The SEC has a reputation for being the best conference from top to bottom. You have your Alabamas and Georgias, but team by team, the majority of SEC programs would rank among the top in any Power 5 conference.
Washington State seemed to have a solid game plan against Ole Miss, which had beaten No. 10 LSU by a larger margin than WSU. When game-planning for an SEC opponent, where a team’s worst player might be a four-star athlete, you cannot make mistakes. You have to win the turnover battle, generate chunk plays and take advantage of opponent mistakes. WSU managed to get all three, but inconsistent officiating held them back.
Some of college football’s best coaches have SEC experience. Big names include Kirby Smart, Lane Kiffin, Jimbo Fisher, Curt Cignetti, Mario Cristobal, Steve Sarkisian and Dan Lanning. Also, two NFL head coaches, Dan Quinn and Brian Daboll, have SEC ties.
The SEC is deep in talent, coaching, money and fan support. In the 2025 NFL Draft, 79 players were selected from the SEC, compared with 71 from the Big Ten and 42 from the ACC. Understanding the talent gap is crucial for game-planning. As a coach, you have to put your players in the best position to succeed, something WSU’s Jimmy Rogers executed exceptionally well.
Texas coach Steve Sarkisian, speaking on the new nine-conference-game rule, acknowledged the difficulty of having to play nine SEC teams in one season.
“A 9-3 record should be viewed as a successful outcome due to the challenging nature of the schedule,” Sarkisian said.
Kentucky coach Mark Stoops shared a similar sentiment for coordinators tasked with stopping elite talent in the SEC.
“I think it’s challenging in this league as a defensive head coach or defensive coordinator in general. Offenses are so creative. The speed at which they operate, sometimes, the players that they have, it’s a challenge. It’s different,” Stoops said.
In the era of NIL and the transfer portal, WSU players facing SEC opponents have opportunities to gain notoriety. Many Cougars have been poached after strong seasons, most notably Cam Ward and John Mateer. Players tend to perform at their best under pressure, and sometimes their future can hinge on a single game. Hoping to get some looks from the NFL and even other schools that can offer viewership, money and other incentives.
