Well, Florida and it's coach Urban Meyer whined their way into the national championship game on the theory that the SEC is by far the toughest conference in the country. That is just the silliest claim I've ever heard. These guys are simply incestuous. They play no one but themselves. The only teams in the SEC with a winning record were Florida, Auburn, LSU, Tennessee, and Arkansas. The non-conference games these team played were:
Florida, the SEC East Champion: So. Miss (8-4 in Conference USA), Central Fla (4-8 in Conference USA), W. Caorlina (2-9 in Southern Conf -- Div 1-AA BTW) and Fla St (6-6 in the ACC).
Arkansas, the SEC West champion: Utah St (1-11 in the WAC), SE Missouri St (4-7 in the Ohio Valley - IAA again), and la. Monroe (6-6 in the Sun Belt). Oh yes, they also played USC -- and got thumped, 50-14!
LSU (now ranked # 5 in the nation): La. Lafayette (6-6 in the Sun Belt), Arizona (6-6 in the Pac 10), Tulane (4-8 in Conf USA), and Fresno St (4-8 in the WAC).
Auburn (supposedly the best starting out): Wash St (6-6 in the PAC 10), Buffalo (2-10 in the Mid-Am), Tulane (4-8 in Conf USA) and Ark. St (6-6 in the Sun Belt).
And then there is Tennessee, the team Urban Meyer is so proud of having beaten at Tennessee: Cal(9-3 in the Pac 10, which lost to USC which thumped Arkansas which thumped Arkansas BTW), Air Force (winning by 1 point against a team that was 4-8 in the Mountain West), Marshall (5-7 in Conf USA), and Memphis (2-10 in Conf USA).
The only teams in the SEC top five who beat a non-conference team with a winning record were Tennessee, who beat Cal, and Florida, who beat So. Mississippi. The idea that the SEC is the toughest conference in the country is simply a myth.
But, for all of that, I am glad Michigan didn't get into the national championship game. It will play USC in the Rose Bowl. So that is no big loss for the Big Ten. But the really sweet part of it is that the Big Ten will get a chance to thump the top two teams in the SEC: OSU vs Florida and Wisconsin vs. Arkansas. Moreover, if Notre Dame can beat LSU and Wake Forest can beat Louisville, then Big Ten Teams shouild end the season 1, 2 and 3: OSU, Michigan and Wisconsin.
Maybe THAT will finally shut up America's great conferenence of crybabies: the SEC.
Oh, and as an added delicacy: Penn State beats Tennessee?
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I too am glad that Michigan did not get another shot at the mighty, mighty Buckeyes. Who where they to think they deserved it? I say let them wait until Nov 2007 to get a shot at the mighty Buckeyes. It is a slow agonizing tourture of the Champions of the West. Which means they should easily handle Southern Cal, or does it? Lou
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