Georgia football power helping lift SEC East over SEC West

HOOVER, Ala. — The SEC East Division might collectively be better than the West, but perception can be slow to change.

Especially with Alabama’s recent run of championship success.

But even with the Tide’s 35-28 comeback win over Georgia in the SEC Championship Game last season, the East still held a 9-6 advantage in head-to-head games.

“It might be the first time going into the season where you could make a case that the East is stronger than the West in some ways, “ SEC analyst and former Alabama QB Greg McElroy said.

“Maybe they don’t have as many championship contenders because we all feel so strongly about Georgia, but I would say one through seven, you could make a case that it’s better than all seven teams (in the West), or better than the one through seven, the  collection of those teams, in the West.”

Georgia coach Kirby Smart, who spend nine years coaching in the West as Nick Saban’s defensive coordinator a Alabama, said it has to do with coaches.

“Basically the West became the East with the shift of a lot of coaches,” Smart said. “You look at Will Muschamp over on the West with Auburn, now he’s back in the East (at South Carolina.

“You look at Dan (Mullen), he was in the West (at Mississippi State). I was in the West, so the West has always been a physical brand of football, and the East has kind of grown to that.”

Smart said the balance is good for the SEC, and “you need that parity.”

SEC East vs. SEC West record

(since 2012 expansion)

2018: SEC East was 9-6 vs. SEC West

Georgia 1-2

Georgia 27, Auburn 10

LSU 36, Georgia 16

Alabama 35, Georgia 28

Tennessee 1-1

Alabama 58, Tennessee 21

Tennessee 30, Auburn 24

Vanderbilt 2-0

Vanderbilt 45, Arkansas 31

Vanderbilt 36, Ole Miss 29

South Carolina 1-1

South Carolina 48, Ole Miss 44

Texas A&M 26, South Carolina 23

Florida 2-0

Florida 27, LSU 19

Florida 13, Mississippi State 6

Kentucky 1-1

Texas A&M 20, Kentucky 14

Kentucky 28, Mississippi State 7

Missouri 1-1

Alabama 39, Missouri 10

Missouri 38, Arkansas 0

Alabama 3-0

Alabama 39, Missouri 10

Alabama 58, Tennessee 21

Alabama 35, Georgia 28

LSU 1-1

Florida 27, LSU 19

LSU 36, Georgia 16

Texas A&M 2-0

Texas A&M 26, South Carolina 23

Texas A&M 20, Kentucky 14

Arkansas 0-2

Vanderbilt 45, Arkansas 31

Missouri 38, Ole Miss 0

Auburn 0-2

Georgia 27, Auburn 10

Tennessee 30, Auburn 24

Mississippi State 0-2

Kentucky 28, Mississippi State 7

Florida 13, Mississippi State 6

Ole Miss 0-2

South Carolina 48, Ole Miss 44

Vanderbilt 36, Ole Miss 29

2017: SEC West was 11-4 vs. SEC East

2016: SEC West was 10-5 vs. SEC East

2015: SEC West was 13-2 vs. SEC East

2014: SEC West was 11-4 vs. SEC East

2013: SEC West was 9-6 vs. SEC East

2012: SEC West was 8-7 vs. SEC East