When it comes to home-field advantages in the SEC, plenty of fans might jump to the conclusion that Alabama or Georgia has the toughest venues to play football in. While both those teams have been dominant, it’s actually South Carolina and Florida atop the list, according to Blake Toppenmeyer of USA TODAY Sports.
While most Gators fans are likely nodding their head in agreement, the LSU, Tennessee and Texas A&M folks might be scratching theirs instead. The answers are in the numbers.
Toppenmeyer ranked the list in order of SEC home and road winning percentage difference since 2012. In other words, a team’s home winning percentage against the SEC minus its road winning percentage against the conference. The 2012 date comes from when SEC expanded to 14 teams.
Florida’s road winning percentage is a solid .520, but a home winning percentage of .700 is for a .180 difference.
“The Swamp is tough on opponents, and it features one of the SEC’s best traditions when Florida fans sing Tom Petty’s “I Won’t Back Down” before the start of the fourth quarter,” Toppmeyer wrote.
Florida might not be considered much of a threat to the top dogs of the SEC heading into the 2023 season — the final one before Oklahoma and Texas join to make it a 16-team conference — but the Gators will still enjoy a strong home-field advantage.
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