Will the SEC remain dominant in 2014?

Since 1998, when the Bowl Championship Series began, the SEC has won the big game a total of 8 times, and the last six of those titles have been consecutive. Here's a quick overview of how each conference has stacked up over the last 14 years.

The Big 12 leads all other conferences besides the SEC with six appearances in the BCS championship. Out of those six, the conference came away with a win and the title only twice. Both the Pac-12 and the ACC have three appearances,and one title victory. However, that USC title has since been vacated. The Big-10 and Big East have also been in the BCS championship a total of three times and they have only been victorious once as well.

What is the reason behind the SEC's dominance? For starters, the SEC has long been considered the strongest conference in the country, and that consideration has been a major player in influencing voters over the years. The lone exception would be 2004, when an undefeated Auburn team was left out in favor of USC and Oklahoma. The Tigers are still steaming about that one.
Another major factor, at least in head-to-head competition with the other conferences, has to be speed. The SEC boasts more speed, top-to-bottom, than anywhere else in the country. It's all over the field. Sure, Oregon often appears as though they could rival African cheetah's on the offensive side of the ball, but ask them how quick those Auburn defensive backs moved sideline to sideline during the 2010 BCS championship game. Boy's that big aren't supposed to be that fast. There must be something in the water down there.

So the big question on everyone's mind, at least everyone not in the SEC, is can the boys in the south keep up their winning ways when the BCS gives way to a four team playoff in 2014? To answer that, let's pretend that 2014 is already here and our playoff is about to begin.

In the first round, No. 1 Alabama will be facing off against No. 3 Oregon and No. 2 Kansas St. will be matching up with No. 4 Notre Dame.

Alabama vs. Oregon will be the best game hands down. The Crimson Tide defense will certainly be tested, as the Ducks offer the most viable threat to another SEC title. In the end, ball control wins out, and the Ducks just don't get the ball enough to put up the numbers they're used to. The stout Alabama O-line eventually breaks the will of the Quack Attack's undersized defensive front, and the Tide pull out the victory.

Kansas St. vs. Notre Dame has the potential to be a snooze fest. The Wildcats remind me of a less talented Alabama team and I'm already sick of the hype machine that has taken ahold of Notre Dame football. Kansas St. wins.

That leaves us with another SEC vs. Big 12 title game, and like I previously said, Kansas St. is less talented than the Crimson Tide. Bama, and the SEC, win again.

Of course the wild card in all of this would be Oregon. The possibility does exist that they could overcome Alabama in a close game. But I'm going to go with history on this one and stick with the Tide on the biggest stage of them all.

So, in short, will the SEC remain dominant in 2014? I think so. But this trend can't continue forever. I mean, they've got to lose one eventually, right?