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Football Tailgate ">After hearing all of the claims being thrown around that the SEC is way better than every other conference in terms of college football (but also including other sports), it makes sense to understand what people are looking at. Why not use an actual (somewhat) scientific approach to try and understand who the best really is and who isn’t? We did a quick study where we took the major bowls during the BCS Era and made sure to include the records of every conference in all of the bowls considered as well as every bowl game as a whole. The reason that we added the overall bowl record is because while it might seem as a non-indicator that a mediocre or above average team has to play another above average team, the mid-level team from the stronger conferences should be able to fair well against the mid-level teams from the weaker conferences. The major bowls that we represent are the BCS National championship, the Orange Bowl, the Sugar Bowl, the Fiesta Bowl, and the Granddaddy of them all, the Rose Bowl. During the BCS Common Era, the SEC has been to 104 bowl games which equals an average of sending 8 teams per year. They have been to the big 5 (Sugar, Rose, Fiesta, Orange, and National Championship) 21 times, or on average they have sent 1.6 teams per year (which isn’t bad considering the first BCS National Championship game wasn’t played until January of 2007). In that time their winning percentage is 58% in all bowls and 76% in the major bowls. In other words … they win 3 out of the 5 games (almost) that they go to, unless it’s one of the 5 majors; in that case they win 3 out of 4 times since 1998. Likewise, using those same parameters, the biggest “big 5” game performers would have to be the PAC 10. They boast an impressive 63% winning percentage in the big 5 games, but they have only played in 16 (and 6 of the wins came from Pete Carroll’s USC teams). They also add a perfect 50% on 70 bowls during the BCS era, and send on average 5.4 teams to a bowl every year and have averaged 1.2 teams in the big 5 as well (not bad when you also consider they have only 10 teams versus the SEC’s 12). The Big East is surprisingly one of the top conferences as well, because while they don’t have the best success in the big 5 title games, they do come right in with the SEC in terms of wins in overall bowls since 1998. It gets a little trickier with the Big East because you have Boston College, Miami, Temple, and Virginia Tech all leaving half-way through the study. You also have Cincinnati and South Florida Joining the conference “late,” and our study didn’t even count TCU joining the conference because they haven’t played in the Big East yet (but for future studies, their skill will skew the results we’re sure). You also have to keep in mind the Connecticut was a FBS school (or Division 1-AA for some of you), so that can also skew the results. That being said, the Big East still has won 58% of all bowls they have played in, and have played in 74 total (the PAC10 played in 70 overall, and they consistently had 10 in their conference every year). The Big East also played in the big 5 games 14 times, but have only won 6 of them for a 43% record. They still average 5.7 bowl appearances per year and 1.1 major bowls per year (which isn’t that respectable considering they have an “automatic” qualifier the last few years …). The Big 10 has widely been considered the second strongest conference, yet their success in the big games is less than 50% in both categories. Give them credit for talent (or for playing cupcake schedules), but they have made the big 5 21 times since the BCS era began (or 1.6 teams per year sent to a big 5) which is impressive as it matches the number in the SEC with less teams in their conference (11 to 12), however, they only have a 43% success rate in the big games. This is due to the majors of Ohio State and Michigan gaining 5 of the 9 wins in the majors, but also 6 of the 12 losses there. They bring a total of 89 bowl games total (more than all but the SEC and the Big12) which is still 6.8 bowls per year; but they only post a 46% in bowl games. The Big 12 is very similar to the Big 10. They have had an additional team in their conference, but still are right on pace for the same numbers. They have a 44% big 5 victory margin, but have been there 18 times or 1.4 teams to a big 5 game per year. Just like the Big 10 is benefited but also hurt statistically by OSU and Michigan, the Big 12 has 6 wins but also 6 losses combined from Texas and Oklahoma. The have been to 98 bowl games since ’98 at a rate of 7.5 teams per year, but only have a 49% success rate as well. Finally, of the BCS Conferences, the ACC barely ranks statistically as a conference. They have only been to the big 5 championships 12 times (lowest among BCS conferences, and surprising considering they recently get an automatic qualifier into a major 5 every year). They only average going to a major 5 at a rate of 0.9 times per year! Plus, they only have a 17% winning record in those bowls! They have been to 88 bowls during the BCS era for a rate of 6.8 bowls per year, however, and are fairly competitive with a 48% winning rate in all bowls combined. Still, if Florida State weren’t in the ACC, they would only have been to 6 total of the 5 major bowls… but they also would have the same percent. The conference itself without Florida State has gone 1-5 in the 5 majors, but Florida State has also gone 1-5 in the 5 major BCS bowls as well. Overall, it’s going to depend on your specific views on how you judge success, but at the total conference level in the postseason (where the games matter the most) the SEC crushes the competition in BCS title games. They have been there the most and have won the highest percentage of them as well. In all bowls they have gone more than anyone as well, but are only matched in winning percentage by the Big East. The SEC has had recent success not just with titles at the BCS level, but also in demolishing other teams as well. If they are playing in a bowl, they will probably be favored because their best will beat your best 3 out of 5 times, and their mid-level teams will beat your mid-level teams 3 out of the 5 times they played as well. By the way, for those of you paying attention, 3 out of 4 wins in a BCS bowl game isn’t bad either. If you don’t believe what we say, check it out or let us know: Football Tailgate
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