Those SEC defenses ...

[johnnd05]

I know it's early (just seven minutes in), but I'm currently watching Nebraska march right on down the field against the mighty Auburn Tigers.

And I know the top teams haven't played yet, but so far the SEC has given up an average of 384.3 yards and 30.3 points against the likes of VaTech, Houston, Clemson, and Okla. State. They are 3-1, though.

 

[solo]

I know it's early (just seven minutes in), but I'm currently watching Nebraska march right on down the field against the mighty Auburn Tigers.

And I know the top teams haven't played yet, but so far the SEC has given up an average of 384.3 yards and 30.3 points against the likes of VaTech, Houston, Clemson, and Okla. State. They are 3-1, though.

Factual post, but possibly looking at the wrong teams. Kentucky and South carolina are offensive minded teams that finished 7th and 8th place in the SEC. Alabama finished 9th in the SEC.

GA held VT to under 200 yards of total offense and forced something like 5 turnovers. That was an excellent example of a good SEC defense.

LSU, Georgia, and Florida all finished in the top 10 defensiively in yards given up per game. I would look at those teams performances as well as the Auburn, TN, and Arkansas games.

I don't think you learn much about a conference when you start looking at the teams that finished in the bottom 50% percent.

 

[johnnd05]

Factual post, but possibly looking at the wrong teams. Kentucky and South carolina are offensive minded teams that finished 7th and 8th place in the SEC. Alabama finished 9th in the SEC.

GA held VT to under 200 yards of total offense and forced something like 5 turnovers. That was an excellent example of a good SEC defense.

LSU, Georgia, and Florida all finished in the top 10 defensiively in yards given up per game. I would look at those teams performances as well as the Auburn, TN, and Arkansas games.

I don't think you learn much about a conference when you start looking at the teams that finished in the bottom 50% percent.

All good points. But when nearly every one of the top SEC teams struggled to some extent against both 'Bama and the 'Cocks, all you heard was how tough the SEC is and how good their defenses are. These numbers do a good deal to call that perception into question. I do agree, though -- and I made this clear in my initial post -- that we need to wait for all the chips to fall in.

Speaking of which: at halftime, PSU has put up 247 yards and ten points against the Vols, and halfway through the second quarter, the 'Huskers have 156 yards (to 36) and 14 points against Auburn.

 

[jerseyborn1971]

It's simple for anyone defending the SEC "brutal Schedule". They can't claim the schedule is brutal because they play Bama, South Carolina, Kentucky etc and then later claim that opposing conferences beating those teams proves nothing because they finished in the bottom half of the SEC. They are either tough or not.

 

[solo]

In response to the "SEC defenses", I saw:

1. Tenn D play poorly against Penn St.
2. Aubrurn D play well against Nebraska
3. Arkansas D play well against Wisconisn in a losing effort
4. GA defense play well against VT
5. Bama, Kentucky, and South Carolina defenses not play well.

So does that mean their defenses were overrated? Tough to say. But the SEC as a whole is not dominating in the bowls that's for sure. The Big 10 who I thought was top heavy this year is doing very well.

 

[johnnd05]

Update: 335.3 yards and 24.1 points, for a 4-3 record, with only the LUSers and Gators remaining.

Meanwhile: how 'bout those Yellowjackets and Nittany Lions, huh? No quality wins, my ass.

 

[solo]

Did you speak prematurely about the 5 loss yellow jackets?

 

[johnnd05]

Did you speak prematurely about the 5 loss yellow jackets?

No, it's just that nobody was even giving them a frigging chance to hang with the mighty mighty Mountaineers.