SEC football. Overrated?

For the last few years we've all heard about how the mighty SEC is heads and shoulders above any other conference when it comes to college football. But are they really? Let's take a look at this year, including things that have already happened, with others yet to play out.

The SEC consists of 14 teams. Seven each in two different divisions. Out of those fourteen, fully half of them wound up in the Top 25 after the regular season, including Alabama at #1. Very impressive indeed, not to mention that along the way both Mississippi and Mississippi St. temporarily spent some time on the throne as well.

Further, out of 14 SEC teams, only two of them wouldn't qualify for a bowl. Kentucky and Vanderbilt. Kentucky likely doesn't care. They've always been more basketball oriented and have the nation's #1 team as we speak. And Vandy is Vandy. 'Nuff said. Still, from top to bottom in the conference, one has to tip their hat at 12 out of 14 teams reaching the post season.

But that begs questions. How can that many teams in the same conference have winning records? For every winner, doesn't there have be a loser? The answer is yes and no. If teams in the SEC only played each other, their records would even out. But they don't. Like other big football schools around the country, SEC teams will schedule five non-confererence patsy games every year, basically walkovers, to pad their win columns. One need look no further than Texas A&M and Arkansas as perfect examples. The Aggies were a mere 3-5 in conference play, but finished 8-5 overall. The Razorbacks were even worse. 2-6 in the conference and 7-6 overall. Yet they both went 5-0 in the "weak sister" games to finish with the records they did. And nowadays, there's so many garbage bowls -- see cha-ching -- any team only needs 6 wins to qualify and likely be invited to one. This is great for the players/coaches, marching bands, cheerleaders, and even the student body. They get a shot at another game to play and root for their teams while on national TV. Sis-boom-bah. Plus the schools themselves get a big fat check to participate. You won't see any administrators complaining. But is it right to have watered down the bowl field to the point where even mediocrity is championed? It depends on who one is and where they sit. Remember, once upon a time, there were only 4 bowl games. The Rose, Sugar, Orange, and Cotton. The Cotton doesn't even exist anymore, but it's been replaced with 36 other bowls over the years, and that number may well grow in the future. While it may be about the old college spirit, it's also very much about the money.

But back to the SEC. How have they fared in bowl games so far this year? Let's look.

Arkansas (SEC) 31 -- Texas 7
South Carolina (SEC) 24 -- Miami 21
Texas A&M (SEC) 45 -- W. Virginia 37
Georgia (SEC) 37 -- Louisville 14.

So far, so good. But....

Notre Dame 31 -- LSU (SEC) 28
TCU 42 -- Ole Miss (SEC) 3
Georgia Tech 49 -- Miss. St. (SEC) 34

After seven bowl games the SEC has posted a 4-3 record. Not so impressive.

Soon to come will be Auburn (SEC) vs. Wisconsin
Missouri (SEC) vs Minnesota
Tennessee (SEC) vs Iowa
Florida (SEC) vs E. Carolina

And of course Alabama (SEC) vs Ohio State in one of the national semi-playoff games.

Five more SEC bowl games to go. How will they finish as a conference? We'll all know shortly.

Some Top 25 SEC ranked teams have already been walloped, particularly the Mississippi schools who were both in the Top 3 at one time.

Then again, they could run the table to finish 9-3. But if it goes the other way and the SEC winds up, say, 6-6 or 5-7 in bowl games, they and their ever-faithful media would have a hard time continuing to sell how dominant they are.

We'll see....