To understand SEC football, you have to know something about SEC football history.

If you've spent any time at all on this web site, you already know the Southeastern Conference (SEC) is the best college sports conference and that the biggest reason for that is because of SEC football.

The SEC was created in 1932 by 13 schools, (first played football in '33) located about the Appalachian Mountains area. The schools departed from the Southern Conference to establish their own conference.

The founding 13 members of the SEC were the:

• University of Alabama;


• University of Florida;


• University of Georgia;


• University of Kentucky;


• University of Mississippi;


• University of Tennessee;


• Auburn University;


• Louisiana State University;


• Mississippi State University;


• Vanderbilt University;


• Sewanee;


• Georgia Tech; and,


• Tulane.

Today, the first 10 teams (of the 13) listed above remain members of the SEC.

Sewanee left the SEC in 1940 and is currently part of the Division III Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference. Georgia Tech departed the SEC in 1964 and later became a founding member of the Metro Conference, until joining the Atlantic Coast Conference in 1978. Tulane left the SEC in 1966, also to become a charter member of the Metro Conference until the establishment of the Conference USA in 1995.

In 1990, the University of Arkansas (from the Southwest Conference) and the University of South Carolina (from the ACC) joined the SEC. They began play in the SEC in 1992. The addition of these teams upped the total number of SEC schools to 12, facilitating the creation of the Western and Eastern Divisions.

Some of the best all-time SEC football players have included Herschell Walker, Joe Namath, Bo Jackson, and the father-sons contribution of the Manning clan (Archie, Eli, and Peyton).

A few of the best all-time SEC football coaches have included Paul "Bear" Bryant (Alabama and Kentucky), Shug Jordan (Auburn), and Bob Neyland (Tennessee).

SEC football stadiums are generally some of the largest in the country. Some of the best SEC football stadiums have become American cultural icons. For instance, the University of Tennessee's Neyland Stadium holds the largest capacity in the SEC and third largest in the NCAA with 104,079 seats.

SEC Football History: Rivalries

The heart of SEC football is its rivalries. In fact, SEC football history is largely defined by those rivalries. Each of the 12 SEC schools has two or three major rivalry games each year. Some of the best all-time SEC football rivalries include:

• Alabama vs. Auburn (Iron Bowl);


• Alabama vs Tennesee ("Third Saturday in October");


• Arkansas vs LSU (Battle for the Golden Boot;


• Auburn vs Georgia (Deep South's Oldest Rivalry);


• Florida vs Georgia (World's Largest Outdoor Cocktail Party); and,


• Mississippi State vs Ole Miss (Egg Bowl).

SEC Football History: National Championships

Since 1920, SEC football teams have captured 25 National Championships (depending on which poll you rely on). They are:

• Alabama -- (9); 1934, 1941, 1961, 1964, 1965, 1973, 1978, 1979, and 1992;


• Georgia – (2); 1942 and 1980;


• Tennessee – (6); 1938, 1940, 1950, 1951, 1967, 1998;


• Auburn (1); 1957;


• LSU (2); 1958, 2003;


• Ole Miss (3); 1959, 1960, 1962; and,


• Florida (2); 1996, 2006.

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SEC Football History: Forever Being Updated

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