http://www.sportingcharts.com/nfl/stats/number-of-nfl-players-by-college/2014/
Looks like its a little more complicated than that.
Not sure I'd judge the whole PAC-12's defensive prowess based on a game between Cal and Oregon. Particularly Cal...they might as well not even send their defense out there.
Stanford and Utah do play some defense, but they certainly seem to be the exception. Stanford is really the only team that plays real defense though...unfortunately with Shaw calling plays to not lose and Kevin The Human Turnover Hogan under center, things aren't going so well on the other side of the ball this year. But hey, at least Opponents Team Total under is 6-1 on the season and game Totals are 7-0 to the under.
Stanford and Utah do play some defense, but they certainly seem to be the exception. Stanford is really the only team that plays real defense though...unfortunately with Shaw calling plays to not lose and Kevin The Human Turnover Hogan under center, things aren't going so well on the other side of the ball this year. But hey, at least Opponents Team Total under is 6-1 on the season and game Totals are 7-0 to the under.
In all honesty, I enjoy watching PAC football. It's very different from the game played down here, so it's always good to see something different. Watching Oregon, AZ State, Wazzou, Cal, UCLA, etc. can be entertaining.
My opinion is that the PAC is the second best conference out there. Are they the SEC? No. But they are a deep conference. There are no really easy outs in that conference. Most teams can score enough to beat you on a given night.
Here's where I think the difference is. Physicality. The SEC just beats you up week in and week out. Even when you play a bottom half of the conference team(Arkansas, Kentucky, TN, FL this year), you get beat up physically by in some cases big OL(Arkansas) and in others by physical defenses(FL). Ole Miss is in the middle of a 5 game stretch that includes Bama, TAMU, TN, LSU, and Auburn). The physical toll a stretch like that takes on you is just brutal.
Again, I enjoy watching Oregon play. Mariota is a freak athlete, and just a hell of a QB. But I think if Oregon were in the SEC, the physicality of an 8 game SEC schedule would be tough on them. Not that they couldn't get through it, but there smallish OL would find blocking SEC defensive lines difficult.
My opinion is that the PAC is the second best conference out there. Are they the SEC? No. But they are a deep conference. There are no really easy outs in that conference. Most teams can score enough to beat you on a given night.
Here's where I think the difference is. Physicality. The SEC just beats you up week in and week out. Even when you play a bottom half of the conference team(Arkansas, Kentucky, TN, FL this year), you get beat up physically by in some cases big OL(Arkansas) and in others by physical defenses(FL). Ole Miss is in the middle of a 5 game stretch that includes Bama, TAMU, TN, LSU, and Auburn). The physical toll a stretch like that takes on you is just brutal.
Again, I enjoy watching Oregon play. Mariota is a freak athlete, and just a hell of a QB. But I think if Oregon were in the SEC, the physicality of an 8 game SEC schedule would be tough on them. Not that they couldn't get through it, but there smallish OL would find blocking SEC defensive lines difficult.
Would hold back judgement on Ingram though, the guy was injured a lot and ended last year pretty strong with 44 carries over his last 4 games for 249 yards, which included games vs CAR & SEA, two very strong defenses last season (plus a 3 carry blowout vs Tampa, which explains the rather low total yards for a 4 game stretch). He also started this season very strong with 24 carries for 14 yards and 3 TDs before getting injured.
Guys like Khiry Robinson didn't come remotely close to his YPC numbers running behind that Saints o-line after he went down. Ingram just looked like a different player compared to his earlier performances in the NFL.
I know, he did nothing vs DETs #1 run defense last week, but that was also his 1st week after missing several games due to injury, so let's give him a couple of more games to show his true face, maybe he finally arrived in the NFL as a legit #1 RB, maybe it was just a good stretch for a handful of games or maybe the truth is somewhere in between. But wouldn't label him a bust just yet, even though he has to stay on the field of course (which he has failed far too often).
Back to the topic on hand: Agree with the folks saying the Pac12 has a down year, but at the same time the SEC is overrated in my opinion. Most of these teams certainly get a bonus in public opinion just for playing in the SEC and winning (or keeping close) games against some schools, that aren't that good (this year), but have been in the past.
current odds at 5dimes
| NCAA Division I Championship Game - AT&T Stadium - Arlington, TX - January ...* | |
|---|---|
| Alabama | +550 |
| Oregon | +650 |
| Mississippi | +650 |
| Florida State | +750 |
| Mississippi State | +800 |
| Ohio State | +900 |
| Georgia | +900 |
| Auburn | +950 |
| Michigan State | +1200 |
| TCU | +1200 |
| Baylor | +2000 |
| Notre Dame | +3000 |
| Kansas State | +3300 |
