Can you win the SEC without defense?
Last season, the champions of eight of the 11 FBS conferences were the highest-scoring teams in their leagues. Only four of the 11 champs led their leagues in scoring defense.
Four champs in Big Six conferences – Texas in the Big 12, Cincinnati in the Big East, Oregon in the Pac-10 and Georgia Tech in the ACC – led their leagues in scoring. None led their leagues in scoring defense.
Yet defense still rules in the SEC. SEC champion Alabama led the league in scoring defense and ranked second nationally. In fact, three SEC teams ranked among the nation’s top 11 in scoring defense last season.
Defenses like that make it hard for teams that rely on offense to contend for championships. The SEC’s highest-scoring team learned that lesson all too well last season.
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