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South Carolina Football: 5 reasons why Gamecocks can win SEC East

By Terrance Singleton

COLUMBIA, SC - NOVEMBER 05: Jake Bentley reacts after a play against the Missouri Tigers during their game at Williams-Brice Stadium on November 5, 2016 in Columbia, South Carolina. (Photo by Tyler Lecka/Getty Images)
COLUMBIA, SC - NOVEMBER 05: Jake Bentley reacts after a play against the Missouri Tigers during their game at Williams-Brice Stadium on November 5, 2016 in Columbia, South Carolina. (Photo by Tyler Lecka/Getty Images) /
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ATLANTA, GA – DECEMBER 03: A general view during the SEC Championship game between the Florida Gators and the Alabama Crimson Tide at the Georgia Dome on December 3, 2016 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Scott Cunningham/Getty Images)
ATLANTA, GA – DECEMBER 03: A general view during the SEC Championship game between the Florida Gators and the Alabama Crimson Tide at the Georgia Dome on December 3, 2016 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Scott Cunningham/Getty Images) /

5. The wide open SEC East

The SEC East is one of the weakest Power Five divisions in the nation. If you use the S&P+ ranking system, it will tell you the SEC East is, in fact, the worst Power Five division in the country. Since the turn of the century, East teams have only won the SEC five times. In the last eight years, the West is 8-0.

Just to drive it home one more time, the Alabama Crimson Tide have won five SEC Championship since 2000. That is the same amount as the whole SEC East combined in the same time span. Even though Georgia, Missouri and Florida have made repeat appearances since 2011, the East is still wide open.

So why not South Carolina?

It would be just like the SEC East to have a team go from fifth in the division to first in the division in one year.