SEC entering a new era

Mon Jan 12, 2015 5:47 pm

It is going to be a strange and difficult day for fans of the SEC.

There will be college football on most every working television in the United States tonight, and Birmingham, Alabama, will likely remain among the country’s largest consumers. But in the where the SEC is headquartered, people won’t be watching Alabama or Auburn or any of the conference’s other programs that strung together seven consecutive national championship appearances.

No, Groundhog Day has passed. The SEC is finally shut out of college football’s most important game, and what an odd sensation it is to find out that there is a tomorrow.

It’s a brave new world for the conference that has long relished its spot atop the sport. Respect, even if it’s comes begrudgingly, must now be given to Oregon of the once too-soft Pac-12 and Ohio State of the once too-thin Big Ten. Respect and concern, because Urban Meyer has brought Ohio State back to life, Mark Helfrich has made Oregon into more than a fast offense and pretty uniforms, and elsewhere it feels as if college football is catching up.

TCU’s dismantling of Ole Miss was the initial slap in the face. When Wisconsin beat Auburn and Georgia Tech beat Mississippi State, alarm bells went off. Then, when Alabama lost to Ohio State, parity kicked the SEC out of bed.

But what will this new day hold? The neighbors have never felt so close.

Has Mississippi State’s moment come and gone that quickly? Can Florida rebuild under Jim McElwain? Is Alabama’s dynasty really sinking? Are the young Vols of Tennessee ready so soon? Who wants to play quarterback for Ole Miss? Or Georgia or LSU or South Carolina? Auburn has its quarterback, but can the Tigers learn to play defense? Does anyone in the SEC want to play defense again?

Other than uncertainty on the field, tomorrow will soon bring a new commissioner off it. With Mike Slive set to step down this summer, a 13-year era of stability and growth is over for the SEC. Will a new one begin? If so, who will be the man or woman to continue down Slive’s path?

Slive was instrumental in building the playoff we’ll watch tonight, but his conference won’t be a part of its grand reveal. It has to be bitter for both he and fans of the SEC to know that the league’s turn in the sun couldn’t last another game.

But all runs must end somewhere. The question is how quickly you get back in the race.

Today will be difficult for the SEC, but tomorrow offers a fresh start.

The rest of college football had to wait eight years for a national title. The SEC should be able to survive one night without being the center of attention.

AngelGirl · Mon Jan 12, 2015 9:36 pm

Yep, Alex writes a great blog article! Thanks for copy/pasting it here, KW!

http://espn.go.com/blog/sec/post/_/id/9 ... -a-new-era

https://twitter.com/AlexS_ESPN

Mon Jan 12, 2015 11:27 pm

AngelGirl wrote:Yep, Alex writes a great blog article! Thanks for copy/pasting it here, KW!

http://espn.go.com/blog/sec/post/_/id/9 ... -a-new-era

https://twitter.com/AlexS_ESPN

Yep, it was about an hour before the kick-off and I hurriedly "copy and pasted" this ESPN article and failed to credit ESPN by providing their URL link. Thanks for bringing this to my attention by posting the proper URL link here, AngelGirl!

PensacolaKid · Mon Jan 12, 2015 11:27 pm

Yes, as I have stated, I do believe the tide has turned and the SEC although not taking a back seat, has been given notice that other teams are now in the race. Ohio State showed exactly what the SEC has been....speed, quickness, power, finesse, strength. I don't like Ohio State but they deserved to win and they were in my opinion one of the top two teams in America this year, TCU being the other. TCU could have easily been in this game instead of Ohio State and I believe they would have beaten Oregon. Could TCU have beaten Ohio State....who knows?

The SEC will NOT be the conference to beat next year, mark my words. Cyclical my friends, just like everything else.

This has been a great college football season and I for one can not wait until August comes around.

By the way, the leader in College Football Head Coach Nation Championships is.....Bear Bryant. Nick Saban has 4. Can Coach Saban do it before the mojo is gone? This is, again in my opinion, the Tiger Woods story of College Football. What will be??????????

CONGRATULATIONS TO THE OHIO STATE BUCKEYES!!!!

AngelGirl · Tue Jan 13, 2015 12:28 pm

Kenny Wilder wrote:
AngelGirl wrote:Yep, Alex writes a great blog article! Thanks for copy/pasting it here, KW!

http://espn.go.com/blog/sec/post/_/id/9 ... -a-new-era

https://twitter.com/AlexS_ESPN
Yep, it was about an hour before the kick-off and I hurriedly "copy and pasted" this ESPN article and failed to credit ESPN by providing their URL link. Thanks for bringing this to my attention by posting the proper URL link here, AngelGirl!

You bet, I don't want us to get into any legal problems!! Great article, though and he's a very good writer/reporter! I understand the haste --- but then, that's why I'm a moderator!

Brian and I've got your back, Sir Kenny!

Blessings,
A.G.

Tue Jan 13, 2015 3:45 pm

AngelGirl wrote:
Kenny Wilder wrote:
AngelGirl wrote:Yep, Alex writes a great blog article! Thanks for copy/pasting it here, KW!

http://espn.go.com/blog/sec/post/_/id/9 ... -a-new-era

https://twitter.com/AlexS_ESPN
Yep, it was about an hour before the kick-off and I hurriedly "copy and pasted" this ESPN article and failed to credit ESPN by providing their URL link. Thanks for bringing this to my attention by posting the proper URL link here, AngelGirl!
You bet, I don't want us to get into any legal problems!! Great article, though and he's a very good writer/reporter! I understand the haste --- but then, that's why I'm a moderator! We've got your back, sir Kenny!

Blessings,
A.G.

I'm glad you and Brian have my back, Lady AngelGirl!

PensacolaKid · Wed Jan 14, 2015 8:03 am

The key to all this is precisely what I have said all season and what was said in the above article, "all runs must come to an end at some point." It is all cyclical. Not saying the SEC won't be right back in the saddle next year but all signs point to the "dominant" reign being over. Again, I can tell you for an absolute fact that outside of the SE USA, people are sick of hearing about the SEC. I have said all along to many of these people...."then come knock us off the mountain." Well, the SEC was knocked on it's ass this year and particularly in the bowl games.

This is indeed a new day in college football. We have seen the "parity" come back into football and I for one, like it a lot. I want it to be competitive, exciting, nail biting, football.

Lot's of questions to be answered between now and Aug 1 or whenever most 1A schools report to camp. It will be interesting to see all the new dynamics working out. There are a whole lot of schools I will be rooting for to be right up there at the top....with most of course belonging to the SEC. I really want to see TN and Arkansas make some GIGANTIC moves and get back into the national mix. I want to see if Auburn can find a defense. I want to see if University of Houston's program can get back to prominence with the new coach....who was the Offensive Coordinator for the National Champions, Ohio State. I want to see if TCU can ramp it up another notch. I want to see if SMU can be relevant again. Were Ole Miss and Miss State just flashes in the pan? What about Florida? Nebrasky with Coach Riley....he is a darn good coach and man. Wooooooo, it is gonna be fun.

If only we could get Iowa to move to more of an Oregon type of uniform system. Those uni's are holding you guys back!!!

Seriously, those uni's make you guys slow and cumbersome. Let's help stop, "uniform abuse!"

Razorback · Wed Jan 14, 2015 9:05 am

The only thing missing this year from previous years was an SEC team in the championship game. The SEC went 28-0 in non conference games. Top to bottom the SEC was and will remain the strongest conference in the country. No doubt the top 1/3 of the other conferences are equal to the SEC and that makes for good conversation throughout the country. Anyone who gloats that the SEC will be down had better get ready for a good ole fashion country whooping because top to bottom the SEC will continue to be the strongest. Now what this does is maybe to some degree weaken the SEC teams because by the end of the season we have beat each other to death. I was a fun year. I admit I enjoyed the championship game even without a SEC team playing.

PensacolaKid · Wed Jan 14, 2015 10:43 am

Well Razorback, I am sure there were some people who were gloating but I think it was more of a, just tired of hearing SEC in every single conversation as if no other teams were relevant. I know the majority of the country was glad to see some other teams in the Championship Game other than an SEC school.

Yes, it would be foolish to think the SEC is anywhere close to being out of the mix as they certainly will once again have 3-5 teams in the hunt. I just think there are now going to be a lot more possibilities to equal or perhaps even exceed the SEC's team(s) in the mix. Which is a good thing for College Football.

For instance, having read his book and followed Art Briles over the years, I am a Baylor and Coach Briles fan and I did not go there although a lot of my friends did. I want to see Coach Briles win the big one. In fact, and I can not believe I am saying this but if it came down to Baylor vs. say Auburn next year, even with the majority of people in my family graduating from Auburn, I would be rooting for Baylor.

East Carolina. Boy they came on in the end and I really like Ruffin McNeill the Head Coach. It is almost like a candy store to me. So much excitement, so many questions to be answered. One of the best seasons of the year is College Football.

Razorback · Wed Jan 14, 2015 1:09 pm

I too would root for Baylor. Actually there are teams outside the SEC that I would root for against the SEC. I am a fan of Arkansas first and Georgia second. Two reasons for Georgia. My wife is from Atlanta and I like their coach. After those two I am not a great fan of other SEC teams. I take pride that the Hogs are in the toughest division of the toughest conference in the country but I would be lying if I didn't say I would like to see a little less success from the top teams and that help the Hogs get to the top.

Wed Jan 14, 2015 2:26 pm

Razorback wrote:I too would root for Baylor. Actually there are teams outside the SEC that I would root for against the SEC. I am a fan of Arkansas first and Georgia second. Two reasons for Georgia. My wife is from Atlanta and I like their coach. After those two I am not a great fan of other SEC teams. I take pride that the Hogs are in the toughest division of the toughest conference in the country but I would be lying if I didn't say I would like to see a little less success from the top teams and that help the Hogs get to the top.

I would love to see Alabama beat Arkansas "again" next fall in Tuscaloosa by just 1 point "again". That would make my day! I always pull for Auburn when they are not playing Alabama. I am a big time SEC fan and I always pull for an SEC team when they are playing a team outside of the SEC Conference.

Razorback · Wed Jan 14, 2015 2:51 pm

Kenny Wilder wrote:
Razorback wrote:I too would root for Baylor. Actually there are teams outside the SEC that I would root for against the SEC. I am a fan of Arkansas first and Georgia second. Two reasons for Georgia. My wife is from Atlanta and I like their coach. After those two I am not a great fan of other SEC teams. I take pride that the Hogs are in the toughest division of the toughest conference in the country but I would be lying if I didn't say I would like to see a little less success from the top teams and that help the Hogs get to the top.
I would love to see Alabama beat Arkansas "again" next fall in Tuscaloosa by just 1 point "again". That would make my day! I always pull for Auburn when they are not playing Alabama. I am a big time SEC fan and I always pull for an SEC team when they are playing a team outside of the SEC Conference.

It is very apparent what a huge Bama fan you are Kenny and I respect that program. I guess I am like a lot of folks around the country and maybe I too even though my Hogs are in the SEC, maybe I have SEC fatigue too. I thought I would not enjoy the championship game for lack of a SEC team but it was a very good game and I came away impressed with OSU. Hopefully before I die I will get to see my Hogs be in that game. Hopefully I will also get to see them beat Bama. I guess it is ok for you to sidetrack this tread with the jab about Bama beating the Hogs AGAIN so until my Hogs come out on top I tip my hat to you and your team.

Wed Jan 14, 2015 2:59 pm

Razorback wrote:
Kenny Wilder wrote:
Razorback wrote:I too would root for Baylor. Actually there are teams outside the SEC that I would root for against the SEC. I am a fan of Arkansas first and Georgia second. Two reasons for Georgia. My wife is from Atlanta and I like their coach. After those two I am not a great fan of other SEC teams. I take pride that the Hogs are in the toughest division of the toughest conference in the country but I would be lying if I didn't say I would like to see a little less success from the top teams and that help the Hogs get to the top.
I would love to see Alabama beat Arkansas "again" next fall in Tuscaloosa by just 1 point "again". That would make my day! I always pull for Auburn when they are not playing Alabama. I am a big time SEC fan and I always pull for an SEC team when they are playing a team outside of the SEC Conference.
It is very apparent what a huge Bama fan you are Kenny and I respect that program. I guess I am like a lot of folks around the country and maybe I too even though my Hogs are in the SEC, maybe I have SEC fatigue too. I thought I would not enjoy the championship game for lack of a SEC team but it was a very good game and I came away impressed with OSU. Hopefully before I die I will get to see my Hogs be in that game. Hopefully I will also get to see them beat Bama. I guess it is ok for you to sidetrack this tread with the jab about Bama beating the Hogs AGAIN so until my Hogs come out on top I tip my hat to you and your team.

If you will take notice I started this Topic (thread) about the SEC, and I find it difficult to understand how I "sidetracked this thread". Anyway, I think most SEC fans know that Arkansas is back and will no longer be a door-mat for other SEC teams. I wish the Hogs the very best in 2015 except when they play Bama in Tuscaloosa this fall.

Razorback · Wed Jan 14, 2015 3:35 pm

Well noted and as I stated until the Hogs can elevate their game to be included in the conversation I tip my hat to your team. Looking forward to the next season.