Top 11 FBS Football Conference Rankings: SEC No. 1

Ranking CFB’s 11 Conferences Post-Realignment

There has been some realignment in college football, with schools officially joining their new conferences now that it’s July 1st. Now that the game of musical chairs is over (for now), let’s rank the conferences from weakest to strongest for the 2011 football season.

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11. Sun Belt

Florida International won the league with a 6-6 regular-season overall record. That’s pretty bad. There were only two Sun Belt teams that finished with winning records after bowl season. Bottom line: This conference is AWFUL; no, we didn’t forget to take off the caps lock.

10. MAC

Mike Haywood guided Miami (OH) to a miraculous turnaround to win the MAC title last season. He left for Pitt (and then got fired). Jerry Kill left Northern Illinois for Minnesota. So, the league’s two best teams lose their identities. The rest? Count three 2-10 teams and a 1-11 squad among the MAC’s members. Woof.

9. WAC

The WAC was top heavy last season. But in 2011, Boise State is gone to the Mountain West and Nevada will be down after the loss of QB Colin Kaepernick and RB Vai Taua. Hawaii and Fresno State always are competitive, but the bottom-feeders (New Mexico State, San Jose State) are some of the worst teams in the FBS.

8. Conference USA

Conference USA has one-win Memphis in the East Divison and perennial doormat Tulane in the West. But Central Florida, SMU, Tulsa and Houston all are strong, with Houston knocking off Oklahoma State in 2009 and UCF knocking off Georgia in last season’s Liberty Bowl. A defense-optional conference, C-USA might be the most entertaining league to watch this fall.

7. Mountain West

BCS busters TCU and Boise State will be in the same conference for just one year. The Broncos just joined while the Horned Frogs are set for a move to the Big East. On the downside, Utah is gone to the Pac-12, BYU is an independent, and bottom-feeders UNLV, New Mexico and Wyoming combined for six wins in 2010.

6. Big East

The Big East is the consensus worst BCS conference. It will get a boost when TCU arrives next year. But for now, it’s clear that it’s a minor league. A mediocre Connecticut team earned its BCS bowl bid in 2010 and was embarrassed, 48-20, by Oklahoma in the Fiesta Bowl. New West Virginia coach Dana Holgorsen needs to breathe life into this basketball-first conference.

5. ACC

Florida State is set for an ascent and could be a top five team. But the league’s other flagship program, Miami (FL), has to regroup under new coach Al Golden. If “The U” can recapture its glory days, the ACC will rocket up this list. Virginia Tech will be solid as always but won’t be a national title contender with so many pieces gone from last year’s team, including QB Tyrod Taylor. Maryland could compete for a league title but the rest of the league is very average.

4. Pac-12

As of today, the Pac-12 includes Utah and Colorado. The Utes have gone 96-39 since the start of the 2000 season and could compete for a league title. And of course, there is Oregon, Stanford and USC. The Ducks, the national runner-up in 2010, boast Heisman candidate LaMichael James. Stanford’s Andrew Luck is the nation’s top quarterback, and USC is still USC despite NCAA sanctions. But the bottom of this league is weak. Colorado stinks and UCLA and Cal seem to be in reverse. Washington State, which has won five games in the last three years combined, currently is nothing more than a parasite.

3. Big 12

The Big 12 took a huge blow with the departure of Nebraska, which returns quarterback Taylor Martinez and promises to be a national title contender in 2011. But perennial power and expected preseason No. 1 Oklahoma remains, while emerging clubs like Oklahoma State and Texas A&M promise to be very strong this year. And don’t forget Texas, which is never far away from success despite last season’s 5-7 mark. Aside from Kansas, all other nine members have a very realistic shot at a bowl game. Not bad for a conference that a year ago everyone thought wouldn’t be around this fall.

2. Big Ten

Iowa, Michigan State and Ohio State – despite the scandal – all are top 25 teams. Wisconsin may be a national title contender with the addition of uber-transfer Russell Wilson. Oh yeah, the league also adds Nebraska, which also promises to be in the top 10. That’s a pretty good start. And if Michigan gets it together under new coach Brady Hoke, this conference could be scary for years to come. Indiana, Purdue and Minnesota could all use a kick in the pants though.

1. SEC

The SEC boasts the last five national champions – and probably the next one. It has two top-five teams in LSU and Alabama, and 10 teams went to bowls last season. While Auburn is expected to descend this fall, look for Florida, Georgia and Mississippi State to be on the rise. And don’t forget about the Ol’ Ball Coach, who has a national champion dark horse in Columbia. About the only thing this conference could do to make itself any stronger is banish Vanderbilt to the Sun Belt.

1:16 PM on 7/1/2011

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Steve

Big East minor leagues but ACC isn’t? Yeah try selling that on down the road. Since the ACC took VT, Miami, and was stuck with BC the Big East has fared better then the ACC. Last year Uconn got blasted in their bowl game as did VT. But every year you get the same ole pre-season non-sense, “look for FSU and the U to get things back on track”. Not holding my breath for that. And know why you called the Big East a basketball first conference, know why ACC wasn’t given same billing? Cause they their basketball teams are like their football teams OVER-RATED.
D

Dont worry Charlie Strong will “Breathe some life into this basketball first conference! Not WVU’s new coach!!! . LOuisville will be making noise as long as Strong and staff are there.
Dan Cowen

Ah mr. lost is.He needs a reality check,maybe if you combined the insiginifcant east and the all kiddie conference,”acc”,you could form a new subdivision of the ncaa.Call it, loser division!Maybe throw in utah,boise state
tcu, oregon! There is only One!The Southeastern Conference.Who ever wins the title game is crowned #1,then to make everybody happy,they
bring on the supposed best from some other conference to get their Butt’s kicked and make some money!nuff said
Bobbi

The ACC in football will surprise a lot of teams both in out of the ACC. Look for the teams that had losing records last year to go above 500 in 2011.
nitecrawler33

get your freaking life in perspective dude,,, it’s a freaking GAME… A GAME!!!!!!
M

Big Ten should be number one. They dont have as many cheaters (Ohio State) and here’s are some bonuses Denard Robinson and Nebraska joining the big ten.
Krymson Tyde

no conference can compete with the SEC…Roll Tide
skipper

who comes up with this “stuff!” these ranking are full of it and only a fool would “buy” into it!
Justin.

Washington State is a parasite? F*** you.
Steve

typical, “hey PAWL, the sayc is better dem dem all, roll tide PAWL”
Don J. Brewington

If OSU has improved their defense, they will be in
Hunt for the whole thing.
Talent everywhere on team, if we can avoid injuries are the keys.
LEDSFW

Based on last year’s records, all four Independent teams finished with winning records and went 2-2 in Bowls…and while they by reason of being independent are not part of any conference…they do amalgamate well (Army, BYU, Navy and Notre Dame). It will be interesting to see if the Academies can continue to win with disciplined offensive schemes and small but athletic players. Notre Dame should break out of it’s 12 year funk under Kelly and BYU is, well BYU, one of the most under-rated programs in the country which absent it’s MWC shackles is finally poised to become a top 5-15 team again this year.
hmmmmmm

look at the top conferences where all the scandals have been. ACC and Big East have the highest graduation rate, overall GPA, and best schools academically. They don’t need to be bribed by their boosters!
ACC

Check the scores, the ACC beat every SEC team it faced in bowl games
BAMA BOY

YOU CALL THE GAMES THE ACC PLAYED IN ACTUAL BOWLS?
Kenbone

No one said anything about Arkansas in sec they will be 1st or 2nd in the west there main comp is bama and bulldogs the only thing lsu you has going for it its in Baton rouge the last couple times ark played it didnt help much and its not going to help in nov.
Dawgman310

The SEC has won the BCS 5 years in a row, because they haven’t had to play the Pac-10/12 champ.. but when SEC teams do play Pac teams… they hold a losing record… 10-8 or 9-7 is the record over the last 10 yrs….

I will give the SEC this… they are the conference of underacheivers in academics and life!! 5 of the poorest states in the Union are in SEC country!

Good job guys!! Keep it up!!
gatorguy

The PAC 12 champ …. is that really an achievement? Oh yeah, you must face the winner of the Big 10 (12). Now that’s a matching of some football powers. Just check last 1/2 dozen BCS Championships. SEC. Enough said.
BuckeyeinAustin

WOW the BigTen looks strong this year. They should change the name to “The Big Confrence”.
Pro Fan

Fellas you gotta give it up to the SEC, they always have 2 or 3 top teams that can win the NC. But to everybody’s argument the SEC bottom teams are like the rest of the other conferences. The SEC is top heavy. IMHO out of the past NC only USC and Texas had the potential to have beat any of those top SEC teams. But for now, Alabama is the best program in the country and until there is an actual playoff, there will always be sports bar debates like this one.
JC

Steve, prove yourself a fool by opening your mouth. Grats to UConn for winning their “untainted” NC in basketball last year, but do your homework before calling someone else overrated, especially a conference that has been handing it to you for many years. Go back and count how many teams from Big East have made it by Sweet 16 compared to ACC, then look at how many titles sit with each conference. And while UNC and Duke are the dominant teams, GT has been to Final 4, Maryland won, and others have done well. As far as OVER RATED…Despite UConn winning, this past year proved that Big East B’ball is not as good as ESPN attempts to make them. Somehow losing in Big East meant multiple times a “move up” in the polls….Please….Know your role…
JC

Still figuring out how “real” the talk of Clemson leaving ACC is…I can see FSU leaving, but Clemson? From SEC side, Clemson hasn’t been a “big fish” in ACC since mid-80′s….and while they travel well, they don’t have a great TV market…weird…From Clemson’s standpoint, why become one of the smallest fish in the “big” pond when you aren’t even a “big” fish in ACC yet? I understand SEC is looking to get huge tv deal, but, Clemson should pay attention to South Carolina, who SHOULD be able to compete, but haven’t yet been relevant…Just my thoughts..Anyone see Fox’s opinion of the rest of the fall out? I think the writer is a football guy, not paying attention to how powerful b’ball can be….and also not looking at “roots.” I doubt Maryland jumps from ACC to Big 10…and “if” those things shake out, why would ACC go after ECU instead of WVU? It’s gonna be interesting, as I just can’t see the predictions some are making happening, as it’d GUT the ACC and Big East…weird…The other part that no one mentioned was the impact of that type of addition to SEC and how there will likely be teams wanting out, as there’s nothing exciting about being the 14th best team in a conference…I could see a team like Kentucky looking at this and jumping to a “POWER” b’ball league like ACC, ditto to Vanderbilt, as this change will make it impossible for them to compete…wildcards on wanting “out” would be schools like Tennessse and Arkansas…it’ll be interesting to see what truly falls out…being an ACC fan, I don’t like some of the suggestions…just don’t see Clemson a charter member of ACC leaving but who knows…