Ad Disclosure
The season-defining money games.
Those are the nationally-ranked matchups SEC coaches are paid so handsomely to win, that only a select few have posted respectable records against over the last three seasons. We’ve decided to go back to 2012 to include the inaugural SEC seasons for Texas A&M and Missouri in our look-back at SEC coaches’ records vs. ranked teams.
Under Gary Pinkel, the Tigers have won back-to-back division championships after a disappointing first year.
Based on salary, Texas A&M’s paying Kevin Sumlin — $5 million annually — quite a bit to finish in the middle of the Western Division with a 7-9 record against ranked teams, but he isn’t the only elite coach who has struggled.
SEC coaches’ records vs. ranked team since 2012 (opponents ranked at time of game)
- Nick Saban, Alabama: 13-5
- Gus Malzahn, Auburn (since 2013): 8-6
- Mark Richt, Georgia: 8-7
- Steve Spurrier, South Carolina: 7-6
- Les Miles, LSU: 7-7
- Gary Pinkel, Mizzou: 8-9
- Kevin Sumlin, Texas A&M: 7-9
- Will Muschamp, Florida: 5-8
- Hugh Freeze, Ole Miss: 5-10
- Dan Mullen, Mississippi State: 3-12
- Bret Bielema, Arkansas (since 2013): 2-12
- Butch Jones, Tennessee (since 2013): 1-11
- Derek Mason, Vanderbilt (since 2014): 0-4
- Mark Stoops, Kentucky (since 2013): 0-8
