The SEC was the innovator when it came to splitting a conference into divisions, becoming the first to do so (and thereby implementing a conference championship game) back in 1992.

Now, there are seven conference’s at the FBS level that have the divisional setup, with the Big 12 the only power conference not to have two divisions (or a championship game).

Which of those divisions reign supreme? Let’s run down the five best, taking into account how the divisions fared last year and what they’ll do in 2015.

5. Mountain West Mountain
Members: Air Force, Boise State, Colorado State, New Mexico, Utah State, Wyoming
2014 total record: 50-28
2014 ranked teams: 1

The only non-power conference division to make the list is quietly one of the strongest in the nation. Four teams won 10 or more games last year, including conference champion Boise State. Jim McElwain raised Colorado State up to prominence, which another former SEC offensive coordinator, Mike Bobo, will try to continue. This division’s champ should contend for a New Year’s Six game in 2015.

4. ACC Atlantic
Members: Boston College, Clemson, Florida State, Louisville, NC State, Syracuse, Wake Forest
2014 total record: 53-37
2014 ranked teams: 3

The ACC is nowhere near as bad as some would make the conference out to be. The Coastal division is a bit down, but there are several very strong programs in the Atlantic. Florida State and Clemson are in the national conversation every year, while Charlie Strong and now Bobby Petrino have made Louisville a respectable program.

3. Big Ten East
Members: Indiana, Maryland, Michigan, Michigan State, Penn State, Ohio State, Rutgers
2014 total record: 56-35
2014 ranked teams: 2

The Big Ten’s eastern grouping is very, very top heavy. Ohio State won the national title last year, while Michigan State finished at No. 5 in the polls; no other team from the division finished the year ranked. However, Indiana showed it’s not a total patsy by going on the road to beat Missouri, while Rutgers and Maryland fared pretty well for their first year in the conference. With Penn State and Michigan both on their way back up, the Big Ten is well past its days as the butt of jokes around college football.

2. Pac-12 South
Members: Arizona, Arizona State, Colorado, USC, UCLA, Utah
2014 total record: 50-28
2014 ranked teams: 5

If there’s any division that can rival our No. 1, this is it. The only weak link last year was Colorado, the only team with a losing record in the division — and the only one that failed to win nine games. While the north is home to major programs Oregon and Stanford, the South has it’s share of annual contenders, with the Arizona schools having risen to prominence in recent years and the Los Angeles-area programs both lurking as potential juggernauts.

1. SEC West
Members: Alabama, Arkansas, Auburn, LSU, Mississippi State, Ole Miss, Texas A&M
2014 total record: 62-30
2014 ranked teams: 6
2014 bowl eligible teams: 7

Who else could it be? All seven of the West’s teams made it to a bowl game last year, the only division in the nation that can claim that. While there was a good bit of parity last year, Alabama still represented the West in the inaugural College Football Playoff. Poor bowl performances last year aside, this will once again be the biggest gauntlet in all of college football in 2015.