There has always been that one friend with that one stubborn opinion, saying the SEC is the best division in college football. Okay, yes, the conference has been for a number of years. But college football is not the sport to talk like Yankees fans worldwide. It’s not all about the rings, at least not this year. Pac-12 schools have made and continue to make a statement. This year it’s becoming an elite conference, if not the elite conference, in college football. With such a strong conference, it’s time to break the Pac-12 and SEC down.
Although both divisions have “bottom feeder” type teams, all the focus is on the top teams. Because of this phenomenon, it only seems right to take the three best teams from the top division in the SEC and the Pac-12 and compare them.
In talking about the three best teams from each division, for the SEC West, it’s Alabama, LSU and Auburn. For the Pac-12 North, it’s Oregon, Stanford and Washington. Let the debate begin.
The latest BCS standings has five of the six teams ranked in the top 15 – Washington the lone team unranked — and three of the six in the top five. Looking at the schedules of each team, one would immediately recognize that Washington has already played its hardest part of the season, while Alabama still has LSU and Auburn to play and LSU also has Texas A&M.
With five weeks left in the season and the BCS polls not yet in full force, Emerald sports reporter Andrew Bantly breaks down who wins the position battles within each conference.
Quarterbacks: Pac-12 North
Led by Heisman front-runner Marcus Mariota of Oregon, the Pac-12 North gets the advantage. Along with Mariota, Stanford’s Kevin Hogan and Washington’s Keith Price put up a higher average EPA (total clutch-weighted expected points added, 38.77) and average adjusted QBR (79.1) than the quarterbacks of the SEC West teams. AJ McCarron of Alabama and LSU’s Zach Mettenberger are both ranked in the Top 10 of Adj. QBR, but Auburn’s Nick Marshall hurts the division in this category with just a 18.3 total EPA and 64.9 Adj. QBR.
The Pac-12 quarterbacks also have ran for 12 touchdowns compared to the SEC quarterbacks who only have five rushing touchdowns, all of which are by Auburn’s Nick Marshall.
Running backs: Pac-12 North
To compare running backs, the qualifying backs needed to have at least 60 touches. The SEC West backs average 6.7 yards per carry and have scored 43 touchdowns. The Pac-12 North backs average 6.0 yards per carry and have ran it in the end zone 44 times. Now the Pac-12 North only has four qualifying backs, whereas the SEC West has five. The current starting backs for each of the three Pac-12 North teams — Bishop Sankey, Byron Marshall and Tyler Gaffney — are all tied for the nation’s lead in rushing touchdown scores with 12. LSU’s Jeremy Hill is also part of this nation-leading group.
Even further, star running back De’Anthony Thomas was not included in the numbers due to his mere 52 carries.
Wide receivers: Pac-12 North
Just as it was for determining the running backs, the receivers between each division are very close in production this year. In picking the two receivers from each team with the most receptions, SEC West receivers average 16.4 yards per reception, and the Pac-12 North receivers average 15.9. Not only have the Pac-12 North receivers scored 29 times this year compared to the SEC West’s 26, but the Pac-12 North receivers score more frequently on average. They average a touchdown every 7.3 completions.
Offensive line: SEC West
The Alabama, LSU and Auburn offensive lines in terms of sacks per passing attempt have been very effective this season. These teams’ offensive fronts allow a sack per 21.5 passing attempts, compared to the Pac-12 North offensive lines, which give up one sack per 16.6 attempts.
Defensive line: Pac-12 North
The SEC West teams allow only 130.4 rushing yards per game and 3.78 yards per rush. Also they give up, on average, just one rushing touchdown per game. Though the Pac-12 North schools fight at the line well themselves, allowing just 137.1 yards per game, 3.72 yards per rush and 26 rushing touchdowns in 24 games.
What separates the two divisions in terms of sack totals? The SEC West schools, through their 25 games, have just 51 sacks. On the other hand, the Pac-12 North schools have 75 sacks this season through 24 games, averaging over three sacks per game, a whole sack greater than the SEC West.
Defensive secondary: SEC West
The Pac-12 North schools have picked off 30 passes this season compared to the SEC West’s 23, not to mention the fact that SEC West schools have played an extra game. But the SEC West schools have allowed eight fewer touchdowns. They also allow just 215.9 passing yards per game compared to the Pac-12 North’s 231 yards allowed per game.
Special teams: SEC West
Both sets of schools have a combined two kickoff return touchdowns and two punt return touchdowns, respectively. But special teams is more than just the return game. When looking at field goal completion, the SEC West is better. In taking more attempts (34) than the Pac-12 North (28), SEC West kickers have also converted at a higher rate. The SEC West has made 82 percent of its attempts compared to the Pac-12 North’s 78 percent, even with Washington being a perfect eight-for-eight in field goals.
Head coaches: SEC West
With the names Nick Saban and Les Miles, it is hard not to understand why the SEC West teams have the advantage. Even Auburn offensive coordinator Gus Malzahn has an impressive track record in just his first year at the helm for the Tigers. Though the Pac-12 North has great coaches, too, in David Shaw, Steve Sarkisian and first-year Oregon head coach Mark Helfrich, they don’t have the track record to compete with Saban or Miles, who have a combined record of 259-78-1.
Follow Andrew Bantly on Twitter @abant3