I'm talking top to bottom SEC minus Bama is better than any other conference minus their best team. Not concerned with UT's schedule or whatever. Saying, if you matched up Wake Forrest, Maryland, VT, Miami, etc...vs UK, Vandy, Miss State, UGA, etc... and so on to the other conf's as well...SEC is better.
The NFL draft is a perfect example of that. Look up how many SEC players have been drafted in the last decade vs all the other conferences. It's a landslide. Take Tennessee even, we've been a joke for a decade but still put a bunch of dudes in the league. Jason Croom is a starting TE, Alvin Kamara is the best RB in the league, Patterson is making highlights reels every week now for New England, Justin Coleman is still playing pro ball and doing well.
SEC has better fans, facilities, coaches, players and is clearly the best league top to bottom in the country. Like I said, it's not as far of a gap as it was but it's still obvious.