the SEC, in most years, has 1/2 the conf. that is competitive at the top with FL, TN, GA, Aub, Bama, and LSU. i'd put those top 6 against any other conf's top 6 any day. and that's not say that in head to heads the SEC would win each matchup. simply that there's just not another conf year in and year out that can put that many teams in the same pot and all realisitically compete at championship levels.
historically speaking, since the SEC went in to division play, 6 different teams have won the conf. 4 different teams have won 5 national titles, and played for two more, and the no. 1 team this year is an SEC team, with another shot possibly at a national title. so add that up....in 15 years.....5 national titles out of 7 possible, with the 8th maybe coming this year...(also consider that 4 national titles have been won by 3 SEC teams since the BCS was created 9 years ago).
and that's not counting Auburn who went undefeated twice in the same time span (93 and 04).
Combine that with the only teams not to ever appear in the conf. title game are Ole Miss, VAndy, KY and SC.....only Vandy, KY and SC have never even won a share of their dvision title.
it's the competition w/in the league that separates itself from the others, and 15 years of divisional play, the talent at the top of the conf. has also proved itself against the best of other leagues with 5 National Titles (maybe a 6th in an 8th try this year) out of that group.
are there years where the SEC has been down? yes. has that happened lately? yes.
but there is a reason why we, and others, boast on the SEC being "tough". it is.
