Ranking the Top 5 Conferences in College Football

This argument seems to come up every year, which conference is the toughest? Usually, that honor goes to the SEC, does it this year? Let’s take a look?

5) Big 12

The Big 12 is as close as you can get to Arena Football, do these schools not give scholarships to defensive players?  West Virginia is the only team in this conference ranked in the top 20, which means this conference is assured of not having a team in the College Football playoff. Oklahoma has the best chance of playing on New Year’s day if they run the table. Texas is finally above .500 after a win against a disappointing Texas Tech team. Overall this has to be the 5th ranked conference, they don’t have one team that can matchup with the top teams in the other four conferences.

4) Pac 12

A few weeks ago this conference seemed to have just Washington and nothing else. Since that time USC and Washington State have gotten hot and will present two big obstacles that the Huskies will need to get past before a conference championship matchup with a young hungry Colorado team. This conference is certainly top heavy, which is why it does not rank higher.

3) SEC

Let’s face it, right now it is Alabama and then everybody else. The East is a Division so hapless right now that Florida could legitimately be 6-5 and still appear opposite the Tide or Tigers in the conference title game on Dec. 3. The West is much better than the East, but Auburn even had trouble with Vandy. I know I am crazy for ranking them behind the ACC, but really match up the middle and bottom and the ACC is just deeper.

2) ACC

Clemson and Louisville roll on. The problem is Florida State was supposed to make this a conference with three top teams, but the Seminoles have not been able to put it all together this year. The Coastal elite had a good weekend, as the frontrunner, Va Tech held off Duke and Carolina remained in contention with a blowout of Georgia Tech. Even Miami got back on track—finally—by defeating Pitt. The ACC already has six bowl-eligible programs, including Wake Forest, with three others on the lip of the postseason cup. This is a tough conference from top to bottom.

1) Big Ten

Michigan and Ohio State were both dominant last weekend, and Penn State is one of the hottest teams in the country. Minnesota is 7-2, but we won’t know how good they really are until the end of the season battle with Wisconsin. You have teams like Northwestern, Indiana, Iowa and Nebraska who are all solid teams. This conference is very similar to the ACC, they have two big time teams and are a very deep conference.