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          SEC Blog

          Sizing up the SEC resumes

          • Chris Low, ESPN Senior WriterDec 10, 2013, 03:10 PM ET
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            • College football reporter
            • Joined ESPN.com in 2007
            • Graduate of the University of Tennessee
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          Now that we’ve had a look at the final BCS standings for the 2013 season, it’s always worth going back and seeing who truly owns the strongest resume.

          Records against ranked opponents at the time of the game provide some insight, but a better gauge is how a team fared against the top 25 in the final BCS standings, which takes into account the two human polls and the computer rankings.

          In the SEC, Auburn (4-1) had the best record this season against top-25 teams in the final BCS standings. South Carolina (3-1) was second.

          In fact, the Gamecocks were the only team in the country this season with wins over three teams ranked in the top 15 of the final BCS standings.

          Of the 10 teams playing in BCS bowls this season, counting the VIZIO BCS National Championship, four failed to record wins over top-15 teams in the final BCS standings: Alabama, Clemson, Ohio State and UCF.

          In the last three seasons, LSU’s 10 victories over teams that finished in the top 25 of the final BCS standings are the most nationally. Alabama, South Carolina and Stanford each have nine wins over the last three seasons.

          How does that compare to some other teams nationally during that same three-year span?

          Notre Dame has seven wins, which is more than Oklahoma State (six), Clemson, Oregon and Wisconsin (five each), Florida State, Ohio State and Oklahoma (four each) and Texas (two).

          Turning back to the SEC, if you extend it out over the last five seasons, Alabama (16-6) has the best record. LSU (14-11) is right behind the Crimson Tide.

          They’re the only two SEC teams over the last five seasons with winning records against teams that finished in the top 25 of the final BCS standings.

          Les Miles, during his career at LSU, is 27-18 against top-25 teams in the final BCS standings. Alabama’s Nick Saban is 19-10.

          Here’s a look at how all 14 teams in the SEC have fared in the last five seasons against top 25 teams in the final BCS standings:

          • Alabama: 16-6 (.727)

          • LSU: 14-11 (.560)

          • Auburn: 13-13 (.500)

          • South Carolina: 10-10 (.500)

          • Arkansas: 7-17 (.292)

          • Missouri: 5-14 (.263)

          • Georgia: 6-17 (.261)

          • Florida: 6-18 (.250)

          • Texas A&M: 5-17 (.227)

          • Ole Miss: 3-20 (.130)

          • Vanderbilt: 1-15 (.063)

          • Kentucky: 1-16 (.059)

          • Tennessee: 1-21 (.045)

          • Mississippi State 0-24 (.000)