I'd say that was as accurate a statement as can be made about the SEC this year. It would be a shame to see the conference fall flat on this face in March, but it won't surprise me if Kentucky is one of the last SEC teams left standing when it's all said and done.
LSU relatively speaking is a bad SEC team. They played in my opinion, the weakest non conference slate of all SEC teams to get to 11-2. Fools gold for them once conference play began.
South Carolina has got top be the best 1 win conference team in the country, but still relatively a bad SEC team. Their best win was over Clemson. Not bad. Nowhere near enough for the SEC this year, though. Earlier in the season, they hung tight with a lot of teams you would THINK they would've been crushed by, if they were truly terrible. Only towards the end of this year have they seemed to give up a little of their will to fight.
I still think since Arkansas has found life, they should be one of the last of the 14 teams to make it from the SEC this year. I'm firm on the SEC deserving 14 teams by the time the conference tournies finish. Anything less THIS YEAR is a slap in the face to the conference.
The SEC is NOT getting 14 teams in. It is just not happening. Too many bubble teams will eliminate each other. I think 12 gets in. There are 9 "locks" at the moment. Vandy, Arkansas, and ONE of Georgia, Oklahoma OR Texas gets in for the 12th team. No way ALL of the bubble teams get in. Arkansas based on the remaining schedule, is in the best shape of the 5 "bubble" teams of Vandy, Arkansas, Georgia, Texas, and Oklahoma.
"Locks" (9)
Auburn
Alabama
Florida
Tenn.
Missouri
Texas A&M
UK
OIe Miss
Miss. State
Bubble teams in order of how I think they rank based on strength now and remaining schedule factored in :
Arkansas 6-9 SEC / 17-11) - @ SC / @ Vandy / Miss. State (could win all 3 they way there are playing. 2-1 at worst) 1 win SHOULD be enough.
Vandy (7-8 SEC / 19-9) - Missouri / Arkansas / @ Georgia (may lose all 3) Needs to win 1 more to get in.
Georgia (5-10 SEC / 17-11 - @ Texas / @ SC / Vandy. Probably needs to win 2 of the 3. I say they beat SC and Vandy.
Texas (5-10 SEC / 16-12) - Georgia / @ Miss State / Oklahoma. MUST win 2 out of 3. to even be considered.
Oklahoma (4-11 SEC / 17-11) - @ Ole Miss / Missouri / @ Texas. Probably will not win another game, Moser will be fired.
Texas / Georgia will be very close, If Texas beats Georgia and georgia win the other 2 games, MAYBE they both get a bid, depending on the other bubbles from other conferences fair. I do feel they deserve a bid over say someone like UNC. UNC has not beat ANYBODY worth a damn, 1-10 in quad 1 games, that alone should eliminate them. If Texas and Georgia both win 2/3 of their remaining games and UNC doesn't beat Duke, if UNC gets in over them, it is strictly a biased bid, not off of merit.
I think Arkansas, Vandy, and Georgia will get the other invites. Texas will probably be a First Four out, Oklahoma will not finish in consideration when they lose the last 3, Next Four out if they win 1 of the 3. JMO, I could be wrong.