ESPN College Football

Nick Saban is getting picked on again.

Alabama's head coach just can't seem to catch a break this spring when it comes to name-calling. First, Vanderbilt coach James Franklin called him "Nicky Satan" during a high school banquet. Now, Florida offensive line coach Tim Davis, who coached under Saban while with the NFL's Miami Dolphins, called Saban "the devil himself" at a booster club meeting Tuesday.

Here's what Davis said about Saban:

"I've always wanted to work with Will [Muschamp]," Davis said. "Will's got a plan. Will coached under the devil himself for seven years. I only did three. He did seven. And his DNA is not any different than Nick."

So, really, he was trying to compliment Muschamp by comparing him to the top coach in college football. Maybe referring to Saban as the Prince of Darkness is a little extreme, but we all know that coaches will say just about anything to get the home crowd going at booster club meetings. It's part of the act. It's all in fun.

Franklin apologized for his remark -- which I really don't think he needed to -- and made it clear that he was joking. When you're on top, everyone is going to take shots. Picking at Saban is harmless because he has no reason to be upset about what's said about him.

He's on top. He's looking down at everyone, and he's too busy preparing his team for a third straight national title run. I'm sure he laughs these kinds of comments off. He may even enjoy them a little bit.

Davis also went after Saban's personality, which is always a topic of conversation:

"[Muschamp]'s like the other guy, but he's got a personality," Davis said. "He'll smile at you. He'll talk to you. You understand? That's what he's all about. That's Will. I'm proud to work for him."

It's all sticks and stones with Saban, and I'm sure he couldn't care less about what any coach playfully says about him.

So the SEC and the Big 12 have decided to go at it on the basketball court this fall. The new SEC-Big 12 Challenge that the two leagues announced on Tuesday has to be pretty exciting for college basketball fans. Kudos to the two leagues for joining on the hardwood.

But how cool would it be if these two conferences joined in the football realm as well? Sure, these two have the new Sugar Bowl, but just imagine these two conferences, which have a little beef between them right now, facing each other during the regular season.

All that offense against all that defense.

It's likely just a pipe dream, but a boy can dream, right? Well, I'm dreaming right now and I've come up with my top five SEC-Big 12 matchups I'd like to see in my future SEC-Big 12 Challenge:

Alabama vs. Oklahoma: Bob Stoops gets to face Nick Saban in a game that would be preceded by plenty of talk about both coaches' comments about the SEC -- and Saban's about Stoops. On the field, you'd see a lot of speed from both sides, but would the Sooners have enough up front to stop the pounding that the Crimson Tide has given pretty much every nonconference opponent in the last few years?

Florida vs. Texas: Will Muschamp was supposed to be the head coach of the Longhorns, but he was tired of waiting around. I feel like there would be some awkwardness beforehand between Muschamp and Mack Brown that could escalate during the game. That just makes for a way more entertaining game. Plus, the Gators would finally leave the southeast!

Texas A&M vs. Texas: Well, duh. This one is too obvious, but there is so much bitterness and history between these two schools that there's no way it wasn't going to make my top five. Plus, the Aggies are trying to prove that they aren't looking up at the Longhorns anymore. The fan interaction might be more entertaining than the actual game.

LSU vs. Oklahoma State: Les Miles seeing his old team? Yes, please! The Cowboys know how to sling it around with the best of them, while LSU always has a ton of speed on defense. The Tigers aren't strangers to Big 12 ball, but I just have a feeling this would be really fun to watch, considering these two were so close to playing a couple of years ago.

Georgia vs. West Virginia: I love to see great defense -- I really do -- but I'm sucker for blowing scoreboard lights out. I'm pretty sure we'd get exactly that if these two met in the near future. Since this game would be played after this season, the Dawgs might have a little more bite from their defense, so expect some more exciting play calling from WVU.

What matchups would you like to see in my awesome SEC-Big 12 challenge?

The other day I was asked a question about the SEC that caught me off guard a little.

And no, it wasn't about Bob Stoops or scheduling.

I was asked if the league would be a quarterback or running back league in 2013. Obviously, when you think about the SEC, you think of pound-it-out, grind-it-out football. Games are won and lost in the trenches and running backs are usually a team's most coveted asset. The more the merrier, too.

But the SEC returns some pretty good experience at both positions.

At running back, the SEC will be without four of the league's top 10 rushers -- Eddie Lacy, Mike Gillislee, Zac Stacy and Kendial Lawrence -- from the 2012 season. The SEC will be without three of the top 10 passers -- Tyler Bray, Tyler Wilson and Jordan Rodgers.

Now, my math skills tell me that seven top players at a position is better than six, but the SEC is deep at running back this season. Of the seven top quarterbacks returning, six reached 2,500 passing yards, while only two made it to 3,000 yards -- Aaron Murray and Johnny Manziel. Nine true starters return (Kentucky's Maxwell Smith missed most of last season and ended the spring behind Jalen Whitlow). So five teams are breaking in new starters.

The SEC saw eight running backs hit the 1,000-yard mark last season. There's a chance the league could not only reach that number again but it could eclipse it.

Alabama lost Lacy -- and his 1,322 yards/17 touchdowns -- but rising sophomore T.J. Yeldon appears more than ready to take over as the lead back. He rushed for 1,108 yards and 12 touchdowns last year, and it sounds like he looked even better as the guy. He'll also have help from fellow sophomore Kenyan Drake, who played in 12 games last year, and Jalston Fowler and Dee Hart, who are both returning from season-ending knee injuries. Remember, Fowler had nearly 400 rushing yards in 2011. True freshman Derrick Henry, who was tearing it up this spring before his leg injury, should help once he's healthy this fall.

Oh, and Alabama will welcome three more backs this summer, including ESPN 150 member Alvn Kamara.

Texas A&M and Florida will also have the luxury of a packed backfield. The Aggies return leading rusher (for a running back) Ben Malena (808 yards), but will also have rising sophomore Trey Williams, and transfers Brandon Williams and Tra Carson. Brandon Williams might be the most talented of the bunch, and none of these guys should get too tired with all those legs to work with.

The Gators lost Gillislee, but sophomore-to-be Matt Jones had an excellent spring. He knew the playbook backward and forward and showed a more physical style. He already has the goal of getting 1,500 yards. But he'll have help from redshirt junior Mack Brown, who had a very solid spring, and freshmen Kelvin Taylor (early enrollee) and Adam Lane. The coaches feel very good about all four contributing a lot this fall.

Georgia is a little thin at running back, but with Gurley and Keith Marshall returning, the Dawgs could have the best running back duo in the SEC -- maybe the country.

Here's a quick look at how other SEC teams currently fare at running back heading into the summer:

Arkansas

The Razorbacks lack experience at the position, but sophomore Jonathan Williams made good strides this spring and looks poised to be the top back. He'll also have incoming freshman Alex Collins to help him this fall.

Auburn

Tre Mason and his 1,000 yards return. He should have even more space to work with in Gus Malzahn's spread, which could spell trouble for defenses. Junior college transfer Cameron Artis-Payne had a solid spring, and Corey Grant returns.

Kentucky

Leading rushers Raymond Sanders (669 yards) and Jonathan George (504 yards) return with two talented youngsters to help out. Dyshawn Mobley had an excellent spring and Josh Clemons is back from a devastating knee injury he suffered in 2011.

LSU

Legal issues have Jeremy Hill's fall status unknown for the fall. If he returns, he gives the Tigers on of the top backs in the league. Kenny Hilliard and Alfred Blue return, but LSU will be thin at the position without Hill.

Mississippi State

LaDarius Perkins returns after his 1,000-yard season. He's a complete back and can hurt teams running and catching. Josh Robinson returns after a productive year as the backup. Nick Griffin has a ton of skill, but still hasn't reached his potential.

Missouri

Lawrence is gone, but Henry Josey is back and says he's 100 percent after his devastating knee injury in 2011. He was one of the Big 12's best and most explosive running backs before his injury. The Tigers have plenty of bodies at running back and should get good use out of Marcus Murphy and Russell Hansbrough.

Ole Miss

Leading rusher Jeff Scott (846) is back and he'll be working with some solid sophomores in I'Tavius Mathers and Jaylen Walton. True freshman Mark Dodson had a productive spring as well. Along with the six returning lettermen, Ole Miss will have three more signees on campus this fall.

South Carolina

Mike Davis isn't trying to be Marcus Lattimore, but he did a good job of taking his spot this spring. The rising sophomore can pound it or break out for that home run play. Brandon Wilds and Shon Carson are back from injuries and ESPN 150 member David Williams will be in town this fall.

Tennessee

Marlin Lane's off-field problems didn't help things this spring, but Butch Jones was very happy with the play of Alden Hill and Rajion Neal this spring. Lane has every chance to come back and if he does the Vols will have a pretty solid three-headed rushing monster.

Vanderbilt

Stacy is gone, but Wesley Tate and Brian Kimbrow had good springs in Nashville. Jerron Seymour gives Vandy another body to use, as well. Tate and Kimbrow both have big-play ability, but they'll have to stay healthy because there isn't a lot of experience behind them.

DALLAS -- Kansas coach Charlie Weis spent a season as Florida's offensive coordinator under Will Muschamp in 2011. He joins Iowa State's Paul Rhoads (Auburn defensive coordinator in 2008) as the only Big 12 head coaches with experience in the SEC since its run of seven national titles began at the end of the 2006 season.

Oklahoma coach Bob Stoops has been out of the SEC since his days as Florida's defensive coordinator from 1996-98, but made headlines with some sharp critiques of that conference's current status as college football's kingpin.

"You’re listening to a lot of propaganda that gets fed out to you. You’re more than smart enough to figure it out," Stoops told the Tulsa World. "Again, you can look at the top two, three, four, five, six teams, and you can look at the bottom six, seven, eight, whatever they are. How well are they all doing?"

Stoops' comments have ignited something of a debate in the past week, but Weis, who hadn't heard anything of Stoops' comments until I informed him of them Thursday, says the Sooners coach is speaking the truth.

"Do you know the stats? In the SEC, the record of the good guys and the bad guys?" Weis asked ESPN.com in a recent interview.

"The stats" to which Weis is referring have appeared a few times on this blog, and paint the SEC as a league devoid of parity, at least last season. The conference's bottom eight teams went 0-30 against the top six teams in 2012.

"I’m just sayin’, you look at the bottom of our league and the bottom of their league, just going based off the numbers, there’s validity in what he said," Weis said. "I’m just going based off the numbers, I mean, I’m a numbers guy. Just based off the numbers, you’d have to say he’s got a point."

The Big 12 and SEC both sent nine teams to bowl games, but that number meant 90 percent of the Big 12 participated in the postseason, the highest number of any conference in college football history.

"We were the only team in the whole league that didn’t play in a bowl game. It was us. We were the sole member," Weis said. "You talk about bottom-feeders, you think Iowa State was a bottom-feeder?"

Certainly not. The Cyclones have reached bowl games in three of the past four seasons, never finishing the regular season with a record better than more than three Big 12 teams. Iowa State reached a bowl in spectacular fashion in 2011, upsetting BCS No. 2 Oklahoma State and derailing the Cowboys' national title hopes.

The Big 12 hasn't been able to beat the top of the SEC on the field in quite awhile, but Stoops, Weis and I are in agreement on at least one front: The bottom of the Big 12 is anything but a sure victory for any team in the league.

Edward Aschoff talks with Alabama coach Nick Saban about the Crimson Tide after spring practice.

The team I wanted to see face Alabama last season in the BCS National Championship was Oregon. It's the matchup the entire country wanted to see.

No offense, Notre Dame fans, but seeing that high-octane Oregon offense go up against Alabama's defense would have made for much better theater than what we ended up getting in South Florida in January.

Wouldn't it be great if you could play college football matchmaker and turn some of these dream match-ups into realities during the season?

We've come up with five such matchups and want you to select which one would be the most attractive by voting in our SportsNation poll.

Alabama versus Oregon is one of the choices. Who knows? Maybe we'll finally get to see the Ducks and Tide square off in the final BCS National Championship before we go to a playoff in 2014.

Think Florida versus Ohio State would stir a few emotions with Urban Meyer taking on his old team? It would be the battle of Meyer's two dream jobs. Come to think of it, is it possible to have two dream jobs? In Meyer's world, you can.

I realize that Texas athletic director DeLoss Dodds, in all of his arrogance, said recently that Texas gets to decide when Texas and Texas A&M play again. Ask anybody in that state, and it can't be soon enough. Surely we'll see those two old rivals playing again sooner rather than later.

Here's one for you: South Carolina and Steve Spurrier going up against Lane Kiffin and the West Coast version of USC. Spurrier's not the biggest Kiffin fan. Then again, who in the SEC is? Something says the buildup to that game could be as entertaining as the game itself.

Finally, LSU and Notre Dame played 10 times between 1970 and 2006 and are all knotted up, 5-5. It's time to break the tie. Talk about two of the best fight songs in all of college sports and two programs steeped in tradition.

Well, you have the rundown. Tell us which matchup you'd most like to see, and we'll go over results next week.

The 2014 recruiting classes around the SEC are starting to take shape.

The latest class rankings by ESPN has five SEC teams in the top-10 nationally and seven in the top 15. Obviously, it's going to change over the next several months. But right now, Texas has the No. 1 class.

Florida leads the way in the SEC at No. 2. LSU is No. 4, Texas A&M No. 5, Tennessee No. 7 and Alabama No. 9. Other SEC teams in the top 15 are Ole Miss at No. 11 and Georgia at No. 12. Vanderbilt is No. 18 and Auburn No. 22.

First-year Tennessee coach Butch Jones has made a big splash on the recruiting trail. The Vols already have 12 commitments.

Here's a look at our May recruiting scorecard:

ALABAMA

2014 verbal commitments: 6

Spotlight: Bo Scarbrough of Tuscaloosa, Ala., has been committed since last September. He's ranked as the No. 2 athlete nationally, but plays running back for his high school. The 6-2, 220-pound Scarbrough is a good enough athlete that he could also get a look on defense in college.

ESPN 150 members: 3 (Scarbrough, ILB Shaun Dion Hamilton of Montgomery, Ala., CB Kalvaraz Bessent of Kingsland, Ga.)

Key targets: Running back Leonard Fournette of New Orleans is the No. 1 player overall in the ESPN 150, and the Tide would also love to have five-star offensive tackle Cameron Robinson of West Monroe, La., as well as the country's No. 1 receiver, Ermon Lane of Homestead, Fla., and the country's No. 3 defensive end, Lorenzo Carter of Norcross, Ga.

ARKANSAS

2014 verbal commitments: 4

Spotlight: Defensive tackle Bijhon Jackson of El Dorado, Ark., is the top player in the state and ranked as the No. 5 defensive tackle nationally. The 6-2, 334-pound Jackson had a strong showing in January at the U.S. Army National Combine.

ESPN 150 members: 1 (Jackson)

Key targets: Defensive tackle Josh Frazier of Springdale, Ark., is being pursued by all the heavyweights, including Alabama, Georgia, Texas A&M and USC. ESPN 150 prospect Garrald McDowell of Covington, La., is another defensive tackle at the top of the Hogs' board.

AUBURN

2014 verbal commitments: 5

Spotlight: Linebacker Tre' Williams of Mobile, Ala., committed earlier this week and was a huge get for Gus Malzahn and the Tigers. He's ranked as the No. 5 inside linebacker nationally and was also being heavily recruited by Alabama. It's imperative that Auburn have some success in the Mobile area.

ESPN 150 members: 1 (Williams)

Key targets: ESPN 150 defensive end Justin Thornton of Prichard, Ala., is set to make his decision on Sunday. Auburn is one of three finalists, along with LSU and Texas A&M.

FLORIDA

2014 verbal commitments: 9

Spotlight: Running back Dalvin Cook of Miami has breakaway speed and is one of the more explosive athletes in this class. He's ranked No. 20 overall in the ESPN 150 and as the No. 4 running back in the country.

ESPN 150 members: 4 (Cook, QB Will Grier of Davidson, N.C.; OLB Christian Miller of Columbia, S.C.; DT Anthony Moten of Fort Lauderdale, Fla.)

Key targets: Offensive tackle David Sharpe of Jacksonville, Fla., is right there at the top of the Gators' list. He's ranked as the No. 2 tackle nationally and is also strongly considering Georgia. Receiver Johnnie Dixon of Palm Beach Gardens, Fla., would fill a pressing need on offense. Dixon is ranked as the No. 4 receiver nationally.

GEORGIA

2014 verbal commitments: 5

Spotlight: The Bulldogs were able to wrestle away running back Sony Michel of Plantation, Fla., away from Miami. The 5-11, 194-pound Michel is an every-down back who can do it all. He's ranked No. 16 overall in the ESPN 150.

ESPN 150 members: 2 (Michel; TE Jeb Blazevich of Charlotte, N.C.)

Key targets: Five-star defensive tackle Lamont Gaillard of Fayetteville, N.C., has the Bulldogs at the top of his list along with Miami. He's ranked as the No. 2 defensive tackle nationally. Georgia will battle with Alabama for ESPN 150 defensive end Lorenzo Carter of Norcross, Ga. Carter is the No. 2 player in the state and the No. 3 defensive end nationally.

KENTUCKY

2014 verbal commitments: 5

Spotlight: Receiver Thaddeus Snodgrass of Springfield, Ohio is a top 5 player in the state of Ohio and another key pickup for first-year coach Mark Stoops in the southwest Ohio area. Snodgrass is ranked No. 26 nationally among receivers.

ESPN 150 members: None

Key targets: ESPN 150 quarterback Drew Barker of Hebron, Ky., will announce his decision on Friday afternoon, and it appears to be down to Kentucky and South Carolina for the highly rated pocket passer.

LSU

2014 verbal commitments: 9

Spotlight: Edward Paris, Jr. of Arlington, Texas is a top 10 player in the state of Texas and ranked as the No. 4 safety nationally. At 6-foot and 200 pounds, Paris has the skills to also play cornerback in college.

ESPN 150 members: 5 (Paris; OG Garrett Brumfield of Baton Rouge, La.; TE Jacory Washington of Westlake, La.; S Devin Voorhies of Woodville, Miss.; OLB Sharieff Rhaheed of Fort Pierce, Fla.)

Key targets: The state of Louisiana is loaded this year. The Tigers are trying to keep Leonard Fournette at home. The nation's No. 1 prospect is being touted as a Trent Richardson-type of running back. Cameron Robinson is the country's top offensive lineman and also from the state. Speedy Noil of New Orleans is ranked as the No. 1 athlete nationally and could be an impact player at multiple positions.

MISSISSIPPI STATE

2014 verbal commitments: 2

Spotlight: ESPN 150 athlete Jamoral Graham of Decatur, Miss., gave the Bulldogs his commitment earlier this week. The 5-11, 180-pound Graham has 4.4 speed and can play on both sides of the ball. He likely projects as a defensive back in college.

ESPN 150 members: 1 (Graham)

Key targets: ESPN 150 prospect Jesse Jackson of Petal, Miss., is ranked as the No. 10 receiver nationally. Offensive lineman Rod Taylor of Jackson, Miss., is another ESPN 150 member the Bulldogs covet and the top prospect in the state.

MISSOURI

2014 verbal commitments: 7

Spotlight: Kendall Blanton of Blue Springs, Mo., is ranked as the No. 8 tight end nationally.

ESPN 150 members: None

Key targets: ESPN 150 offensive tackle Roderick Johnson of Florissant, Mo., is the No. 2 player in the state and ranked as the No. 13 offensive tackle nationally. Running back Markel Smith of St. Louis is looking around again after being previously committed to the Tigers.

OLE MISS

2014 verbal commitments: 9

Spotlight: Andy Bauer is the top player in the state of Missouri and the No. 4 offensive tackle nationally. At 6-6 and 304 pounds, Bauer could be a right tackle in college or move inside to guard, where he has all the tools to be a devastating run-blocker.

ESPN 150 members: 1 (Bauer)

Key targets: Rod Taylor of Jackson, Miss., is the No. 1 prospect in the state and ranked as the No. 2 guard nationally. ESPN 150 safety Laurence Jones of Monroe, La., is also high on the Rebels' list, while the state of Illinois could again be good to Ole Miss. ESPN 150 inside linebacker Nyles Morgan of Crete, Ill., is strongly considering the Rebels.

SOUTH CAROLINA

2014 verbal commitments: 3

Spotlight: Bryson Allen-Williams of Ellenwood, Ga., is a top-25 prospect in the state of Georgia and ranked as the No. 20 outside linebacker nationally.

ESPN 150 members: None

Key targets: The Gamecocks are waiting on Friday afternoon's decision from ESPN 150 quarterback Drew Barker of Hebron, Ky. Closer to home, ESPN 150 tight end Kevin Crosby of Bamberg, S.C., would be a nice addition along with ESPN 150 receiver Shaq Davidson of Gaffney, S.C., and ESPN 150 offensive tackle Bentley Spain of Charlotte, N.C.

TENNESSEE

2014 verbal commitments: 12

Spotlight: The Vols desperately needed a marquee running back and got the one they wanted when ESPN 150 prospect Jalen Hurd of Hendersonville, Tenn., committed in March. The 6-3, 223-pound Hurd is ranked as the No. 6 running back nationally.

ESPN 150 members: 2 (Hurd; S Todd Kelly, Jr., of Knoxville, Tenn.)

Key targets: Linebacker Dillon Bates of Ponte Vedra Beach, Fla., would be another nice legacy pickup. His dad, Bill Bates, played at Tennessee. The younger Bates is the No. 3 outside linebacker in the country. ESPN 150 cornerbacks Jalen Tabor of Washington, D.C., Wesley Green of Lithonia, Ga., and D.J. Smith of Marietta, Ga., would help shore up the secondary.

TEXAS A&M

2014 verbal commitments: 10

Spotlight: The Aggies received a commitment last December from the nation's top outside linebacker, Hoza Scott of La Porte, Texas, and Scott has become one of Texas A&M's most ardent recruiters ever since.

ESPN 150 members: 3 (Scott; S Dylan Sumner-Gardner of Mesquite, Texas; ATH Nick Harvey of Richmond, Texas)

Key targets: Myles Garrett is an ESPN 150 defensive end from Arlington, Texas and ranked No. 6 overall nationally. He's the top prospect in the state of Texas and being recruited by everybody.

VANDERBILT

2014 verbal commitments: 8

Spotlight: Safety Emmanuel Smith of Murfreesboro, Tenn., picked Vanderbilt over Tennessee in March. The 6-2, 200-pound Smith is ranked as the No. 25 safety in the country.

ESPN 150 members: None

Key targets: A pair of in-state prospects are near the top of the Commodores' wish list -- safety Rashaan Golden of Nashville and ESPN 150 receiver Josh Malone of Gallatin, Tenn.

Oklahoma coach Bob Stoops stirred up a healthy debate this week when he took a few shots at the SEC, the same league that's captured the last seven national championships.

"So they've had the best team in college football," Stoops told the Tulsa World. "They haven't had the whole conference. Because, again, half of 'em haven't done much at all. I'm just asking you. You tell me."

Stoops, who recruits players to Oklahoma and as such, the Big 12, has a responsibility to defend the league he coaches in, but he may have gone a little too far.

"So you're listening to a lot of propaganda that gets fed out to you," he said. "You're more than smart enough to figure it out. Again, you can look at the top two, three, four, five, six teams, and you can look at the bottom six, seven, eight, whatever they are. How well are they all doing?"

What I don't understand about the ensuing uproar is this: People don't want to buy three statements I believe are true and far from being mutually exclusive:

1. The Big 12 has the strongest bottom half of any conference in football.
2. The SEC is the nation's best conference on the football field.
3. Considering its reputation and the way people refer to it, the SEC is far overrated.

I agree with Stoops that the gap isn't as wide as people think, but fresh off a 28-point beatdown to an SEC team in the Cotton Bowl, now is probably not the time to be making that argument.

Fortunately, our colleagues at SportsNation have stepped in and taken Stoops' points to the people. How would you rank a Big 12/SEC 24-team superconference? You can fill out your own ranking here, but here's how I'd slot it:

1. Alabama
2. Texas A&M
3. Georgia
4. South Carolina
5. Oklahoma State
6. Florida
7. TCU
8. LSU
9. Texas
10. Oklahoma
11. Baylor
12. Kansas State
13. Texas Tech
14. Vanderbilt
15. Ole Miss
16. Mississippi State
17. Auburn
18. Missouri
19. West Virginia
20. Arkansas
21. Iowa State
22. Tennessee
23. Kentucky
24. Kansas

Thoughts on my ranking?

There's no denying the SEC's recent national championship dominance in college football. The conference has watched four different teams -- Alabama (three times), Auburn, Florida (twice) and LSU -- win seven BCS titles in the past seven years.

This year, the conference could close out the BCS era with its eighth straight national title.

All those crystal balls lead the argument for the SEC being college football's premier conference, and has all the other conferences looking up in envy.

Well, one coach isn't buying it.

Oklahoma coach Bob Stoops is buying the championships -- who wouldn't? -- but he isn't buying the league as a whole being the strongest from top to bottom.

Here's what Stoops told the Tulsa World earlier this week about the SEC's dominance:

"So they've had the best team in college football. They haven't had the whole conference. Because, again, half of 'em haven't done much at all. I'm just asking you. You tell me."

Hey, the SEC saw four coaches get fired last year, and five teams finished with records below .500. But the SEC also saw five teams win at least 10 games and all nine teams that went bowling finished with winning records. Seven SEC teams finished the 2012 season ranked in the Associated Press Top 25, including five in the top 10. Both led the country. The SEC also went 6-3 in bowl games, including Alabama's pounding of then-No. 1 Notre Dame team in the Discover BCS National Championship.

Only the WAC (2-0) and Conference-USA (4-1) had better bowl winning percentages, while the Big Ten and Big 12 had losing bowl records, the Pac-12 went 4-4 and the ACC was 4-2.

But I get it, the bottom half was ugly. No arguments there. There was some bad play in the SEC last year, but four of the nine teams that the Big 12 sent bowling had losing records in conference play. Only one SEC bowl team did (Ole Miss at 3-5).

Now, when you look back at the SEC's remarkable championship run, the conference has still been pretty dominant outside of just winning seven straight national championships.

Since Florida got the SEC ball rolling in 2006, the SEC has had 58 teams finish the season, including the postseason, with a winning record. The Big 12 is next with 52. The ACC has had 49 teams finish with a winning record, while the Big Ten has had 44, the Pac-12/Pac-10 has had 40 and the Big East has had 36.

Now, during that time, the SEC has had eight or more teams finish with a winning record five times. The Big 12 is next with three, while the ACC, Big Ten and Pac-12/Pac-10 have only had one season in which that happened. The Big East has had none.

Remember, the SEC has more winning teams and has had more than half of its teams finish with a winning record in each of the past seven seasons.

But we'll dive deeper.

Since 2006, 12 SEC teams (excluding Missouri and Texas A&M) have reached at least two bowl games and each has at least one postseason victory during that span. After the 2012 bowl season, the SEC now has five teams that have been to at least five bowl games since 2008 and eight that have gone to at least six bowls since 2003. Florida, Georgia and LSU have all gone to 10 since 2003.

Heading into the 2013 season, the SEC has won more bowl games (42) and been to more bowls (64) than any other conference (including Ohio State's vacated win over Arkansas in the 2010 Sugar Bowl). The SEC also hasn't had a losing bowl record since going 3-4 in 2002.

The SEC has a bowl winning percentage of .656 since 2006. Here's how the ACC, Big Ten, Big 12 and Pac-12 have fared since 2006 in bowls:

• ACC: 23-33 (.411)
• Big Ten: 19-35 (.352)
• Big 12: 29-27 (.519)
• Pac-12: 20-16 (.556)

The SEC has gone 32-15 against the ACC, Big Ten, Big 12 and Pac-12 in bowl games and is 11-3 in BCS bowls since 2006 (includes Arkansas-Ohio State game and 2011 BCS title game between Bama and LSU). Also, the conference has won 21 bowl games against nonconference teams ranked in the top 25 (at the time they played) during that span. Eleven of those wins came against top-10 opponents.

"So you're listening to a lot of propaganda that gets fed out to you," Stoops said. "You're more than smart enough to figure it out. Again, you can look at the top two, three, four, five, six teams, and you can look at the bottom six, seven, eight, whatever they are. How well are they all doing?

"What'd we (the Big 12) have, eight of 10 teams in bowl games this year? Again, you figure it all out."

Well, both conferences had nine teams go bowling, but the SEC had a winning record. Not the Big 12 (4-5).

You'll also have to forgive the SEC for having 14 teams in its league. Not everyone can have a winning record, but I don't think the SEC is worried about that. It's too busy counting all those shiny rings and crystal footballs.

It's the question that is no doubt making the rounds in the state of Alabama right now: What's taking so long?

There are tons of players out there worthy of being in the College Football Hall of Fame who aren't. But there was only one Derrick Thomas, and how he keeps getting snubbed every year is baffling.

For the third straight year Thomas was on the ballot. And for the third straight year he wasn't elected.

Thomas, one of the most feared pass-rushers to ever play the game, died in 2000 following a car wreck. He was a nine-time All-Pro with the Kansas City Chiefs and once racked up seven sacks in a single game on his way to being elected posthumously to the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2009.

But before he achieved NFL stardom, he was also the gold standard for rushing the passer in the SEC.

Thomas was a first-team All-American in 1988 and set an NCAA record with 27 sacks, a record that still stands. He had five sacks in one game that season against Texas A&M and finished his career with 52 sacks, also an NCAA record that was later tied by Arizona's Tedy Bruschi. Thomas holds the Alabama school record for career tackles for loss (68) and blocked kicks (five). He was the SEC defensive player of the year in 1988 and won the Butkus Award that same season as the top linebacker in college football.

In my lifetime, I haven't seen a better pass-rusher, and he has the numbers to prove it.

Thomas is easily the SEC's greatest player (who's eligible) not enshrined in the College Football Hall of Fame.

Surely, they'll get it right next year and select him. Then again, I said the exact same thing this time a year ago.

Texas A&M's Johnny Manziel is an easy choice as the SEC's top quarterback heading into the 2013 season. He won the Heisman Trophy last season as a redshirt freshman.

But what if you were picking the best NFL draft prospect at quarterback from this league for next year?

ESPN's Brock Huard has done just that, and he has Georgia's Aaron Murray at the top of his list . In fact, Huard has Murray No. 3 nationally behind Louisville's Teddy Bridgewater and Clemson's Tajh Boyd.

Obviously, the Texas A&M and Alabama fans won't agree with Huard, but Murray is one of those quarterbacks who has probably drawn more criticism than he's deserved. There's a reason he's thrown for 10,091 career yards, 95 touchdowns (and 32 interceptions). He's talented, tough, smart and durable, not to mention the only quarterback in SEC history to have thrown for 3,000 yards in three straight seasons.

But as Huard points out, the big challenge for Murray in 2013 will be playing his best football in the Bulldogs' biggest games. In games against Alabama, Florida and South Carolina, Murray has a combined 2-5 TD-to-INT ratio.

Huard has Alabama's AJ McCarron No. 6 overall in his ranking of the top quarterback draft prospects for 2014 and Manziel No. 7.

Manziel, who will be a third-year sophomore, is a lot higher on other people's draft lists for 2014. He obviously doesn't have ideal size, but his ability to create and make plays when there seemingly aren't any to make is a trait they're looking for at all levels of football.

The even harder question in the SEC is: Who would be the fourth quarterback on that list?

LSU's Zach Mettenberger could zoom up draft boards with a big senior season, and Mississippi State's Tyler Russell might be in that conversation as well.

Again, these aren't necessarily the top SEC quarterbacks going into next season, but quarterbacks with a chance to emerge as NFL draft choices.

Alabama might have fallen to No. 2 in ESPN colleague Mark Schlabach's Way-Too-Early Preseason Top 25, but I'd like to think that most of the college football world still considers the Crimson Tide to be the favorites to win the national championship again.

Alabama lost nine draft picks, including three first-rounders, but Nick Saban has a host of talent returning on both sides of the ball, and the Tide's schedule isn't too daunting after the first two games.

But there are teams that will test the Tide's road to a national championship trifecta in 2013. Colleague Travis Haney picked five teams from around the country that could challenge Alabama's title hopes this fall. Ohio State topped his list, while Texas A&M made it from the SEC.

No surprise there with the Aggies. Heisman Trophy winner Johnny Manziel returns with a bundle of riches to accompany him in the Aggies' backfield.

Johnny Football might not have Luke Joeckel protecting him, but Jake Matthews provides quite the safety net with his move to left tackle, and there is still talent and experience up front. Mike Evans leads a young but talented group of pass-catchers.

The defense is a concern, with five members of last season's front seven gone, but the Aggies will still be equipped to win most shootouts.

A&M benefits from getting Alabama at home early in the season, but has to play Arkansas, Ole Miss, LSU and Missouri on the road. Even beating Alabama early doesn't guarantee the Aggies will make it to Atlanta over the Tide.

Here are four other SEC teams that could wreck Alabama's title train this fall:

Florida

The Gators will yet again be elite on defense. First-round draft picks Sharrif Floyd and Matt Elam might be gone, but Dominique Easley moves back to his more natural position at defensive tackle and could one of the best at his position this fall. Marcus Roberson and Loucheiz Purifoy could be the top cornerback duo in the SEC, while inside linebacker Antonio Morrison has the makings of being a budding star.

The offense is still a concern, especially with the lack of proven receiving talent, but quarterback Jeff Driskel has found a lot more confidence in his second year under offensive coordinator Brent Pease, and he'll have a much tougher offensive line and another loaded backfield to work with.

Georgia

Sure, the defense is younger and less experienced, but people in Athens are excited about the younger guys taking over. They were very receptive to coaching and showed continued improvement this spring. Linebacker Jordan Jenkins has playmaker written all over him, while freshman Tray Matthews could be the next big thing at safety. Having Damian Swann back at cornerback is huge.

Offensively, Georgia will be able to score on just about everyone. Aaron Murray is looking to be the first SEC quarterback to throw for 3,000 yards in four seasons, and should leave with a handful of SEC/Georgia records. He has five offensive linemen returning, the best one-two running back punch (Todd Gurley and Keith Marshall) and plenty of receivers to throw to, including Malcolm Mitchell, who has moved back to offense full-time.

LSU

Yes, the Tigers lost a ton of talent on the defensive side of the ball, but Les Miles seemed pretty happy with where his defense was -- especially his defensive line -- at the end of spring. Jermauria Rasco could be a big-time player at defensive end for LSU, while linebacker Lamin Barrow has the talent to be an All-SEC performer. The return of cornerbacks Jalen Collins and Jalen Mills should continue the Tigers' trend of having an elite secondary.

The offense should be better, too. Zach Mettenberger is way more comfortable in the offense and has developed better chemistry with his receiving targets, which all return from last season. He'll have a solid offensive line in front of him and a loaded backfield. Although, it will be important to see what happens to the suspended Jeremy Hill, who could be the Tigers' top offensive weapon.

South Carolina

Jadeveon Clowney hasn't left, and the Gamecocks should once again be stacked along their defensive line. South Carolina does have to replace its two-deep at linebacker and has a couple of holes in its secondary, but we all know that a good defensive line can mask weaknesses behind it.

And the offense should be pretty balanced this fall. South Carolina possesses two solid quarterbacks and a talented running back stable led by rising sophomore Mike Davis. Bruce Ellington is back at receiver, and it sounds like the very talented Shaq Roland is finally starting to come around and should be a valuable receiving target this fall. This team has the personnel to make it back to Atlanta.

Florida State set a school record with 11 NFL draft picks over the weekend. That also happened to lead the entire nation, ranking ahead of national champion Alabama, LSU and yes, even Florida.

So what does this say about the Noles as a program? Are they finally back, or just a pack of underachievers? Andrea Adelson and Heather Dinich debate.

Andrea says: The proof is in the picks.

We all know the Seminoles have their detractors, who believe every season must be a perfect season or else it is a complete and utter disappointment. Raising the bar the way this program did in the late 1980s through the mid-2000s means living with the type of expectations reserved for only the most elite programs in the entire country.

Coach Jimbo Fisher lives with these expectations every day. But he also lives in reality. And reality says that Florida State stumbled badly in the final few years under coach Bobby Bowden, and it takes more than snapping your fingers, rolling a Florida State helmet onto a field and planting a spear to get a program back into national championship contention.

It takes time. And it takes talent. And, well, Florida State had a lack of talent. In Bowden’s final four seasons, 2006-09, the Noles had 12 total draft picks -- including one in the 2009 draft. That’s just one more than Florida State had this past weekend. So, Fisher has gotten the talent on par with what Florida State used to produce.

The next step is translating that into a national championship. Should the Seminoles have done that this past season, given the players selected into the pros? Depends on your perspective, of course.

Hindsight says Florida State needed a perfect run to make it into the national title game. But the Seminoles were an imperfect team, even with all those picks. And that imperfect team ended up winning the ACC title, the Orange Bowl and finishing with 12 wins for the first time since 1999. Just about every coach in America will take that, hold his head up high and use it as a sales pitch on the recruiting trail.

Coaches will tell you that it takes more than talent to win a title. It takes a little bit of luck, too. Florida State had its best season in years, with the best talent the school has assembled. That does not mean the Noles fell short. It means they are nearly back to the mountaintop. When’s the last time anybody in Tallahassee could say that?

Heather says: A huge opportunity has been lost.

In 2012, Florida State had the fastest car in the race but not enough gas to finish it.

With a school-record 11 NFL draft picks -- more than national champion Alabama (nine), LSU (nine) and rival Florida (eight) -- FSU coach Jimbo Fisher was driving a machine. There was more NFL talent on that roster than any other program in the nation.

And yet …

There were nine other schools ranked ahead of the Noles in the final Associated Press poll.

There was the fourth-quarter collapse in the loss to NC State. There was the fourth-quarter meltdown against rival Florida, in which FSU’s heralded defense allowed 24 straight points in a span of less than nine minutes. There was the pedestrian performance against Northern Illinois in which FSU was fooled repeatedly by trick plays on special teams en route to a precarious 14-3 lead at the half. There was more than enough evidence throughout the season to conclude that this year’s draft was further proof that the Noles underachieved at 12-2 last season.

Underachieved?? An ACC title and a win in the Discover Orange Bowl and they underachieved?

It was a consolation prize.

When your recruiting classes and expectations are on par with Alabama, LSU and Florida, the on-field product should be on par with the nation’s elite, too. There were too many instances last fall in which Florida State looked vulnerable -- including a 13-point win at South Florida, and a last-minute touchdown needed to beat Virginia Tech -- the worst Virginia Tech team Frank Beamer has coached in 20 years.

Look, Florida State has so many reasons to be proud. It was a banner year for the program, and things are certainly better than they were in the years leading up to Bobby Bowden’s exit. In order to truly join the nation’s elite, though, Florida State has to do more than just look like a national title contender comprised of 11 NFL draft picks -- it has to start playing like one.

SEC commissioner Mike Slive says he wants "football expertise" on the selection committee that will pick the four teams for the College Football Playoff starting in 2014.

The most intriguing component in the whole move to a playoff remains the makeup of that committee.

Who's going to be on it? Better yet, who wants to be on it?

From an SEC perspective and a football perspective, I've come up with a few possible candidates. And, yes, I realize that just about every one of these would be perceived as having some kind of bias, which is going to be the problem in finding a panel that satisfies everybody.

They're listed in alphabetical order:

Bill Battle: The new Alabama athletic director was the head coach at Tennessee in the early 1970s and later founded Collegiate Licensing Company and built it into a money-making empire.

Charles Davis: A former defensive back at Tennessee, Davis has carved out an impressive broadcasting career at several different networks and provides analysis for both college football and the NFL.

Vince Dooley: A true legend in SEC coaching circles, Dooley is about as intertwined with SEC football as it gets. He played at Auburn and was a Hall of Fame coach at Georgia.

Jeremy Foley: He's easily the SEC athletic director with the most clout nationally, although he's already said he wouldn't be interesting in serving on the committee.

Phillip Fulmer: Granted, the Alabama fans wouldn't be thrilled, but Fulmer won 98 SEC games, tied for the fifth most in history, and he's available.

Bo Jackson: Still very involved at his alma mater, Auburn, Bo knows football as well as he played it ... and just about every other sport imaginable.

Bobby Johnson: Now retired and living in Charleston, S.C., the former Vanderbilt coach is as sharp and respected as they come and would be a terrific choice.

Roy Kramer: He might be the father of the BCS, but few men have helped to shape college football and the SEC in a positive way more so than Kramer, who's retired and living in East Tennessee.

Archie Manning: One of the SEC's greatest players, Manning still keeps close taps on college football in between watching his two famous sons play in the NFL.

Joe Pendry: A veteran of both the college and pro game, Pendry is now retired from coaching after helping to build some powerhouse offensive lines at Alabama.

Bill Polian: He's currently doing NFL analysis for ESPN, but few people anywhere know the game inside and out any better than Polian, one of the NFL's top executives for a long time.

Gene Stallings: He has ties to both Alabama and Texas A&M and played under the legendary Bear Bryant. Stallings knows what championship teams look like.

Sterling Sharpe: The former South Carolina and Pro Bowl receiver for the Packers is doing a little radio now in addition to his NFL Network duties. He would offer some keen insight in the selection of the teams.

Danny Wuerffel: The former Heisman Trophy winner at Florida would be an excellent choice. He was as smart as he was good and is one of the best people you're ever going to meet. He's also doing better after battling some health problems.

The SEC's 63 NFL draft selections was a record for any league and blew away every other conference this year.

The next closest was the ACC with 31 draft picks. In fact, the SEC's East produced 32 draft picks and the SEC West 31. The old record for the most draft picks for one conference was 55, set by the Pac-10 in 1983.

The SEC had 32 players selected in the top three rounds. That compares to 16 a year ago. The next closest conference in the top three rounds was the ACC with 12 players selected.

The only school in the SEC that didn't have a player taken in this year's draft was Ole Miss.

Alabama and LSU tied for the most draft picks this year in the SEC. Each had nine. Florida State was tops in the country with 11.

Here's the rundown by SEC team:

• Alabama: 9
• LSU: 9
• Florida: 8
• Georgia: 8
• South Carolina: 7
• Texas A&M: 5
• Arkansas: 4
• Tennessee: 4
• Mississippi State: 3
• Missouri: 2
• Vanderbilt: 2
• Auburn: 1
• Kentucky: 1

And here's a link to the round-by-round listing of all 63 SEC players drafted.