The SEC West has been known as the strongest division in college football for a long time. Teams from the SEC West have won ten of the past 20 national championships. Alabama and LSU have combined for nine of those ten titles. Auburn hasn’t been slouching itself during that time, appearing in two national titles and winning one. Also, Ole Miss and Mississippi State have had some of their best runs in the past decade.
But nothing quite exemplifies the West’s dominance like the time when three SEC West teams were ranked in the top three.
The 2011 season is remembered for when two teams from the same division (Alabama and LSU) played in the championship. But there was another team from the SEC West who was in the thick of the national title conversation late in the year.
The Arkansas Razorbacks, led by Bobby Petrino, had a high-flying offense that drove the team to unprecedented success. After making the Sugar Bowl in 2010, the Hogs were great once again this year. Led by QB Tyler Wilson and the best WR core in the nation, the Razorbacks were 10-1 heading into their last game of the year.
In the last week of the season, the BCS had the following top 3: No. 1 LSU, No. 2 Alabama, and No. 3 Arkansas. Earlier in the year, Alabama lost to LSU in the “game of the century”, which meant LSU got the nod over them. However, Alabama also thrashed Arkansas, 38-14, so the Hogs couldn’t jump the Crimson Tide.
A repeat of 2008?
In their final game of the year, the Razorbacks would face-off against undefeated LSU in Death Valley. If Arkansas won, it could force a scenario similar to the Big 12 South in 2008. If all three teams were 11-1, each beating and losing to one of the other teams, then who would play in the SEC championship? Furthermore, who would get the nod to play in the national championship?
As the Arkansas-LSU game went underway, this doomsday scenario seemed more and more likely. After a scoreless first quarter, Tyler Wilson led the Hogs on a 62 yard drive culminating in a touchdown. On the next LSU possession, RB Michael Ford fumbled, which was recovered by Arkansas’ Alonzo Highsmith for a scoop-and-score. Now Arkansas was up two touchdowns.
But this wasn’t destined to last. LSU scored 21 points in the remainder of the second quarter to be up 21-14. During the third quarter, both teams scored a field goal apiece to keep the margin within a touchdown. But then, LSU rang off 17 unanswered points to defeat Arkansas handily 41-17. The doomsday scenario was averted.
Conclusion
At the end of the regular season, LSU and Alabama finished No. 1 and No. 2 respectively. Arkansas finished No. 6, but due to BCS rules, they could not compete in a BCS bowl game. Only two teams per conference were allowed to compete in a BCS bowl. Since LSU and Alabama were in the national title, there was no other room for SEC teams to compete.
Eventually, Arkansas would defeat No. 8 Kansas State in the Cotton Bowl. Meanwhile, Alabama defeated LSU to put up their second banner under Nick Saban.
While the SEC West boasts many storied programs in college football, there was perhaps no other time the division was more dominant than in 2011.
Will the West return to its previous form with recent regime changes at LSU, Auburn, and a host of other schools?