard him speak? That dude is a coach. Not sure why it took so long for a D1 school to give him the opportunity. He's Saban with more intensity. I can see how he may rub a lot of people the wrong way, but that dude is a coach.

Point being: SEC isn't going to to be the best anymore with the portal the way it is, the ability to get players, and they'll be other guys like Cignetti coming up to rip you a new one. SEC teams and coaches gotta get better.

 

[Lurker123]

Preseason rankings should always be discounted.

Absolutely, but they aren't. Teams all year get to point to beating ranked teams (at the time) who were ranked high early, but tanked.

And teams that start higher can still be ranked after the same number of losses as unranked teams.

Im not agreeing with it, I dont think we should do rankings till the playoff ones come out. But its a reality, imo.

 

[18IsTheMan]

From this point on, I am comparing everyone to Cignetti. Have you heard him speak? That dude is a coach. Not sure why it took so long for a D1 school to give him the opportunity. He's Saban with more intensity. I can see how he may rub a lot of people the wrong way, but that dude is a coach.

Point being: SEC isn't going to to be the best anymore with the portal the way it is, the ability to get players, and they'll be other guys like Cignetti coming up to rip you a new one. SEC teams and coaches gotta get better.

What he's done at IU is nothing short of remarkable. Saban was a great coach, but he won at LSU and Bama.

Cignetti is winning at IU, arguably the worst P4 team of all time. They are historically worse than Vandy. And he hasn't done it with a boat load of 4* and 5* guys...they have very few of either.

What was so impressive to me in watching them vs Bama is just how well they play. So disciplined. They aren't blowing teams away with talent gap and lots of razzle dazzle. They just play sound, solid, disciplined football. And they ground Alabama into dust by doing so. Time will tell if they can sustain their success, but how he's been able to do what he's done so far at IU of all places is mystifying to me.

 

[Harvard Gamecock]

About the same time they start discounting the ND brand

So now, correct ?

 

[PrestonyteParrot]

So now, correct ?

This year was a diversionary tactic, and the ND brand has not really been discounted yet

 

[18IsTheMan]

while we're at it, can we stop with the "SEC only struggles during bowl season b/c they play such a tough schedule in the regular season" nonsense?

 

[SouthernBelly]

So now, correct ?

No. They got that language in the contract beginning next year that if they are ranked in the top 12 they are guaranteed a spot

 

[Harvard Gamecock]

No. They got that language in the contract beginning next year that if they are ranked in the top 12 they are guaranteed a spot

Should not be hard then, they have 4 teams with a winning record for 2026. Navy, SMU, BYU and Miami.
I can easily see both BYU and Miami beating ND, so some upsets in order to have them lose 4

 

[Psycock]

Not so fast my friends. Who will be in pre-season Top 25 next year. I say: guaranteed are Ole Miss, Georgia, LSU, Texas, Texas A&M, Alabama. Maybes are Missouri, Tennessee, Vandy. That`s half of the conference - just my opinion but still very strong.

 

[SouthernBelly]

Should not be hard then, they have 4 teams with a winning record for 2026. Navy, SMU, BYU and Miami.
I can easily see both BYU and Miami beating ND, so some upsets in order to have them lose 4

If that happens then they likely are not ranked top 12. If they are the ND brand is alive and well.

 

[Skuddy]

What he's done at IU is nothing short of remarkable. Saban was a great coach, but he won at LSU and Bama.

Cignetti is winning at IU, arguably the worst P4 team of all time. They are historically worse than Vandy. And he hasn't done it with a boat load of 4* and 5* guys...they have very few of either.

What was so impressive to me in watching them vs Bama is just how well they play. So disciplined. They aren't blowing teams away with talent gap and lots of razzle dazzle. They just play sound, solid, disciplined football. And they ground Alabama into dust by doing so. Time will tell if they can sustain their success, but how he's been able to do what he's done so far at IU of all places is mystifying to me.

I looked at 247 and according to them, IU has 7 4 star and the rest are 3 star or lower. In comparison, we have 35 4 star and 4 5 star. Alabama has 14 5 star.

 

[DeBoer31]

Good point.

Though there's no dominant team, we are still light years behind the likes of UGA. But we were neck and neck with Bama in the previous 2 seasons on the field and very easily could have won both games. Frankly, outside of the Vandy game, in which Sellers was injured early, and the OU game, all of our other SEC losses were quite winnable games if we could have mustered any kind of pulse on offense.

This is, by far, the most serious staff Beamer has assembled.

This is not to diminish the obvious wide gap we have to make up, but games are there to be won.

agree

 

[DeBoer31]

What he's done at IU is nothing short of remarkable. Saban was a great coach, but he won at LSU and Bama.

Cignetti is winning at IU, arguably the worst P4 team of all time. They are historically worse than Vandy. And he hasn't done it with a boat load of 4* and 5* guys...they have very few of either.

What was so impressive to me in watching them vs Bama is just how well they play. So disciplined. They aren't blowing teams away with talent gap and lots of razzle dazzle. They just play sound, solid, disciplined football. And they ground Alabama into dust by doing so. Time will tell if they can sustain their success, but how he's been able to do what he's done so far at IU of all places is mystifying to me.

Agree to a point. NOTHING against Cignetti or his success at IU or any other place.....BUT -
he is doing this in an era where things are upside down. Could he have done this ten years ago at IU? I don't think so. Teams they (and we) are playing now are more homogenous....less top loaded. So you can beat an OSU if you're IU right now. He also walked into some older players (kept them...good for him) and went with other older players brought in (smart). WF has done this for years (gone with older players over the hot shot young talent) .... by necessity, but still they did it that way. Great coach. But these are ridiculous times we live in; and yes I think more guys like Beamer should have done more in the same light because the opportunity is there. There will probably be a new "IU" every couple of years as long as things continue how they are now.

 

[DeBoer31]

while we're at it, can we stop with the "SEC only struggles during bowl season b/c they play such a tough schedule in the regular season" nonsense?

Has to be pointed out that the SEC still brings in the top overall talent in the nation (as a conf) and that same talent flees the coup after each year per team (no matter if it's because they did great or terrible). They're all looking for the next best thing. If they did above avg....and made $400k, they're looking for $800. If they didn't get their chance to play.....they're gone to that "other coach/team" that paid them attention in last year's recruiting cycle.

 

[Creek Snake]

I saw where Calapari layed most of the blame on the portal.If players didn’t jump in the portal all the some of the going to the highest bidder would be curtailed.

 

[KingWard]

The state of the SEC brand, post-Saban.​

It's in the crapper. It's abysmal. It's colossally in pieces.

 

[Harvard Gamecock]

If that happens then they likely are not ranked top 12. If they are the ND brand is alive and well.

ND will have the benefit of being placed in the Top 12 in the preseason polls, same as 4 loss Alabama. SMH

 

[KingWard]

ND will have the benefit of being placed in the Top 12 in the preseason polls, same as 4 loss Alabama. SMH

I think legacy has something to do with it, but people also expect those programs to have the requisite talent, which they ordinarily will.

 

[18IsTheMan]

I think legacy has something to do with it, but people also expect those programs to have the requisite talent, which they ordinarily will.

Yes, I think the SEC gets the preseason love mostly b/c SEC teams are generally the most talented on paper. On paper, Alabama holds a MASSIVE talent gap over Indiana.

 

[Piscis]

Yes, I think the SEC gets the preseason love mostly b/c SEC teams are generally the most talented on paper. On paper, Alabama holds a MASSIVE talent gap over Indiana.

Traditional powers get ranked because, well, they are traditional powers. Indiana will probably be ranked pretty high to start next season. Preseason polls are always going to have at least 4 teams from every P4 conference to make sure the fans tune in. NC State is ranked every year and they never do anything. Clemson will be back in the top 10 to start next season, which pleases me because, a fall out of the top 25 when you start the season ranked highly is more painful for fans than never being ranked.

 

[Harvard Gamecock]

Yes, I think the SEC gets the preseason love mostly b/c SEC teams are generally the most talented on paper. On paper, Alabama holds a MASSIVE talent gap over Indiana.

I would have agreed with this statement as little as 2 years ago, but not anymore. I'm not really sure where the talent level is for 'Bama, but I can't ignore the following.
FSU - Bama just got out physicaled by a lowly ACC team.
Carolina - Bama barely beats us, and no one needs reminding that we were a 4-8 team.
Oklahoma - Beats Bama at home
Auburn - Bama barely beats a 5 win team, with a interim coach by just 7 points.
SECCG - UGA wins the game 28-7 in a game that was never in question.
We all know what happend vs Indy. Humiliated.
Last 5 games 2-3.

 

[ThinnyJ]

while we're at it, can we stop with the "SEC only struggles during bowl season b/c they play such a tough schedule in the regular season" nonsense?

Players don't play in bowls anymore... And I don't blame them.... How can you you get a measure on how good teams are versus other conferences when their players are absent?

 

[Piscis]

Players don't play in bowls anymore... And I don't blame them.... How can you you get a measure on how good teams are versus other conferences when their players are absent?

It isn't only SEC players who sit out bowls.

 

[ThinnyJ]

It isn't only SEC players who sit out bowls.

either way, is not apples to apples... Traditionally, there are more NFL players in the SEC, as well. I'm not saying you didn't have a point, I'm just saying I wouldn't be comparing conferences through bowl games.

For instance, if my QB sits, and your safety sits, I'm hurt worse by the opt out than you are.... Plus the simple effort in a meaningless bowl game, and playing freshman that weren't around all year come into the mix... Things like that can't be compared.

There's no perfect way to compare, tho....

 

[Lurker123]

Players don't play in bowls anymore... And I don't blame them.... How can you you get a measure on how good teams are versus other conferences when their players are absent?

Imagine it starting next year. Not only will bowls not be a good comparison, but with 9 game schedules, less and less games will be played between conferences.

What will be the best comparison between two teams then? A schedule against different teams with no crossover?

 

[KingWard]

I would have agreed with this statement as little as 2 years ago, but not anymore. I'm not really sure where the talent level is for 'Bama, but I can't ignore the following.
FSU - Bama just got out physicaled but by a lowly ACC team.
Carolina - Bama barely beats us, and no one needs reminding that we were a 4-8 team.
Oklahoma - Beats Bama at home
Auburn - Bama barely beats a 5 win team, with a interim coach by just 7 points.
SECCG - UGA wins the game 28-7 in a game that was never in question.
We all know what happend vs Indy. Humiliated.
Last 5 games 2-3.

I think you have accurately and persuasively assessed them. They really weren't that good.

 

[KingWard]

Traditional powers get ranked because, well, they are traditional powers. Indiana will probably be ranked pretty high to start next season. Preseason polls are always going to have at least 4 teams from every P4 conference to make sure the fans tune in. NC State is ranked every year and they never do anything. Clemson will be back in the top 10 to start next season, which pleases me because, a fall out of the top 25 when you start the season ranked highly is more painful for fans than never being ranked.

There's only one ranking that matters, the CFP final ranking before the playoff. It's not the preseason ranking. It's not the polls, and there is no CFP ranking until well into the season.

If that final one is errant, it's got nothing to do with the preseason ranking. If it's errant, take the stakeholders out of it and hand it over to the machines.

 

[Piscis]

There's only one ranking that matters, the CFP final ranking before the playoff. It's not the preseason ranking. It's not the polls, and there is no CFP ranking until well into the season.

If that final one is errant, it's got nothing to do with the preseason ranking. If it's errant, take the stakeholders out of it and hand it over to the machines.

I prefer to do away with polls and committees entirely. Make the playoff a playoff comprised of conference champions or put in the top 2 teams in each conference. The NFL doesn't have any polls or rankings, why does major college football need them?

 

[18IsTheMan]

SEC finished a brutally dismal 1-8 vs P4 conferences in post-season play.

 

[Lurker123]

We did win a few games against ourselves.