Top 5 college athletic programs in SEC conference ft. Alabama football
The SEC has produced some of the most successful college athletic programs in the history of college sports. From basketball teams dominating March Madness to baseball teams winning the college world series, it ranks as one of the top conferences in college sports.
Many teams in the conference have built a legacy and a standard for their programs throughout history. Here's a look at five of the best athletic programs in the SEC conference.
Top five college athletic programs in the SEC conference
#5 Georgia football
The Georgia Bulldogs have been one of the top programs in college football history. They own 14 total conference championships, 13 division titles and three national championships.
Georgia football won their first national title in 1980 and have found recent success in college football, winning their next two titles back-to-back in 2021 and 2022. They also have 62 bowl game appearances in their 120-year history, for a total record of 38-21-3 in bowl games.
Georgia football has also produced two Heisman Trophy winners. Halfback Frank Sinkwich was the first player from Georiga and the first from the SEC to win the Heisman Trophy.
Running back Herschel Walker is the most recent player from Georgia to win the Heisman Trophy, in 1982, after rushing for 1,752 yards and 16 touchdowns.
#4 LSU baseball
With 12 conference tournament titles and 17 regular-season titles, the LSU Tigers baseball team has dominated the Southeastern Conference. The baseball program of the Tigers has won seven national titles overall and has participated in 19 College World Series.
Most recently, they won the national title in 2023, beating fellow conference opponent Florida in the College World Series Final. The Tigers are among the best teams in college baseball and are second only to USC in NCAA history in national titles won.
#3 Texas football
The Texas Longhorns are moving from the Big 12 to the SEC in 2024, and their football program ranks as one of the best in their new conference. The Longhorns have won 31 conference titles and four national titles.
Texas won their first national title in 1963 under coach Darrell Royal, followed by back-to-back titles under coach Royal in 1969 and 1970. The Longhorns' most recent national championship came in 2005 under Mack Brown, beating USC in a thrilling Rose Bowl matchup that's considered one of the best college football games of all time.
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#2 Kentucky basketball
Kentucky men's basketball has established itself as one of the top programs in college basketball and proven that SEC basketball runs through them. The Wildcats have won 31 conference tournament championships and 49 regular season championships in 121 seasons.
Kentucky has the second-most college basketball national championships, with eight. They won their first title in 1948, followed by their second in 1949. Their most recent title came in 2012, under coach John Calipari, beating Kansas 67-59 in the national championship game.
#1 Alabama football
The Alabama Crimson Tide have established one of the most successful athletic programs in college football history. They have won 30 conference titles and have won an astounding 18 national championships.
Alabama's first national title came in 1925, with their most recent coming in 2020. They have made 77 appearances in bowl games, with a record of 46-28-3.
The Crimson Tide have produced four Heisman Trophy winners, beginning with Mark Ingram in 2009. Derrick Henry in 2015, DeVonta Smith in 2020 and Bryce Young in 2021.
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Which SEC program do you think is the best? Let's know your thoughts in the comment section.