Phil Steele ranks the 14 SEC teams based on experience
Tennessee was the butt of many jokes this spring when it had no players selected during the NFL Draft, but the Volunteers might get the last laugh at the end of the 2016 season.
ESPN analyst and noted college football expert Phil Steele ranked all 128 FBS teams based on experience heading into 2016 for his college football preview magazine. In the SEC, it’s Tennessee on top, followed by LSU and then a noticeable drop off with the defending division champions coming in near the bottom. While Alabama is always a popular preseason pick to play in the SEC Championship Game, the Volunteers and Tigers have been getting some preseason hype based on the number of returning veterans.
Steele combines multiple factors to come up with a 0-to-100 score as he explains in his recent blog post:
I then devised a formula that factors all 5 into the total points equation and then turned the point total into a number from 100 to 0. A 100 would be a team with 25 seniors (NCAA scholarship limit) in the two deep and every yard and tackle returning and 120+ career starts on the offensive line. A 0 would be a team with no experience and 0 seniors in the two deep. Just as in years past the first number is where each team ranks in the NCAA.
Here’s how the SEC shapes up based on Steele’s experience formula:
- Tennessee (No. 3 overall)
- LSU (No. 8)
- Vanderbilt (No. 35)
- Georgia (No. 37)
- Missouri (No. 83)
- Kentucky (No. 84)
- Arkansas (No. 92)
- Auburn (No. 94)
- Mississippi State (No. 97)
- Ole Miss (No. 100)
- Florida (No. 103)
- South Carolina (No. 108)
- Texas A&M (No. 114)
- Alabama (No. 116)
Experience might be the only instance we see Alabama at the bottom of any SEC football rankings. Nick Saban and his staff have repeatedly signed top recruiting classes over the past few years, and now those prized prospects have big shoes to fill. And before any Tide fans begin to worry, it’s worth noting that Steele himself sees Alabama making this year’s final four, along with LSU.
For Steele’s full list and scores for all 128 teams, click here.