[Kevin]

TSteven, if you want to live and die by the Sagarin ratings, that's fine. The SEC has been a couple points or less up on the #2 conference for both '06 and '07.

But in 2005? Next to last among BCS conferences.

CONFERENCE CENTRAL MEAN SIMPLE AVERAGE TEAMS

1 BIG TEN (A) = 80.72 80.55 ( 1) 11
2 ATLANTIC COAST (A) = 78.96 78.26 ( 4) 12
3 BIG 12 (A) = 78.96 80.02 ( 2) 12
4 PAC-10 (A) = 77.92 78.65 ( 3) 10
5 SOUTHEASTERN (A) = 75.28 74.92 ( 6) 12
6 I-A INDEPENDENTS (A) = 74.44 75.02 ( 5) 3
7 BIG EAST (A) = 72.12 72.42 ( 7) 8
8 MOUNTAIN WEST (A) = 69.51 69.58 ( 8) 9
9 CONFERENCE USA (A) = 65.02 64.69 ( 9) 12
10 MID-AMERICAN (A) = 63.20 62.28 ( 10) 13
11 WESTERN ATHLETIC (A) = 61.90 61.49 ( 11) 9
12 GATEWAY (AA)= 57.07 55.53 ( 12) 8
13 SUN BELT (A) = 54.45 54.22 ( 13) 8
14 BIG SKY (AA)= 53.69 52.97 ( 15) 8
15 GREAT WEST (AA)= 53.42 52.65 ( 17) 6
16 SOUTHERN (AA)= 52.79 52.93 ( 16) 8
17 SOUTHLAND (AA)= 52.60 53.40 ( 14) 7
18 ATLANTIC 10 (AA)= 51.30 51.37 ( 18) 12
19 IVY LEAGUE (AA)= 46.06 45.23 ( 19) 8
20 PATRIOT LEAGUE (AA)= 39.22 38.69 ( 20) 7
21 OHIO VALLEY (AA)= 37.88 38.52 ( 21) 9
22 MID-EASTERN (AA)= 37.61 37.78 ( 22) 9
23 BIG SOUTH (AA)= 32.25 32.75 ( 24) 5
24 SOUTHWESTERN (AA)= 32.16 32.78 ( 23) 10
25 PIONEER (AA)= 26.88 26.47 ( 25) 9
26 NORTHEAST (AA)= 25.21 25.23 ( 26) 8
27 METRO ATLANTIC (AA)= 18.99 19.56 ( 27) 5
28 I-AA INDEPENDENTS (AA)= 11.91 11.91 ( 28) 1
29 ***UNRATED*** (**)= -90.00 -90.00 ( 29) 1

or '04? Again, next to last among BCS conferences.

CONFERENCE CENTRAL MEAN SIMPLE AVERAGE TEAMS

1 ATLANTIC COAST (A) = 77.91 78.09 ( 2) 11
2 PAC-10 (A) = 77.84 78.89 ( 1) 10
3 I-A INDEPENDENTS (A) = 76.98 76.98 ( 4) 2
4 BIG 12 (A) = 76.42 77.08 ( 3) 12
5 BIG TEN (A) = 75.63 75.29 ( 5) 11
6 SOUTHEASTERN (A) = 74.13 74.31 ( 6) 12
7 MOUNTAIN WEST (A) = 72.08 72.91 ( 7) 8
8 BIG EAST (A) = 71.98 71.56 ( 8) 7
9 WESTERN ATHLETIC (A) = 67.40 68.40 ( 9) 10
10 ATLANTIC 10 (AA)= 65.74 65.14 ( 11) 12
11 CONFERENCE USA (A) = 65.66 66.75 ( 10) 11
12 SUN BELT (A) = 60.24 60.46 ( 12) 9
13 GREAT WEST (AA)= 56.73 56.72 ( 13) 6
14 BIG SKY (AA)= 55.90 56.49 ( 14) 8
15 MID-AMERICAN (A) = 55.69 56.35 ( 15) 14
16 SOUTHLAND (AA)= 55.53 55.73 ( 17) 6
17 IVY LEAGUE (AA)= 54.93 55.78 ( 16) 8
18 SOUTHERN (AA)= 52.40 52.82 ( 18) 8
19 PATRIOT LEAGUE (AA)= 52.00 50.73 ( 20) 7
20 GATEWAY (AA)= 51.30 52.16 ( 19) 8
21 I-AA INDEPENDENTS (AA)= 46.44 46.34 ( 21) 5
22 OHIO VALLEY (AA)= 43.77 43.66 ( 22) 9
23 MID-EASTERN (AA)= 41.90 41.90 ( 23) 8
24 BIG SOUTH (AA)= 41.73 41.34 ( 24) 5
25 SOUTHWESTERN (AA)= 38.70 37.75 ( 25) 10
26 NORTHEAST (AA)= 35.26 35.10 ( 26) 8
27 PIONEER (AA)= 27.25 28.60 ( 27) 9
28 METRO ATLANTIC (AA)= 22.77 24.00 ( 28) 5
29 ***UNRATED*** (**)= -99.00 -99.00 ( 29) 1

Thank God for the Big East, eh?

So much for year in/year out. Like everyone else, the SEC has its ups and downs.