Without a doubt, the SEC took a hit in terms of public perception during the first weekend of the 2016 college football season. In total, the SEC went 7-7 overall — 6-6 if you exclude the lone conference matchup between South Carolina and Vanderbilt — and suffered embarrassing loses by Mississippi State (South Alabama) and LSU (Wisconsin).
While many have pointed out the SEC opened the season against more Power 5 opponents than any other league and won against more ranked opponents than any other conference, the results all around could have been much worse had Tennessee and Arkansas (and to an extent Florida) not escaped at home against vastly inferior opponents.
Considering the SEC’s rough opening, it’s hard to argue any schools across the nation will be wrapping their minds around the ‘what-ifs’ more than the Mississippi schools and Kentucky following Week 1.
Those three suffered particularly rare defeats, as Football Outsiders analytics expert Brian Fremeau pointed out Mississippi State, Ole Miss and Kentucky all blew leads of over 17 points over the weekend. According to Fremeau’s research, it took until October last season before the third comeback of that margin occurred – and yet the SEC was able to duplicate that accomplishment in a single long weekend!
Also of note, all three 17+ point comebacks came against SEC opponents. https://t.co/z8NM2REtJv
— Brian Fremeau (@bcfremeau) September 7, 2016
So while the SEC licks its wounds heading into Week 2, it can take solace knowing the probability of those losses was against all odds – judging by recent results.
This week eight SEC schools will feast on cupcake opponents, four league teams play against each other, while Tennessee (Virginia Tech) and Arkansas (TCU) have an opportunity to gain back some of the cred lost from the bad opening weekend of football. Don’t be surprised to see the SEC go 12-2 overall, as that record is very much in play heading into Week 2.
A graduate of the University of Tennessee, Michael Wayne Bratton oversees the news coverage for Saturday Down South. Michael previously worked for FOX Sports and NFL.com
