What is the strongest football confrence?

[TennBear]

I assume with this question we are talking about the now,

Historically I would definately go with big ten.  Im not real up

on this season yet. 

But I can't help being a huge Michigan fan.

GO BLUE!

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

If you go historically, the Big Ten was called the Big Two and the little eight. For years it was just Michigan and Ohio State. It should be as strong or stronger this year than it ever has been. Part of the image of the Big Ten was due to the fact that the Midwest had more Sports Writers and more voters for teams from the Big Ten. That is not to take anything from the Big Ten or any other conference. I do not believe that any conference is best every year. I, do think that there are several conferences that are very competitive year in and year out. Even when they are not at their strongest, the competitive nature of rivalries and the need to be up for every game allows for upsets.

[ZachariahDaMan]

I would have to go with Big Ten.

Go Michigan!

[Florida]

ACC... Go Noles!

[csmurphy8885]

The ACC is pretty freakin' rediculous these days. Great schools, Great rivals = Great sports.

[Viper]

SEC still dominates teams, charts and championsips in the past decade.

[Sundodger]

Where's the Pac-10 in this poll? In the last 5 years, the Pac-10 has been the nation's strongest conference. Most BCS bowl wins, most national championships, most Heisman trophies, most # of different programs to win a BCS bowl, 60% of conference has finished in the top 10....

[satalac]

Where's the Pac-10 in this poll? In the last 5 years, the Pac-10 has been the nation's strongest conference. Most BCS bowl wins, most national championships, most Heisman trophies, most # of different programs to win a BCS bowl, 60% of conference has finished in the top 10....

but who do they ever play? the sec teams are always loaded with top 10 & 25 teams that have to play each other. that's the only reason that there aren't more national championship teams from the sec. (auburn should have had a shot at the title last year)

[Sundodger]

but who do they ever play? the sec teams are always loaded with top 10 & 25 teams that have to play each other

The SEC is weakest scheduling conference around, at least of the major ones. The Pac-10 however is by far the top scheduling conference in the country, look at the non-conference schedules. The Pac-10 isn't only the best, they schedule the best while the SEC loads up wins vs. creampuffs to get into the top 25. If the SEC were really that good, why do they schedule so many 1-AA teams and low level 1-A teams?

[NCB]

Where's the Pac-10 in this poll? In the last 5 years, the Pac-10 has been the nation's strongest conference. Most BCS bowl wins, most national championships, most Heisman trophies, most # of different programs to win a BCS bowl, 60% of conference has finished in the top 10....

If you took USC away from the Pac 10, most of those figures would be diminished or gone completely.

In recent years, the SEC has had many teams such as Tennessee, LSU, and Auburn make it to BCS bowls or National Championships, and teams such as Florida, Georgia, and Alabama have made it to major non-BCS bowls.

The Pac 10 is mostly USC and Cal, maybe Arizona State.

SEC confrence games are the hardest confrence games in the country, followed by the ACC, Big 12, and then the Pac-10.

[satalac]

The SEC is weakest scheduling conference around, at least of the major ones. The Pac-10 however is by far the top scheduling conference in the country, look at the non-conference schedules. The Pac-10 isn't only the best, they schedule the best while the SEC loads up wins vs. creampuffs to get into the top 25. If the SEC were really that good, why do they schedule so many 1-AA teams and low level 1-A teams?

so are you saying that alabama, auburn, georgia, florida, lsu and tennessee are cream puff schools? because you know they all play each other. and they are regularly in the top 10. that is until they have to play each other. see where i'm going with this?

[Sundodger]

If you took USC away from the Pac 10, most of those figures would be diminished or gone completely.

Not so fast. Since 2000, 3 other Pac-10 programs have won BCS bowl games (UW, OSU, UO), & 2 others (Cal, WAZZU) finished in the top 10 at least once.

The Pac 10 is mostly USC and Cal, maybe Arizona State.

I didn't even have to mention ASU above. So we are up to at least 7 good Pac-10 programs. If UCLA ever gets a good coach again, they are a top 20 program. Heck, they are top 20 now. Make that at least 8 good Pac-10 programs.

SEC confrence games are the hardest confrence games in the country, followed by the ACC, Big 12, and then the Pac-10.

False. Pac-10 doesn't have a Vanderbilt or Kentucky. Top to bottom, the SEC isn't as difficult as the Pac-10. Every Pac-10 program has finished in the top 10 in the last 10 years except Stanford and their last visit to the top ten was 1992. Plus in the Pac-10, every team plays almost everyone each year unlike the SEC where an East team can miss a West team & vice versa. The Pac-10 also schedules tough out of conference games unlike the SEC.

[Sundodger]

so are you saying that alabama, auburn, georgia, florida, lsu and tennessee are cream puff schools?

No, I am saying Louisiana-Monroe, North Texas, Utah State, & Louisiana Tech are. Re-read what I said above, I was commenting on out of conference scheduling. Here is what the two conferences have scheduled since 2000:

Toughest non-conference opponents, SEC vs. Pac-10

SEC -

AL - OK x 2, UCLA x 2

AR - TX x 2

AU - USC x 2, GT

UF - FSU x 5, Miami x 2

UGA - GT x 5 (how many of those years where they good?), Clem. x 2

UK - just Louisville when they are good

LSU - VT, Oregon St.?

Miss. - TT x 2

MSU - Oregon x 2

SC - Clem x 5, UVA x 2

TN - Miami x 2, ND x 2

Vandy - GT

Pac - 10

UA - Ohio St. Wis. x 2, LSU, Purdue,

ASU - Nebraska, Iowa x 2, UNC x 2, NW

Cal - KSU, Ill x 2, Michigan St.

UO - Wis. x 2, OK, Mich.

OSU - LSU

Stan. - TX, BC x 2, ND x 5,

USC - Penn St., Col. x 2, Aub x 2, KSU, ND x 5, VT

UCLA - Bama x 2, Mich., Ohio St., OK, Oklahoma St., Col. x 2

UW - Miami x 2, Mich. x 2, Col., Ohio St., ND

WSU - Ohio St., ND, Col.

[satalac]

No, I am saying Louisiana-Monroe, North Texas, Utah State, & Louisiana Tech are. Re-read what I said above, I was commenting on out of conference scheduling. Here is what the two conferences have scheduled since 2000:

Toughest non-conference opponents, SEC vs. Pac-10

SEC -

AL - OK x 2, UCLA x 2

AR - TX x 2

AU - USC x 2, GT

UF - FSU x 5, Miami x 2

UGA - GT x 5 (how many of those years where they good?), Clem. x 2

UK - just Louisville when they are good

LSU - VT, Oregon St.?

Miss. - TT x 2

MSU - Oregon x 2

SC - Clem x 5, UVA x 2

TN - Miami x 2, ND x 2

Vandy - GT

Pac - 10

UA - Ohio St. Wis. x 2, LSU, Purdue,

ASU - Nebraska, Iowa x 2, UNC x 2, NW

Cal - KSU, Ill x 2, Michigan St.

UO - Wis. x 2, OK, Mich.

OSU - LSU

Stan. - TX, BC x 2, ND x 5,

USC - Penn St., Col. x 2, Aub x 2, KSU, ND x 5, VT

UCLA - Bama x 2, Mich., Ohio St., OK, Oklahoma St., Col. x 2

UW - Miami x 2, Mich. x 2, Col., Ohio St., ND

WSU - Ohio St., ND, Col.

but why schedule high ranking out of conference games when you are already playing the toughest teams in the ncaa? example: tennessee played florida (ranked 5th at the time), beat lsu (ranked 4th at the time), plays georgia next saturday (ranked 5th currently), then plays alabama (which is ranked 7th). would you want to schedule anymore tough teams? and oh yeah, they have to play notre dame.

[NCB]

Im sticking to what I said earlier, the SEC is the toughest confrence in the country.

Think about teams that consistently(at least 5 years) have great seasons, in the SEC you have LSU, Tennessee, Auburn, Florida, Georgia, and Alabama that are consistently good teams. In the Pac-10 you have USC, Cal, Arizona State, and at times, UW.

In the SEC if you take away 3 teams, lets say LSU, Auburn, and Georgia, you are still left with a very strong confrence, if you take 3 teams away from the Pac-10, lets say UW, Arizona State, and Cal, you are basically left with USC, and maybe UCLA.

The SEC is hands down the strongest confrence in the country.

[Hankster]

There is a poll computer poll which actually rates the conferences. It's the Sagarin Poll. That poll is one of the computer polls which is used in determining the BCS standings. The Sagarin poll rates the Big Ten the best this year. So far the overall record of the Big Ten is better than any in other the conference. You may be surprised in the overall ratings, especially the SEC proponents out there. For detail visit Sagarin.com.

CONFERENCE CENTRAL MEAN SIMPLE AVERAGE TEAMS

1 BIG TEN (A) = 80.76 80.34 ( 1) 11

2 ATLANTIC COAST (A) = 79.78 79.49 ( 3) 12

3 PAC-10 (A) = 79.43 79.63 ( 2) 10

4 SOUTHEASTERN (A) = 77.91 77.81 ( 4) 12

5 BIG 12 (A) = 75.55 75.97 ( 5) 12

6 MOUNTAIN WEST (A) = 72.15 71.41 ( 7) 9

7 BIG EAST (A) = 71.48 72.13 ( 6) 8

8 I-A INDEPENDENTS (A) = 67.51 68.34 ( 8) 3

9 CONFERENCE USA (A) = 64.71 65.15 ( 10) 12

10 WESTERN ATHLETIC (A) = 64.27 65.32 ( 9) 9

11 MID-AMERICAN (A) = 62.35 62.33 ( 11) 13

12 BIG SKY (AA)= 56.90 56.61 ( 12) 8

13 SOUTHLAND (AA)= 55.61 54.86 ( 14) 7

14 ATLANTIC 10 (AA)= 55.16 55.77 ( 13) 12

15 GATEWAY (AA)= 54.62 53.85 ( 16) 8

16 SUN BELT (A) = 54.16 53.80 ( 17) 8

17 GREAT WEST (AA)= 54.02 54.16 ( 15) 6

18 SOUTHERN (AA)= 53.39 53.16 ( 18) 8

19 IVY LEAGUE (AA)= 50.25 49.88 ( 19) 8

20 PATRIOT LEAGUE (AA)= 43.80 43.85 ( 20) 7

21 OHIO VALLEY (AA)= 41.16 41.35 ( 21) 9

22 MID-EASTERN (AA)= 37.15 37.56 ( 22) 9

23 BIG SOUTH (AA)= 34.60 34.92 ( 23) 5

24 SOUTHWESTERN (AA)= 31.63 31.58 ( 24) 10

25 NORTHEAST (AA)= 24.64 24.83 ( 25) 8

26 PIONEER (AA)= 21.64 22.27 ( 26) 9

27 METRO ATLANTIC (AA)= 17.34 18.69 ( 27) 5

28 I-AA INDEPENDENTS (AA)= 11.39 11.39 ( 28) 1

29 ***UNRATED*** (**)= -90.00 -90.00 ( 29) 1

[NCB]

Is there a poll like this that rates the confrences over a long period of time, as opposed to one year?

[Florida]

I like this little model. GO ACC!!!

[Hankster]

Is there a poll like this that rates the confrences over a long period of time, as opposed to one year?

The Sagarin Archive (Sagarin.com website) shows ratings of the conferences back to 1998. Here's the final 2004 poll. Again many may be surprised by the results.

CONFERENCE CENTRAL MEAN SIMPLE AVERAGE TEAMS

1 ATLANTIC COAST (A) = 77.91 78.09 ( 2) 11

2 PAC-10 (A) = 77.84 78.89 ( 1) 10

3 I-A INDEPENDENTS (A) = 76.98 76.98 ( 4) 2

4 BIG 12 (A) = 76.42 77.08 ( 3) 12

5 BIG TEN (A) = 75.63 75.29 ( 5) 11

6 SOUTHEASTERN (A) = 74.13 74.31 ( 6) 12

7 MOUNTAIN WEST (A) = 72.08 72.91 ( 7) 8

8 BIG EAST (A) = 71.98 71.56 ( 8) 7

9 WESTERN ATHLETIC (A) = 67.40 68.40 ( 9) 10

10 ATLANTIC 10 (AA)= 65.74 65.14 ( 11) 12

11 CONFERENCE USA (A) = 65.66 66.75 ( 10) 11

12 SUN BELT (A) = 60.24 60.46 ( 12) 9

13 GREAT WEST (AA)= 56.73 56.72 ( 13) 6

14 BIG SKY (AA)= 55.90 56.49 ( 14) 8

15 MID-AMERICAN (A) = 55.69 56.35 ( 15) 14

16 SOUTHLAND (AA)= 55.53 55.73 ( 17) 6

17 IVY LEAGUE (AA)= 54.93 55.78 ( 16) 8

18 SOUTHERN (AA)= 52.40 52.82 ( 18) 8

19 PATRIOT LEAGUE (AA)= 52.00 50.73 ( 20) 7

20 GATEWAY (AA)= 51.30 52.16 ( 19) 8

21 I-AA INDEPENDENTS (AA)= 46.44 46.34 ( 21) 5

22 OHIO VALLEY (AA)= 43.77 43.66 ( 22) 9

23 MID-EASTERN (AA)= 41.90 41.90 ( 23) 8

24 BIG SOUTH (AA)= 41.73 41.34 ( 24) 5

25 SOUTHWESTERN (AA)= 38.70 37.75 ( 25) 10

26 NORTHEAST (AA)= 35.26 35.10 ( 26) 8

27 PIONEER (AA)= 27.25 28.60 ( 27) 9

28 METRO ATLANTIC (AA)= 22.77 24.00 ( 28) 5

29 ***UNRATED*** (**)= -99.00 -99.00 ( 29) 1

[Sundodger]

but why schedule high ranking out of conference games when you are already playing the toughest teams in the ncaa?

More fun for the fans. I'd rather see Michigan or Miami than Southwest Tennessee School for Tire Dump Management.

[satalac]

More fun for the fans. I'd rather see Michigan or Miami than Southwest Tennessee School for Tire Dump Management.

so usc plays top ranked teams every week? i didn't think so.

[Sundodger]

Im sticking to what I said earlier, the SEC is the toughest confrence in the country.

Think about teams that consistently(at least 5 years) have great seasons, in the SEC you have LSU, Tennessee, Auburn, Florida, Georgia, and Alabama that are consistently good teams. In the Pac-10 you have USC, Cal, Arizona State, and at times, UW.

Washington State has finished in the top 10 three out of the last four seasons, Oregon finished in the top 10 twice since 2000, & Oregon St. a top 5 finish. Since 2000, the Pac-10 has been the nation's top conference. The difference between the Pac-10 and the SEC is the Pac-10 is strong top to bottom while the SEC is top heavy & really weak at the bottom. When was the last time Vanderbilt, Mississippi, Mississippi State, South Carolina, Arkansas, or Kentucky finished in the top 10? 90% of the Pac-10 programs have finished in the 10 in the last 10 years, 100% in the last 15.

[Sundodger]

so usc plays top ranked teams every week? i didn't think so.

USC in their two Pac-10 games this year have beaten ranked teams on the road. USC also schedules tough for their non-conference schedule. They played Virgina Tech last year, went to Auburn the year before, played KSU, did a home and home with CU, plays Notre Dame every year....

[satalac]

USC in their two Pac-10 games this year have beaten ranked teams on the road. USC also schedules tough for their non-conference schedule. They played Virgina Tech last year, went to Auburn the year before, played KSU, did a home and home with CU, plays Notre Dame every year....

tennesse this season will play four teams (all in the sec mind you) in the top 10 (possibly 5 if notre dame breaks the list). and this isn't just a once a year thing. and not just tennesse. all of the sec teams have a similar schedule.

[Sundodger]

tennesse this season will play four teams (all in the sec mind you) in the top 10 (possibly 5 if notre dame breaks the list). and this isn't just a once a year thing. and not just tennesse. all of the sec teams have a similar schedule.

I posted the tough non-conference opponets since 2000 earlier in the thread, SEC teams don't schedule as tough as Pac-10 teams do. Maybe those SEC teams wouldn't be in the top 10 if they weren't feasting on Vandy, Kentucky, Mississippi St., directional schools, & the other easy non-conference games. Tennessee does the best at non-conference scheduling, Florida does a good job because of traditional rivalries, & Alabama has decided to change their ways & schedule better too. Maybe if Auburn scheduled better last year, they would have made it to the BCS championship.

[Florida]

The Sagarin Archive (Sagarin.com website) shows ratings of the conferences back to 1998. Here's the final 2004 poll. Again many may be surprised by the results.

CONFERENCE CENTRAL MEAN SIMPLE AVERAGE TEAMS

1 ATLANTIC COAST (A) = 77.91 78.09 ( 2) 11

2 PAC-10 (A) = 77.84 78.89 ( 1) 10

3 I-A INDEPENDENTS (A) = 76.98 76.98 ( 4) 2

4 BIG 12 (A) = 76.42 77.08 ( 3) 12

5 BIG TEN (A) = 75.63 75.29 ( 5) 11

6 SOUTHEASTERN (A) = 74.13 74.31 ( 6) 12

7 MOUNTAIN WEST (A) = 72.08 72.91 ( 7) 8

8 BIG EAST (A) = 71.98 71.56 ( 8) 7

9 WESTERN ATHLETIC (A) = 67.40 68.40 ( 9) 10

10 ATLANTIC 10 (AA)= 65.74 65.14 ( 11) 12

11 CONFERENCE USA (A) = 65.66 66.75 ( 10) 11

12 SUN BELT (A) = 60.24 60.46 ( 12) 9

13 GREAT WEST (AA)= 56.73 56.72 ( 13) 6

14 BIG SKY (AA)= 55.90 56.49 ( 14) 8

15 MID-AMERICAN (A) = 55.69 56.35 ( 15) 14

16 SOUTHLAND (AA)= 55.53 55.73 ( 17) 6

17 IVY LEAGUE (AA)= 54.93 55.78 ( 16) 8

18 SOUTHERN (AA)= 52.40 52.82 ( 18) 8

19 PATRIOT LEAGUE (AA)= 52.00 50.73 ( 20) 7

20 GATEWAY (AA)= 51.30 52.16 ( 19) 8

21 I-AA INDEPENDENTS (AA)= 46.44 46.34 ( 21) 5

22 OHIO VALLEY (AA)= 43.77 43.66 ( 22) 9

23 MID-EASTERN (AA)= 41.90 41.90 ( 23) 8

24 BIG SOUTH (AA)= 41.73 41.34 ( 24) 5

25 SOUTHWESTERN (AA)= 38.70 37.75 ( 25) 10

26 NORTHEAST (AA)= 35.26 35.10 ( 26) 8

27 PIONEER (AA)= 27.25 28.60 ( 27) 9

28 METRO ATLANTIC (AA)= 22.77 24.00 ( 28) 5

29 ***UNRATED*** (**)= -99.00 -99.00 ( 29) 1

Now thats what Im talkin bout baby!!!!