The SEC Is Tough, But A Loss Is Still A Loss
The SEC is great, we all get that. But those who are claiming that a one loss SEC team should play in the National Championship over an undefeated Big 10 team have lost their minds.
Sometimes champions are not the best team in the country. That’s why they play the games. In 2007 the New England Patriots were clearly the cream of the NFL crop, but they didn’t earn a victory in the Super Bowl, and therefore they didn’t deserve the Lombardi trophy. The SEC had the strongest group of teams this year, which is why any undefeated team had the inside track to the Championship Game, but the fact is no one was able to run the table.
And let’s be real: if you wanted to insert “the best” one loss SEC team, it would be Alabama not Auburn or Missouri. If voters were able to ignore on-the-field results when they pertain to Ohio State, then why couldn’t they just ignore the results of the SEC Championship bout as well and throw the Crimson Tide in there just because we think they’re the best? That sounds ludicrous, but I fail to see the difference.
Oh, and by the way, that Missouri Tiger team that’s one win away from an SEC title may have four wins against ranked teams, but only one was in the top 10, and the rest were all against teams ranked 20-25. Pair that with a loss to South Carolina, and their resume is flat out not as worthy as Ohio State’s.
The advantage of playing in the most difficult conference is that you are guaranteed not to be the odd man out if there are more than two undefeated teams at the end of the year. Unfortunately for Alabama and the rest of the SEC, no one was able to cash in on that ticket. If OSU takes care of #11 Michigan State and their vaunted defense next week, there is no reasonable argument to be made that a one loss SEC team should be playing for the title in their stead.
Can’t wait for that four team playoff…