It's a fact the SEC won't win another national championship this season.
Whether or not its reign as college football's best conference is another matter.
In any case, though, it seems that it's becoming abundantly clear that other leagues across the country are closing a gap that previously existed between them and the sport's most fussed over conference.
In particular, the much-maligned Big Ten, which entered the bowl season as underdogs in every game, has a whole lot of momentum going for it after Ohio State toppled Alabama, Michigan State engineered a massive comeback against Baylor, and Wisconsin rallied past Auburn. Rutgers and Penn State pulled off upsets, too.
Compare that to the SEC, which entered as favorites in nine-of-12 games, and how it suffered major defeats with the Crimson Tide, Ole Miss, Auburn, Mississippi State and LSU. Texas A&M beat West Virginia, Georgia smacked Louisville, Arkansas destroyed Texas Missouri handled Minnesota, Tennessee beat Iowa, Florida slipped by East Carolina, and South Carolina did the same against Miami.
According to USA Today Sports' Paul Myerberg:
SEC ties its own FBS record most bowl wins with 7. But league's 5 losses also ties for most it has had since adding teams in 1992.
— Paul Myerberg (@PaulMyerberg) January 3, 2015
And, contrary to recent years, the SEC stumbled in the games that mattered most in respect to national respect and national perception.
Also what's a good indicator of potential changes in the college football landscape is to look at conferences' records against the spread.
| Bowl record by conference 2015 | w | l | Against the spread |
|---|---|---|---|
| ACC | 4 | 7 | 5-6 |
| BIG TEN | 5 | 5 | 6-4 |
| BIG 12 | 2 | 5 | 3-4 |
| PAC-12 | 6 | 2 | 4-4 |
| SEC | 7 | 5 | 7-5 |
It's here where it becomes clear that the SEC's death-grip on the sport has loosened and where it becomes clear the Big Ten isn't as bad as we all previously thought.
In addition to wins by Ohio State, Michigan State, Wisconsin, Penn State and Rutgers, unranked Nebraska lost to No. 24 USC, 45-42.
And while it's too early to declare the SEC's reign of dominance entirely over, conferences like the Big Ten and the Pac-12 made big statements on big stages to show they aren't inferior leagues.
In fact, on New Year's Day, they were better.
