Perception is reality, and the SEC needs to start winning again before it continues to puff out its chest

It might sound crazy to most fans who don't have a team in the SEC, but it's been three years since the conference has won a national championship, and the natives are getting restless.So restless, in fact, that they've resorted to all sorts of mental gymnastics about why the SEC is still the dominant conference in college football.Greg Sankey, SEC commissioner, speaks at the SEC Football Media Day at the Tampa Marriott Water Street in Tampa, Florida, on July 20, 2026.MISSOURI'S ELI DRINKWITZ BECOMES LATEST SEC COACH TO MAKE RIDICULOUS COMPLAINTS ABOUT BIG TEN SCHEDULESBefore I go any further, I have to point out that I am biased towards the SEC as a Florida Gator fan and I have defended the conference on numerous occasions.But hearing some of the things being said as to why the league is still on top despite the Big Ten winning three straight natties is a bit hard to swallow, and it all culminated in the former Don of the SEC, Nick Saban, dropping this gem at Media Days on Thursday.I want to make one thing perfectly clear: Saban is right, in a sense.Top to bottom, the SEC is deeper than the Big Ten.The SEC also has more talent than the Big Ten, based on both recruiting rankings and NFL Draft numbers.The gap has closed, especially at the top, but the numbers still favor the SEC as a whole.LANE KIFFIN MAKES RIDICULOUS EXCUSES FOR SEC'S POOR RECENT PERFORMANCE IN COLLEGE FOOTBALL PLAYOFFGeorgia Bulldogs quarterback Gunner Stockton (14) drops back to pass against the Texas Longhorns during the second half in the 2024 SEC Championship game at Mercedes-Benz Stadium.

(Brett Davis-Imagn Images)All of that may be true, but in college football, perception is reality, and the SEC is doing itself no favors by doing all of this talking without backing it up in the College Football Playoff.I mentioned an SEC team hasn't won a national championship in three years, but it's even worse than that.Last year, no team from the SEC had a win over another Power 4 program from outside of...