re: CFB teams that could actually win championship?

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Last year definitely have me pause. And going into this year, I don't have very high expectations for many SEC teams. Last year's bowl season surprised the shite out of me, it really did.

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At the time I thought there were some signs throughout the season, and the bowl games kind of confirmed it for me. The SEC West really didn't look like world beaters out of conference. Auburn at K State was a good win, but K State was a solid but unremarkable team last year. And that game was very close. Same with LSU/Wisconsin. You guys struggled more than you should have with WVU. Ole Miss beating Boise was a good win, too, but only because that Boise team improved immensely over the course of the season. There were no superstar match ups out of the conference for the West that really gave a good gauge as to where teams stood, and the collective results kind of had me raising an eyebrow.

I think the SEC will still consistently be the best conference, but I think the gap has closed. 2006 or so to 2012 or so was a remarkable period for a single conference in the sport, and I don't see that happening again soon. Other programs adapted, and even the SEC has changed a bit. The PAC 12 was very, very good last year...quite close to the SEC top to bottom in my opinion. We played three teams from that conference - all good but no dominant teams - and they were motherfrickers to play. Two of them smashed our arses, yet we were able to go toe to toe with FSU and LSU. If anyone unseats the SEC with any consistency, it will be those guys.

I think some of the rule changes the SEC initiated took a bit of an effect, but I think, more importantly, the conference doesn't have anywhere close to the coaching talent it once did during that period, especially in the coordinator ranks.

It's just like in business - no one stays on top forever. Other organizations adapt (witness the Big Ten now having three of the best coaches in the sport), and the balance of power changes. The SEC has the most natural advantages, and I believe they will continue to be best conference, at least over a long period of time, with years and periods interspersed where other conferences probably have an edge. That 2006 - 2012 run was remarkable in college football...virtually unprecedented.