Chris Low, ESPN Senior Writer 10y

Ball security in the SEC

Turnovers are the great equalizer in football.

Teams that turn it over consistently don't win very often, and teams that force turnovers typically find ways to win.

Looking back at the SEC in the last three seasons, it's not surprising that Alabama and LSU lead the way in turnover margin. The Tigers are plus-36 and the Crimson Tide are plus-24 during that span. They've combined to win two of the last three SEC titles and played each other for the national championship in 2011.

Alabama has been especially good at not turning the ball over. The Crimson Tide haven’t turned it over 20 or more times in a season since 2007, Nick Saban’s first year in Tuscaloosa. Alabama and LSU are the only teams in the league that haven’t had a 20-turnover season at least once over the last three years. During that three-year span, Alabama has turned it over just 44 times.

By contrast, Ole Miss has turned it over 75 times during the last three seasons, which is the most in the league. Arkansas is right behind the Rebels with 74 turnovers, and the Hogs have forced the fewest turnovers in the SEC since 2011 (47). Ole Miss and Texas A&M are the only SEC teams to turn it over more than 20 times in each of the last three seasons, although Texas A&M was a member of the Big 12 in 2011.

In the last three seasons, South Carolina's defense has led the way when it comes to creating turnovers. The Gamecocks have forced 86 turnovers. LSU is second with 82. The Gamecocks have intercepted an SEC-high 52 passes in the last three seasons. Vanderbilt is second with 48 picks during that span.

Ole Miss has thrown the most interceptions (44) in the last three seasons, just one more than Tennessee (43). Alabama has thrown the fewest picks (18).

Below is the turnover margin for all 14 SEC schools in the last three seasons. Missouri and Texas A&M were in the Big 12 in 2011.

1. LSU: 82 gained, 46 lost -- plus-36

2. Alabama: 68 gained, 44 lost -- plus-24

3. Mississippi State: 78 gained, 55 lost -- plus-23

4. South Carolina: 86 gained, 64 lost -- plus-22

5. Missouri: 77 gained, 57 lost -- plus-20

6. Georgia: 77 gained, 66 lost -- plus-11

7. Vanderbilt: 77 gained, 69 lost -- plus-8

8. Florida: 62 gained, 61 lost -- plus-1

9. Kentucky: 52 gained, 55 lost -- minus-3

10. Tennessee: 60 gained, 64 lost -- minus-4

11. Ole Miss: 67 gained, 75 lost -- minus-8

12. Auburn: 55 gained, 65 lost -- minus-10

13. Texas A&M: 53 gained, 66 lost -- minus-13

14. Arkansas: 47 gained, 74 lost -- minus-27

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