In Case You Haven’t Heard… Defense Wins In The SEC

 Send This Story To A Friend

Everyone knows that defense wins championships in the SEC.  And a quick check of recent league statistics proves it to be true.  But did you know there was a pretty clear shift from offense to defense that took place about eight years ago?

Going back 15 seasons, we broke down each of the SEC champions from 1995 (Florida) right on up through last year (Alabama) in eight major statistical categories.  Here’s what we found, starting with the offensive numbers:


Scoring Offense
The SEC champ led the league in scoring offense 6 times in the last 15 years.  (Florida in 2008, 2000, 1996 and 1995, Auburn in 2004 and Georgia in 2002)

Rushing Offense
Only 2 of the past 15 SEC champions actually led the league in rushing.  That’s a surprisingly low number.  (Florida 2008 and Tennessee 1998)

Passing Offense
Again, only 2 SEC champs since 1995 have topped the league in this category.  And you have to go back a long way to find the last champ to do it.  (Florida in 1996 and 1995)

Total Offense
Only 3 teams in 15 years have led the league in total offense and lifted that round SEC sign in Atlanta.  (Florida in 2008, 1996 and 1995)

Scoring Defense
The SEC’s champion has led the league in points allowed 5 times in the past 15 years.  But all five teams have done so in the last 8 years.  (Alabama 2009, Florida 2008, Auburn 2004, LSU 2003, and Georgia 2002)

Rushing Defense
In the last 15 years, just 3 SEC champs have led the league in this category… but all have occurred in the last 7 years.  (Alabama 2009, Florida 2006, and LSU 2003)

Passing Defense
Want an interesting fact?  Try this one: No SEC champion since 1995 has led the conference in this category.  Got a so-so secondary?  You can win big anyway.

Total Defense
Of the last 15 champs, 3 have led the league in total yards allowed.  Again, all three instances have taken place in the last 7 years.  (Alabama 2009, LSU 2007 and 2003)


Conclusions

* You don’t have to a league-leading offense or defense to win the SEC.  Georgia (2005), LSU (2001), Alabama (1999) and Tennessee (1997) didn’t lead the SEC in any of the 8 main team categories.

* There was a shift from offense to defense right around 2002.  Since that time, only 5 champions have led the league in an offensive category.  However, 11 SEC champs have led the league in a defensive category in that same 8-year span.

* That’s a switch from the 1990s.  Not once between 1995 and 2001 did an SEC champion lead the league in one of the four major defensive categories.

* It’s not breaking news, of course, but even when you do a little simple math with the SEC Media Guide you find that defensive success is more important than offensive success in today’s SEC.