Each year at this time sports fans become amateur mathematicians. We study RPI charts — there are dozens of different sites trying to mimic the NCAA official formula — and we break down strength of schedule numbers. We count up wins and losses against RPI top 50 teams. We eyeball obscure numbers like the rank of a team’s winning percentage (that data appears on the official team info sheets handed out to selection committee members). Some of us might go so far as to buy a slide rule and a compass.
One thing we’ve never seen, however, is a breakdown of multiple teams over multiple years using RPI. Which is why we’ve put together just such a list below.
For this exercise we’ll use ESPN’s RPI formula. We’ve looked at the data from the current season, the 2011-12 season, and the 2010-11 season in order to compare the best and worst SEC teams — according to ESPN’s computers — of the past three seasons. Since Missouri and Texas A&M weren’t playing SEC ball in two of those years, their squads from this season will be the only ones listed.
| Rank | School | RPI | Postseason |
| 1 | Kentucky 2011-12 | .6597 | NCAA Tournament Champion |
| 2 | Florida 2010-11 | .6438 | Lost in Round of 8 NCAA Tournament |
| 3 | Florida 2012-13 | .6376 | ??? |
| 4 | Kentucky 2010-11 | .6334 | Lost in Round of 4 NCAA Tournament |
| 5 | Vanderbilt 2010-11 | .6203 | Lost in Round of 64 NCAA Tournament |
| 6 | Vanderbilt 2011-12 | .6117 | Lost in Round of 32 NCAA Tournament |
| 7 | Florida 2011-12 | .6041 | Lost in Round of 8 NCAA Tournament |
| 8 | Tennessee 2010-11 | .6031 | Lost in Round of 64 NCAA Tournament |
| 9 | Missouri 2012-13 | .6008 | ??? |
| 10 | Georgia 2010-11 | .5876 | Lost in Round of 64 NCAA Tournament |
| 11 | Alabama 2011-12 | .5870 | Lost in Round of 64 NCAA Tournament |
| 12 | Kentucky 2012-13 | .5819 | ??? |
| 13 | Tennessee 2012-13 | .5764 | ??? |
| 14 | Ole Miss 2012-13 | .5739 | ??? |
| 15 | Ole Miss 2011-12 | .5707 | Lost in Round of 32 NIT Tournament |
| 16 | Alabama 2010-11 | .5636 | Lost in NIT Finals |
| 17 | Alabama 2012-13 | .5629 | ??? |
| 18 | Miss. State 2011-12 | .5601 | Lost in Round of 32 NIT Tournament |
| 19 | Ole Miss 2010-11 | .5570 | Lost in Round of 32 NIT Tournament |
| 20 | Arkansas 2012-13 | .5542 | ??? |
| 21 | LSU 2011-12 | .5518 | Lost in Round of 32 NIT Tournament |
| 22 | Tennessee 2011-12 | .5506 | Lost in Round of 16 NIT Tournament |
| 23 | LSU 2012-13 | .5459 | ??? |
| 24 | Texas A&M 2012-13 | .5423 | ??? |
| 25 | Georgia 2011-12 | .5217 | None |
| 26 | Arkansas 2010-11 | .5353 | None |
| 27 | S. Carolina 2010-11 | .5350 | None |
| 28 | Arkansas 2011-12 | .5334 | None |
| 29 | Georgia 2012-13 | .5217 | ??? |
| 30 | Vanderbilt 2012-13 | .5208 | ??? |
| 31 | Miss. State 2010-11 | .5146 | None |
| 32 | Auburn 2011-12 | .5128 | None |
| 33 | S. Carolina 2011-12 | .4823 | None |
| 34 | LSU 2010-11 | .4814 | None |
| 35 | S. Carolina 2012-13 | .4740 | ??? |
| 36 | Miss. State 2012-13 | .4602 | ??? |
| 37 | Auburn 2012-13 | .4531 | ??? |
| 38 | Auburn 2010-11 | .4371 | None |
Observations:
* This year’s Kentucky, Tennessee, and Ole Miss teams are sitting squarely on what’s been the cut-off line for recent SEC teams hoping for NCAA at-large bids. This is just another example of how shaky their current situations are.
* The top seven teams on the list all belong to Florida (three), Kentucky (two), and Vanderbilt (two).
* The top 10 slots are filled by teams from the East Division (in football).
* Tony Barbee’s three teams at Auburn rank 32nd, 37th, and 38th on the list. Those numbers aren’t great for a man’s job security.
