It’s no surprise that Alabama led the SEC in total defense in its past three national championship seasons.

But what might be surprising is that the Crimson Tide actually didn’t have the best defense in the conference in one of the past five seasons.

Here’s a look at the SEC’s most dominant on defense from 2011 through 2015:

2011: Alabama

Alabama allowed 183.6 yards per game over 13 games. The Crimson Tide led LSU and the rest of the FBS by nearly 78 yards in this category. Coincidentally, Bama delivered its second-best defensive performance of the season in its 21-0 BCS national championship game victory over the Tigers in which it held LSU to just 92 total yards.

2012: Alabama

Alabama allowed 250.0 yards per game over 14 games. As high as this total was, it was still 3.8 yards better than the average for Florida State, the No. 2 team in the FBS. Bama capped the season with a 42-14 victory over Notre Dame for its second straight national title. Coincidentally, the Tide’s worst performance of the season came in a victory, when it allowed 435 total yards in a 21-17 win at LSU. Alabama held Florida Atlantic to a season-best 11o yards in a 40-7 victory.

2013: Alabama

Alabama yielded 286.5 yards per game over 13 games. The Crimson Tide finished first in the SEC but only fifth in the FBS with that average. National champion Florida State finished third in the FBS (281.4 yards per game over 14 games). Bama allowed a season-high and school-record 628 yards in its 49-42 win at Texas A&M; it capped its season by surrendering 429 yards to Oklahoma in its 45-31 loss in the Sugar Bowl. Kentucky gained the fewest yards (170) against the Crimson Tide that season in a 48-7 home loss.

2014: LSU

LSU allowed 316.4 yards per game over 14 games. Finally, a team other than Alabama led the SEC in total defense. The Tigers allowed a season-high 566 yards in 41-7 loss at Auburn. But the Bayou Bengals’ best defensive performance of the season was Louisiana Monroe in a 31-0 victory, when it held the Warhawks to only 93 yards.

2015: Alabama

Alabama gave up 276.3 yards per game over 15 games. The Crimson Tide finished first in the SEC and third in the FBS with that average. Bama saved its worst defensive performance of the season for its last game. But its 45-40 victory over Clemson in the national championship game was well worth it, despite the fact that the Tide surrendered a season-high 550 yards. Alabama’s best defensive performance in 2015 came in a 34-0 victory over Louisiana Monroe, when it held the Warhawks to just 92 yards.