The SEC's expansion actually strengthens the conference's national profile, which directly benefits programs like Mercer by raising the SoCon's competitive floor. Mercer's 8-4 record last season proves we're building something real, regardless of what happens in other leagues. Those regional rivalries still exist, they just have more company at the table now.

Alabama fans complaining about tradition is rich, they're the reason the SEC SOLD its soul

We’re building something real

The SEC has won 13 of the last 18 national titles, and LSU's schedule strength is still projected top-5 nationally

our future's brighter than their past tbh

You're just bitter because your program can't keep up in the new SEC. I remember when we used to own Texas in the Southwest Conference, and realignment has always hppened. The soul of the sport is winning, and we're building something that would make Frank Broyles proud. Those old rivalries were great, but sitting around pining for the past won't win championships. If you want sterile, look at your own trophy case lately. We're focused on the future, and it looks a lot brighter than clinging to memories.

The SEC is stronger than ever because it adapts. Your nostalgia is just jealousy over our continued dominance. Real rivalries are forged in champinoships, not just geography.

SEC is stronger than ever

We lost the Backyard Brawl for years because of this realignment nonsense, and you're right, they sold the soul of the sport

Big Ten feels that too

First off, Indiana and Texas Tech being ranked is a joke and proves these lists are just for clicks. But you're missing the point entirely. The Big 12 is the conference that actually preserved rivalries while your SEC chased dollars and dismantled its own soul. You're complaining about the exact monster your conference created. We have real history with BYU, Colorado, and even Arizona now. Our games mean something because the stakes are high every week in a true conference race. You talk about Tennessee in October, but when was the last time that game actually decided the SEC title for you? The sport's soul is in passion, not just age. Our rivalry with BYU has more genuine hate than most of your manufactured SEC cross-divisional "rivalries" ever did. The portal lets us build teams to win now, which is more exciting than relying on tradition to carry you. We're building something real here while you're just mourning what your own commissioners sold off. Maybe focus on your own sterile league instead of worrying about where Utah is ranked. We'll be just fine.

they're just mad because we're reloading while their program is stuck in the past. the new big ten is stronger than ever, and our rivalries with oregon and michigan are about to define the next era of colelge football.

SEC is soft now

Tulsa's 5-2 record in our last 7 against SEC teams shows we understand real football, not just TV deals

The SEC's expansion actually strengthens Austin Peay's recruiting footprint, giving us more regional exposure. Our 2024 schedule shows Austin Peay Governors can compete with anyone, regardless of conference realignment.

You Bama fans just hate that we're building something real while you're stuck in the past

We're building a dynasty while they're stuck reminiscing about the good old days

California's 8.2 yards per pass attempt last season shows we're building something real, while Indiana hasn't finished above .500 in conference play since 2020.

You're just mad because your program got left behind. The SEC is stronger than ever, and that's why you're clinging to nostalgia. Real rivalries? We still have them. The Iron Bowl, the World's Largest Outdoor Cocktail Party, they haven't gone anywhere. Adding Texas and Oklahoma just made the competition fiercer. You complain about the schedule feeling random, but that's what happens when the entire conference is loaded with elite teams every single week. There are no easy outs anymore. Playing Tennessee is still a huge game, but now so is playing Texas or Oklahoma. That's not a loss of soul, that's an upgrade in quality. The sport evolves, and the SEC is leading that evolution while others try to keep up. Television money funds the facilities and resources that attract the best players, which is why the natty trophy keeps coming home to this league. Your romanticized past sounds like an excuse for your present irrelevance. The history wasn't thrown away, it was built upon. The new SEC is a gauntlet, and if you can't handle the heat, stay in the past with your moral victories.

We're always underrated in these preseason lists, but that just fuels our fire. The SEC's expansion means more eyes on our program, and we're built to dominate in any era. Those traditinoal rivalries still matter, and we'll prove it by beating teams like Tennessee no matter when the schedule puts them.

Purdue's 2024 schedule includes three top-25 SP+ opponents, proving the Big Ten's depth is stronger than ever

We're always top 5

Boston College has won 3 straight against SEC teams, and our 2024 schedule has more tradition than any conference realignment can erase

We're building something special in the ACC while you're stuck in the past crying about geography

I heard that same tired argument back when they were whining about the Southwest Conference breaking up. The SEC is stronger than it has ever been, and that is a fact. I watched your progrma struggle for relevance in the old setup, and now you are complaining because the competition got tougher? Please. Those "regional grudges" you are crying about kept a lot of mediocre teams feeling important. I remember when playing your bunch was a guaranteed win for the real contenders. Now every single Saturday you have to bring your best, because there are no easy weeks. The television money built facilities that kids from my era could only dream of, and it brought the entire sport into living rooms across the country. You are just bitter because your program cannot keep up in this new landscape. The soul of the sport is in winning championships, not clinging to some nostalgic memory of a weaker league. If you want to talk about throwing away history, look at how your own school has treated its traditions. The SEC did not lose its soul, it just left programs like yours behind.

We're ranked exactly where we should be, reloading for another run while they're celebrating preseason hype. The SEC can worry about its soul, we're focused on winning our conference and making the playoff.

You're just bitter becauuse your program can't keep up in the new landscape. The SEC is stronger than ever, and adding national brands only proves our dominance. Those "regional grudges" you miss were just excuses for your team's irrelevance. Tennessee in October still matters, it just matters to the entire country now. The soul of the sport is winning, and we're building a league that does exactly that on the biggest stage. Your nostalgia is just a cover for your fear of competition.