1.) SEC – The South Eastern Conference: A-
The Good:
No.1 Alabama (5-0) – No.8 Auburn (5-0) – No.11 Arkansas (3-1) – No.12 LSU (5-0) – No.14 Florida (4-1) – No.19 South Carolina (3-2)
The Bad:
Tennessee (2-3) – Georgia (1-4) – Vanderbilt (1-3)
Quality non-conference wins:
West Virginia, Penn State, Clemson
2010 record vs. non-conference: 24-5
As much as it pains me and the rest of the country outside of the south to admit it, the South Eastern Conference still reigns supreme over the rest. The conference continues to have a team ranked within the top five in the country as it has in the past. The SEC also has five teams ranked within the top 15 in the country. Quality nonconference wins come at a premium this year, as the teams typically face a weak nonconference schedule because of the intense conference games played. Two of the conferences typical top teams, Georgia and Tennessee, are going through bad seasons, which have given way for teams like Arkansas and South Carolina to catch the national headlines this season.
2.) PAC-10 – The Pacific Athletic Conference: A-
The Good:
No.3 Oregon (5-0) – No.9 Arizona (4-0) – No. 16 Stanford (4-1) – USC (4-1) – Oregon State (2-2) – UCLA (3-2)
The Bad:
Washington State (1-4) – California (2-2) – Arizona State (2-3)
Quality non-conference wins:
Tennessee, Iowa, Minnesota, Texas, Notre Dame, Colorado
2010 record vs. non-conference: 21-9
The forgotten conference. Year after year the PAC-10 brings a reputation as being a weak conference. The bad rep mostly comes from an unseen audience of college football fans because of their late games times for east coast viewers. Make no mistake, though, the PAC-10 is no weak league. Just ask 100,000 fans at Tennessee’s Neyland Stadium or Iowa and Texas coaches how weak the PAC-10 is this season. A typical quarterback producing league, the PAC-10 continues the trend this season with single callers Andrew Luck, Matt Barkley, Nick Foles, Jake Locker and Darron Thomas stealing the national headlines as prolific passers. The only thing holding the conference down continues to be the horrendous play of Washington State, who’s only win this season comes from a 23-22 barn-burner game against FCS Montana State.
3.) Big Ten – The Big Ten Conference: B+
The Good:
No. 2 Ohio State (5-0) – No.15 Iowa (4-1) – No.17 Michigan State (5-0) – No.18 Michigan (5-0) – No.20 Wisconsin (4-1) – Northwestern (5-0)
The Bad:
Minnesota (1-4) – Illinois (2-2) – Purdue (2-2)
Quality non-conference wins:
Notre Dame, Miami (FL), Arizona State, Connecticut, Iowa State
2010 record vs. non-conference: 34-8
The Big Ten continues to be one of the more balanced leagues in the NCAA. It seems any team can beat anyone every week in the Big Ten. Known for its power football and bruising run games and linebackers, the Big Ten has built a reputation as one of the better bowl conferences the last decade as well. With traditional powerhouse Michigan back in the national scene this season, the Big Ten gets a boast in respect. Penn State, having a down year hurts, but the emergence of Michigan State as a possible contender this year gives the league some credibility. The surprising struggle of the Big Ten is Minnesota this season, switching places with a 3-1 Indiana team. As conference play becomes more intense and the season moves on, expect the Big Ten to start picking one another apart, starting this weekend with a Michigan vs. Michigan State showdown.
4.) Big 12 – The Big Twelve Conference: B
The Good:
No.6 Oklahoma (5-0) – No.7 Nebraska (4-0) – No.22 Oklahoma State (4-0) – No.24 Missouri (4-0) Texas (3-2) – Kansas State (4-0) – Texas A&M (3-1) – Baylor (4-1)
The Bad:
Texas Tech (2-2) – Kansas (2-3)
Quality non-conference:
UCLA, Washington, Florida State, Air Force, Cincinnati, Georgia, Georgia Tech
2010 record vs. non-conference: 34-6
This week, for the first time in 162 consecutive weeks, Texas fell from the AP Top 25 poll. That should tell you one thing about the Big 12 this season. The league’s traditional powerhouse is struggling and so is its league’s reputation because of it. Surprisingly so, though, Nebraska has just picked up the Texas slack, returning to its old form. Every year the conference features one or two team’s preseason magazines and college football analyst seemed to overlook. This year is no difference with Oklahoma State and Kansas State opening to 4-0 starts. The Sooners continue to dominate college football, although not in typical Oklahoma stomping fashion, half of the conferences quality non-conference wins still come from the OK-red. The conference has a chance to take a step forward this week with 3-1 Texas A&M facing No.11 Arkansas and 3-2 Iowa State facing No.10 Utah.
5.) ACC – The Atlantic Coast Conference: C+
The Good:
No.13 Miami (FL) (3-1) – No.23 Florida State (4-1) – Maryland (4-1) – North Carolina State (4-1) – Virginia Tech (3-2)
The Bad:
Duke (1-4) – Virginia (2-2) – Wake Forest (2-3) – Boston College (2-2)
Quality non-conference wins:
Pittsburgh, Cincinnati, Navy, Rutgers
2010 record vs. non-conference: 21-12
Things haven’t exactly worked out as planned for the ACC. The 2004 additions of Miami, Virginia Tech and Boston College were suppose to position the ACC as one of the nation’s best leagues, especially with Florida State, Clemson and North Carolina State still in the league. Sadly since the arrival of the Big East three, the league has been like a 12 team cage fight to the death. Week to week, no team is safe during ACC conference play. Since the 2004 expansion, no conference winner has finished with an undefeated league record. That may change this year with the parity between the Coastal division best, Miami and Atlantic division best, Florida State. But not even one of them can escape the conference without a loss as the two play one another this weekend. The ACC is still working on building up its non-conference reputation as the league walked away with a failing grade against non-conference opponents this season. The leagues only quality non-ACC wins came against Big East schools and a non-AQ.
6.) MTN West – The Mountain West Conference: C+
The Good:
No.5 TCU (5-0) – No.10 Utah (4-0) – No.25 Air Force (4-1) – San Diego State (3-1)
The Bad:
New Mexico (0-5) – Colorado State (1-4) – BYU (1-4) – UNLV (1-4)
Quality non-conference wins:
Pittsburgh, Oregon State, Baylor, Washington, Navy
2010 record vs. non-conference: 14-16
Believe the hype about the Mountain West. The top of the league is capable of beating anyone in the country. Unfortunately, the bottom of the league is capable of losing to anyone in the country. Utah, TCU and BYU have carried the Mountain West for the past decade and given the league credibility, even with BCS voters. BYU is going through a re-building season, but a 1-4 record isn’t typical of the Cougars who have won at least 10 games the last four seasons. This year TCU and Utah continue to carry the league, while Air Force and San Diego State are emerging as college football sleepers. The bottom of the league of New Mexico and UNLV are plain bad. The conference will be reconstructed next season with Utah heading to the PAC-10, BYU heading for independence and Boise State, Fresno State and Nevada joining the league and potentially strengthening the Mountain West’s reputation.
7.) Big East – The Big East Conference: D
The Good:
West Virginia (3-1) – South Florida (3-1) – Connecticut (3-2)
The Bad:
Cincinnati (1-3) – Rutgers (2-2) – Louisville (2-2) – Pittsburgh (2-2)
Quality non-conference wins:
Maryland
2010 record vs. non-conference: 20-13
Is it basketball season yet? That’s really all Big East athletic directors are asking themselves at this point. No Big East school currently calls the AP Top 25 home, yet the conference remains an automatic qualifier for a BCS bowl. The leagues non-conference record is weighted by FCS opponent wins, including Syracuse playing back-to-back FCS opponents. The strength of the conference is without a doubt West Virginia, but even the mountaineers had a chance to knock off a struggling offensive team in LSU, but were unable to do so. South Florida had an opportunity to take down Florida but wound up embarrassed and Pittsburgh failed to even hang with Miami (FL) in a Thursday night home game. The leagues reputation is so bad right now; conference expansion seems to be the only thing that keeps the Big East within the national talk. Pittsburgh has a chance to knock off Notre Dame this weekend, which should shed light on whatever is struggling worse: Notre Dame’s or the Big East’s fans.
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