Nick Saban is the best coach in college football. Few people outside of Urban Meyer and his backers would dispute that.

And with the SEC losing three major names — Steve Spurrier, Mark Richt and Gary Pinkel — from its head-coaching fraternity this past offseason, it’s a good time to evaluate who might be the second-best coach in the conference. Let’s take a look at whom that might be based on the following criteria: overall record, record vs. the SEC, record against Top 25 teams and number of players drafted into the NFL.

We’ve made the sample size for these criteria the past four seasons, which coincidentally is how long Hugh Freeze has been the head coach at Ole Miss. And in the essence of full disclosure, it is important to point out that Ole Miss is being investigated by the NCAA for alleged rules violations, according to the Associated Press.

RECORD (2012-15)

1. Saban (Alabama) 50-6 (.893 winning percentage), 3-2 in bowls
2. Les Miles (LSU) 37-14 (.725), 2-2 in bowls
3. Kevin Sumlin (Texas A&M) 36-16 (.692), 3-1 in bowls
4. Freeze (Ole Miss) 34-18 (.654), 3-1 in bowls
5. Dan Mullen (Miss. State), 34-18 (.654), 2-2 in bowls

Notes: Of the current SEC coaches who have spent at least four years in the conference, Miles was nearly fired last season despite his impressive mark and winning percentage at LSU.

RECORD VS. RANKED TEAMS

1. Saban, 21-6 (.778)
2. Miles, 11-9 (.550)
3. Freeze, 9-11 (.450)
4. Sumlin, 9-11 (.450)
5. Mullen, 3-16 (.158)

Notes: Miles built most of his mark with an 6-2 record against Top 25 squads in 2012, but he has gone only 5-7 against them over the past three seasons. Saban had an 8-1 mark against ranked teams in 2015, which he capped with his fourth national title over the past seven seasons.

Freeze went 5-1 in these games last season. Mullen earned his three wins in 2014.

RECORD VS. THE SEC

1. Saban, 28-4 (.875)
2. Miles, 20-12 (.625)
3. (tie) Freeze, Mullen and Sumlin, 17-15 (.531)

Notes: Saban has been remarkably consistent over the past four years in conference play, going 7-1 each regular season. After going 11-5 in the SEC over 2012 and 2013, Miles has gone 9-7 in the past two seasons.

Mullen, whose best SEC record over the past four years was 6-2 in 2014, finished at .500 or worse every other season. Freeze went a career-best 6-2 last season.

Coincidentally, Freeze is 2-2 against Saban over the past four seasons — and has won the past two matchups. Sumlin is 1-3 and Miles and Mullen are 0-4.

PLAYERS DRAFTED INTO THE NFL

1. Saban, 24
2. Miles, 22
3. Sumlin, 10
4. Mullen, 9
5. Freeze, 1

Notes: In the past three drafts, six of Saban’s players have been selected in the first round. Three of Miles’ Tigers have been first-rounders, which matches Sumlin’s output.

Neither Ole Miss nor Mississippi State has had a player taken in the opening round since 2013. But the Rebels could have a big NFL Draft this year, with as many as seven players projected to be selected overall — including three in the first round, according to cbssports.com.

SEC SENIORITY

1. Miles (LSU), 11 seasons
2. Saban (Alabama), 9 seasons
3. Mullen (Miss. State), 7 seasons
4. Freeze (Ole Miss), 4 seasons
5. Sumlin (Texas A&M), 4 seasons
6. (tie) Bret Bielema (Arkansas), 3 seasons
Butch Jones (Tennessee), 3 seasons
Gus Malzahn (Auburn), 3 seasons
Mark Stoops (Kentucky), 3 seasons
10. Derek Mason (Vanderbilt), 2 seasons
11. Jim McElwain (Florida), 1 season
12. (tie) Will Muschamp (South Carolina)
Barry Odom (Missouri)
Kirby Smart (Georgia)

Note: Not part of our original criteria, this list has been included for comparative reasons.

The SEC West’s supremacy in college football over the past decade is not surprising when you consider how experienced its coaches are and how well they have recruited. The other thing that jumps out is that Malzahn, who is entering his fourth season on the Plains, is the division’s least experienced head coach, but he would be among the East’s most experienced field generals.

Freeze has led Ole Miss to heights it hasn’t seen since 1961-62, the last time the Rebels won 19 games over two seasons. And what will transpire with the NCAA’s investigation into the program remains to be seen.

In the meantime, Miles is apparently on the hottest seat in the country despite being second to Saban in all four of the aforementioned categories.

Freeze has done a terrific job of returning Ole Miss to an era of success it hasn’t experienced in more than half a century, but until further notice, the Mad Hatter is still the second-best coach in the SEC, which — when you take into account the guy who is the best — isn’t too shabby of a title to have.