It's been a busy first day at the SEC Spring Meetings with everybody getting to find out how they felt about a play-off. Everyone wants a four-team play-off, and in particular the four-best teams in the country. But Steve Spurrier said that actually, the winners of the East and West should be decided ONLY on their records in their divisions. He said: "We've lost seven games in the last two years, and five of them are to Auburn and Arkansas. We were pretty good against them other guys, I guess." Nice way to talk about your divisional rivals, Steve. In that world, LSU would have played Read more [...]

While Nick : and Les Miles were expected to battle it out for a National Championship in 2011, Mark Richt and Steve Spurrier were expected to battle it out for the SEC East, James Franklin and his Vanderbilt team were expected to be their inspiring, yet toothless selves. But the Commodores had a sensational season by their standards, finishing 6-6 and getting bowl eligible (they lost 31-24 in a heartbreaker in the Liberty Bowl). Franklin, looking resplendent in white shirt and chinos (he looked like one of the cast of the OC), took the interview with the SEC's Buzz Baker: The 2011 season: Read more [...]

Hugh Freeze isn't new to the SEC but he's new to the head coaching business. But he's come to familiar waters - Oxford, Mississippi - to take over the new head coaching job. Anyway, he talked to SEC TV's Buzz Baker. Here are some good excerpts of his conversation: On coming back to Ole Miss: It's been an exciting ride for my family. I feel honored and blessed to be a part of Rebel Nation. The Blind Side (Freeze was the high school coach of one Michael Oher, Baltimore Ravens offensive linesman and big-time recruit who eventually came to Ole Miss): Our recruiting team has really used Read more [...]

Nick Saban sat down with Buzz Baker to talk about things at the University of Alabama, and he made sure that he delivered more than just an interview... Here are some of his best quotes: On Entitlement: There was a lot of entitlement in 2010 after we won in 2009 and we played badly. In 2012, the team we have now the entitlement is less but the schedule is tougher. But entitlement is a human condition. With it, you focus on what you've done and the holiday that you're entitled to rather than focus on what makes you successful. The LSU game: I'm proud of the way they managed losing the Read more [...]

In his chat with the SEC's Buzz Baker, Les Miles - wearing a rather loud yellow shirt - and not with all his children (they are on camp, apparently!) - had some soundbytes. Sorry if the quotes aren't exact: The season: We played three 2nd ranked teams and beat them all. We played 13 great teams, and the one we didn't so well in was the National Championship game, unfortunately. Our team understands they were in the SEC West and now they have a Championship banner that no-one else hangs. Motivation for the future?: They are excited with playing and they are looking forward to it. The Read more [...]

Here are the SEC Spring Meetings schedule for the SEC Digital Network. The ones highlighted are the football head coaches.   10:40-10.50                     Gary Pinkel, Mizzou 11:00 – 11:10                      Les Miles, LSU          11:20 – 11:30                      Hugh Freeze, Ole Miss  12:00 – 12:10                      James Franklin, Vanderbilt 12:30 – 12:40                      Nick Saban, Alabama 12:50 – 1:00                        Read more [...]

When the most powerful commissioner in college football is saying: "I like play-offs", it's not going to be a matter whether college football goes to a play-off, it's a matter when it does, and how many teams are involved. Speaking at the SEC Baseball tournament in Hoover (won by the Mississippi State Bulldogs, if you're counting), Mike Slive said that he favours a four-team play-off. "I think what's in the best interest of college football is a four-team playoff," he told ESPN. "I think it's better for everyone involved in the game. The plus-one narrows the postseason in a way that's not Read more [...]

As we know, the SEC is no stranger to expanding its reach. South Carolina and Arkansas came aboard in 1991. Missouri and Texas A&M came aboard in 2012. But could Duke and UNC come along and be part of SEC country, giving them not only dominance in football, but also - dear God - basketball? Why do we ask this question? Tonight, we were at a charity function and got talking to someone still involved with Duke who told us: "It wasn't so long ago that we and UNC were talking to the SEC about moving there". He also remarked that Florida State would go to the Big XII, but wasn't so sure Read more [...]

To fans of the Southeastern Conference, the SEC isn’t a conference amongst numerous college football conferences. It’s a religion. Our religion stretches from the swamplands of Florida to the oil fields of East Texas, taking in the States of Alabama, Louisiana, Arkansas, Missouri, Georgia, South Carolina, Mississippi, Kentucky and Tennessee. We go to church, both on Saturday and on Sunday, and like to scream our lungs out at both. And we’ll always talk about one or the other all weekend long, sometimes with a cocktail in our hand, sometimes not. And everyone's invited to the party, Read more [...]