Retiring college football jersey numbers is a widely-debated concept.

With 85 football scholarships to hand out along with walk-on team members, most programs need access to as many jersey numbers as possible. Retiring these numbers creates the need for duplicate jersey numbers on the same roster, and no one likes that.

Some programs, like Alabama, have never bothered with retiring numbers. Others, like Florida, have retired them and then decided at a later date to make them available for players to wear once again. Kentucky has retired jerseys to honor players, but the numbers are still available for current players to wear. Others choose to do a ring of honor or hall of fame to recognize players in lieu of retiring numbers.

There also are special circumstances that surround earning certain numbers across the SEC.

After deciding to retire Chucky Mullins’ No. 38 in 2006, Ole Miss has since designated that it be worn by the defensive senior that wins its annual Chucky Mullins Courage Award.

LSU has assigned significance to the No. 18 jersey, awarding it to the player that best exemplifies the program’s desired conduct on and off the field.

Texas A&M awards the No. 12 jersey to a walk-on player each season.

Here is a look at the numbers currently retired by SEC schools, along with some of the most revered numbers for programs that do not retire them.

Alabama Crimson Tide

Retired:
None
Revered:
12- Joe Namath, Ken Stabler
22- Mark Ingram
37- Shaun Alexander
55- Derrick Thomas

Arkansas Razorbacks

Retired:
12- Clyde Scott, Steve Little
77- Brandon Burlsworth

Auburn Tigers

Retired:
7- Pat Sullivan
34- Bo Jackson
88- Terry Beasley

Florida Gators

Retired:
None
Revered:
7- Danny Wuerffel
11- Steve Spurrier
15- Tim Tebow
22- Emmitt Smith

Georgia Bulldogs

Retired:
21- Frank Sinkwich
34- Herschel Walker
40- Theron Sapp
62- Charley Trippi

Kentucky Wildcats

Retired:
2- Tim Couch, Ermal Allen
8- Clyde Johnson
10- Babe Parilli
11- Rick Norton
12- Derrick Ramsey
13- Bob Davis
16- George Blanda
19- Howard Schnellenberger
20- Charlie McClendon
21- Rodger Byrd, Calvin Byrd
22- Mark Higgs
24- Dicky Lyons
27- Wallace Jones
32- Larry Seiple
33- George Adams
40- Sonny Collins
44- Shipwreck Kelly
45- Jay Rhodemyre
48- Washington Serini
50- Harry Ulinski, Jim Kovach
51- Doug Moseley
52- Rick Nuzum
55- Irv Goode
59- Joe Federspiel
65- Ray Correll
66- Ralph Kercheval
69- Warren Bryant
70- Herschel Turner, Bob Gain
73- Sam Ball
74- Dave Roller
79- Lou Michaels
80- Steve Meilinger, Rick Kestner, Tom Hutchinson
88- Jeff VanNote
97- Art Still

LSU Tigers

Retired:
20- Billy Cannon
37- Tommy Casanova

Mississippi State Bulldogs

Retired:
None
Revered:
1- Eric Moulds
2- Walt Harris
99- Johnie Cooks

Missouri Tigers

Retired:
23- Johnny Roland, Roger Wehrli
27- Brock Olivo
37- Bob Steuber
42- Darold Jenkins
44- Paul Christman
83- Kellen Winslow

Ole Miss Rebels

Retired:
18- Archie Manning

South Carolina Gamecocks

Retired:
2- Sterling Sharpe
37- Steve Wadiak
38- George Rogers
56- Mike Johnson

Tennessee Volunteers

Retired:
16- Peyton Manning
32- Bill Nowling
45- Johnny Majors
49- Rudy Klarer
61- Willis Tucker
62- Clyde Fuson
91- Doug Atkins
92- Reggie White

Texas A&M Aggies

Retired:
44- John David Crow

Vanderbilt Commodores

Retired:
1- Kwane Doster, Michael Sloan (fan)