This season, the SEC leads all FBS conferences with an average of 31.1 points per game. The Pac-10 and Big 12 are tied for second (30.2 ppg), familiar ground for leagues known for high scores.
The SEC days as an offensive superpower are relatively new. The conference was tied for first with the Big 12 last season at 28.4 points per game, but it was ninth as recently as 2008 at 25.6. Before that, the conference hadn’t finished higher than fourth in the decade, finishing 10th twice and ninth another time. "The thing that I’ve always believed about our league, and I don’t know that it’s changed a whole lot, as an offensive coach you’re always looking for a match or a mismatch," Georgia coach Mark Richt said. "Offensively it is very difficult to say, ‘I’m going to pick on this guy’ because athletes are just as good on the defensive side. "It is a time now that it’s swinging a little bit? I don’t know that I can say for sure. That’s kind of the debate." The most obvious example of the shift is No. 2 Auburn. The undefeated Tigers, led by dual-threat quarterback Cam Newton and second-year offensive coordinator Gus Malzahn, lead the conference in scoring at 42.8 points per game. They also allow 24.9, only eighth-best in the league, Auburn coach Gene Chizik was asked how important a dominant defense is in the SEC. "Offenses are very explosive these days," Chizik said. "We’re trying to contain some of these high-powered players and high-powered offenses. Week in and week out in this league, you’re seeing the offenses scoring a lot of points and accounting for a lot of yards. Our goal and objective at the end of the day is to win."
Oh yeah, by the way, we have failed lately to mention this...'The SEC Rocks!'
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