https://www.espn.com/college-football/story/_/id/27340866/dabo-not-buying-sec-grind-wore-bama
...aaaaand it begins...
I like Dabo and truly respect what he has done at Clemson. Methinks he talks too much, though. He's playing to the home crowd who always view themselves with a chip on their shoulder and a chip is what got HIM to where he is (from walkon to head coach and national champ). I get it. But I also tire of it... even if he were correct.
Here's the question to ask: is he wrong about the depth of the SEC?
"Listen, the SEC is a great conference, but I don't think they've been as deep the last few years. I think they've had two or three really good teams and then it's kind of been hit or miss from there."
I don't think he's wrong by any stretch.
From 2006-2015 (an entire decade), the SEC had a bowl record of 66-32 and won eight national championships (and played in a 9th PLUS had an all-SEC final).
2016 - 6-7
2017 - 5-6 (okay, UGA was one, but it's still a losing record)
2018 - 6-6
Keep in mind that that 17-19 bowl record includes a win by 5-7 MSU in 2016.
In 2016, no SEC besides Alabama had FEWER than 4 losses, and every team except UA and Florida had at least 3 conference losses.
In 2017, the SEC was Alabama and UGA and a bunch of four-loss or more teams.
The league was "somewhat" better in 2018 as five teams had 3 or fewer losses, but the reality is that the league isn't the 2006-2013 monster anymore.
The Big 12 has an all-time losing record against the SEC, but they're 9-7 in the last 3 years.
In the last 3 years, the SEC is 7-5 against the Big Ten. In the previous decade, the SEC was 25-16 (and 24-13 from 2007-15).
The ACC was 10-4 against the SEC in 2016 and 9-13 the past two years to total 19-17 in favor of the ACC.
But in that decade of dominance, the SEC thumped the ACC to the tune of 56-35.
We've gone from a winning pct of .615 to one of below .500 the last three years...despite the ACC being mostly a clown show last year.
The EVIDENCE supports Dabo's contention that the SEC is NOT what it was five years ago.
They've had "two or three really good teams"
I'd say in 2016, there was ONE DOMINANT team and a bunch of mediocrity.
In 2017, you had Alabama and UGA - and Auburn put together a good half of a season between losing to LSU and then losing to UGA.
In 2018, you had Alabama and UGA as really dominant teams.....LSU was hit or miss.....as were UF and Kentucky.
Now.....none of this vindicates the ACC in any way, but his comments on the SEC are dead-on accurate.