Quote:I think you're grasping at straws a little.  I think the Big12 is lucky they missed Manziel.  The only big12 team he faced was their 2nd best team last year in the Cotton bowl and he beat them by 5 touchdowns.

 

Do remember that Mizzou got crushed last year and probably lucked out a little this year with a down SEC East.  however didnt they win at least 10 games in the 3 of the 5 years before they got to the SEC?  So its not like they were chopped liver.  And keep in mind that stretch came with Blaine Gabbert as their starter for part of it so just think what a handicap they were dealing with.

 

I think all you need to do is look at their bowl record again to see how strong they are.  What did they go this year in the bowls?  7-3?  8-2?  And as always they play the hardest bowl schedule of any conference.  They are routinely matched up with higher ranked teams from other leagues.  Sugar Bowl is 1 vs 1.  Capital One is 2 SEC vs 2 Big 10.  But then Cotton is 3 SEC vs 2 Big12.  Outback is 4 SEC v 3 Big10.  Peach is 5 SEC v 2 ACC.  Gator is 6 SEC v 4 Big10.  Isnt Music City 7 SEC v like 4 or 5 ACC?  Liberty is 8 SEC vs CUSA champion.  etc, etc....   And keep in mind every year theyve had a team in the title game so the 2nd best team is always in BCS bowl...each team gets moved up a spot. 

 

I think this was a down year not because of a lack of middle of the road teams, I think this was a down year because they didnt have any elite of elite teams.  Auburn this year was arguably their weakest team in a title game since this stretch began.

 

But if these schools came from vastly inferior conferences into thevastly superior SEC, wouldn't they need more than a year or two to acclimate to the SEC and be able to compete at the highest levels?

 

These guys came in and virtually microwaved ten win seasons.

 

How long did it take South Carolina to play for an SEC title?  How long did it take Florida to win an SEC title?

 

Vandy?

 

When was the last time Ole Miss played for the SEC crown?  Or Tennessee?

 

How, after only two years, was A & M able to get a split with Alabama-beating them in Alabama, and how has Missouri been able to beat Florida and Georgia and remain competitive against Auburn?

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