The SEC has won the last two national championships in football. It is usually the best conference in the nation. It recently reached an agreement with CBS and ESPN to pay the league $3 billion over the next 15 years, mainly for the right to carry football games.
           
Yes, typically, the SEC is king when it comes to football.
           
But folks, this isn’t a typical year.
           
In fact, since divisional play was introduced in 1992, this is the worst the league has been.
           
The SEC has three top 10 caliber teams in Alabama, Florida and Georgia. It has a top 20 team in LSU.
           
South Carolina, with a strong finish, could land a top 25 ranking.
           
Beyond that, the teams are average to bad.
           
I never saw this coming, not with the caliber of coaches and athletes that take the field each Saturday in the most football passionate part of the country.
           
Despite those elite coaches, the SEC just doesn’t have many elite teams.
           
Why? Quarterback play.
           
Tim Tebow, Matt Stafford and John Parker Wilson are the three best quarterbacks in the SEC.
           
Name another top-tier quarterback?
           
Let’s take a look at what happened this past weekend in SEC play. In the Tennessee-South Carolina game, neither quarterback completed 50 percent of his passes. UT’s Nick Stephens got benched after throwing an interception, returned, and finished 10 of 24 for 134 yards with four sacks. The Gamecocks’ Stephen Garcia was 9 of 19 for 139 yards.
           
Those are among the highlights.
           
Kentucky ’s starting quarterback was 7 of 13 passing for 56 yards in a win over Mississippi State .
           
LSU’s starting quarterback completed 8 of 20 passes against mighty Tulane.
           
Auburn’s quarterback was 27 of 43 against Ole Miss, but threw three critical interceptions.
           
Ole Miss’ quarterback completed 50 percent of his passes (15 of 30 for 140 yards).
           
Alabama’s quarterback passed for only 152 yards on 28 attempts against Arkansas State .
           
Even Stafford threw three interceptions in a one-sided loss at Florida .
           
Vanderbilt’s quarterbacks were spared by an open date. MacKenzi Adams and Chris Nickson have combined to complete 50.9 percent of their passes this season for a whopping 110.4 yards per games.
           
That’s what most quarterbacks in the Big 12 get in one quarter.
           
Entering Saturday’s games, only two SEC quarterbacks ranked among the nation’s top 40 in passing efficiency. Six of the top 12 SEC passers ranked 82nd or lower in the nation.
           
I admit, I’m a quarterback guy. I think it’s extremely difficult to win at a high level in college football without a productive quarterback.
           
For example, do you think LSU would have lost by 14 to Georgia at home (remember the Bulldogs returned two interceptions for touchdowns) and at Florida by 30 if Matt Flynn had been the Bengals’ quarterback?
           
Do you think Auburn would be 4-5 with Jason Campbell at quarterback? Or Tennessee 3-6 with Erik Ainge at quarterback?
           
As I watched South Carolina and Tennessee flounder during a boring SEC game Saturday night, I had another TV set turned to Texas and Texas Tech. The Texas teams were more athletic, better coached and much more proficient in the passing game. They played fast. The Vols and Gamecocks played like they were running in quick sand.
           
The debate that the SEC is better than the Big 12 borders on absurd. It’s not even close. When I went team-by-team from best to worst, I’ve got the SEC winning maybe four of the 12 games - if you count pushes. That’s it.
           
I think Florida could beat Texas Tech, but I’d take Texas over Alabama and Oklahoma over Georgia. I’d take Oklahoma State over LSU, Missouri over South Carolina and Kansas over Kentucky. Nebraska and Ole Miss would be a push. If Vanderbilt can’t beat Duke, would it beat Kansas State ?
           
Auburn and Texas A&M might be a 3-2 game. Colorado - Arkansas, Tennessee-Iowa State are toss ups. I’d take Baylor over Mississippi State because the Bears have a gifted young quarterback.
           
I can hear the defenders of the SEC: SEC defenses make SEC offenses look bad. No, poor execution and quarterback play make SEC offenses look bad.
           
As for SEC defenses, West Virginia scored 34 points on Auburn, Georgia Tech got 38 on Mississippi State and Texas got 52 on Arkansas. UCLA got 27 on Tennessee but was shutout by BYU and got just 10 on Arizona.
           
From another perspective, how would you rank SEC teams compared to the other 119 Division 1-A programs? Answer: Not very high.
           


Here’s my list, using a range for those outside the top 25.
           
1. Alabama. The Crimson Tide has a good chance to be undefeated entering the SEC championship game against Florida.
           
4. Florida. I’m impressed with Oklahoma at this spot, but the Gators have more quality wins.
           
12. Georgia. I don’t want to punish the Dawgs too much for losing to two of the top five teams in the nation.
           
15. LSU has lost to two quality teams. The Alabama game will determine if the Tigers belong this high.
           
26-30. South Carolina. Because of defense, the Gamecocks are a border line top 25 team and could go 8-4.
           
30-35. Ole Miss. The Rebels handed Florida its only loss, a big feather in Houston Nutt’s cap.
           
35-40. Kentucky. Their win over Louisville looks better now. So does 3-point loss at Alabama.
           
40-45. Vanderbilt. The 5-0 start was a mirage. Commodores will be 7-5 at best.
           
50-60. Auburn. Decent defense but horrific offense. Not one good win.
           
50-60. Arkansas. Win over No. 18 Tulsa is impressive, better than anything Tennessee has done.
           
60-70. Tennessee. Program is much closer to Northern Illinois than Florida, Alabama or Georgia .
           
70-80. Mississippi State. Another horrific SEC offense. Lost to Louisiana Tech and blown out by Georgia Tech.
 


My MrSEC.com Power Poll ballot:

1. Alabama
2. Florida
3. Georgia
4. LSU
5. South Carolina
6. Ole Miss
7. Kentucky
8. Vanderbilt
9. Auburn
10. Arkansas
11. Tennessee
12. Mississippi State
 

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