Is the SEC still the most dominant conference in the nation?

The SEC has the highest average of Top 25 finishes in the final AP poll since 2002.

The Southeastern Conference has been the host of the Bowl Championship Series National Championship for seven years in a row and has averaged the highest number of teams in the final Associated Press Top 25 poll.

On the week of Oct. 13, the conference had eight teams ranked in the AP Top 25 poll, which broke the record for most teams from one conference in the Top 25 at one time.

“There is no question that they are the toughest conference in college football,” head football coach Bobby Wallace said.

The importance of football in the south is the reason for the SEC’s dominance, said Lesley Carter, a student.

“That’s one thing the South knows how to do — play some mean football,” she said.

And that helps in recruiting, said Delhan Holland, a student.

“Recruiting is key,” he said. “A lot of the top 100 players are from the Southeast, that simple.”

The Big 10 has the second highest average amount of teams in the Top 25 since 2002. Ohio State University is the only current Big 10 team to have won any National Championships since 2002. They have won two.

“With me being a (Florida State University) fan, I obviously think the ACC is the best conference,” said Courtney Geiger, a student. “I think living in the heart of SEC country (makes) people kind of forget about the ACC but a lot of great teams are in that conference.”

Since 2002. the ACC has ranked third in the highest average number of teams in the Top 25. The University of Miami in 2002 is the only team from the ACC to win a BCS National Championship in that time span.

The PAC 12 has an average of 4.1 teams finish in the Top 25 each year. The University of Southern California’s 2005 National Championship is the only one the PAC 12 has had since 2002.

The Big 12 averages the lowest of the big conferences with 3.3 teams finishing in the Top 25 each year. Quarterback Vince Young led the University of Texas to the 2006 National Championship — the only time a Big 12 team claimed the title since 2002.

Teams outside of the BCS conferences average four teams a year in the Top 25. No team outside the listed five conferences has won a National Championship since 2002.