The SEC is the Rolls-Royce of college football leagues with the last three national champions, two teams in the running for this season's title and huge TV contracts.
Boom times for sure. But troubled ones, too.
The league has been dealing with seemingly endless questions stemming from a string of controversial officiating calls in close games involving highly ranked teams. That followed a preseason run-in with national media outlets over a new SEC policy.
The in-season issues forced commissioner Mike Slive to make the unusual moves of publicly announcing the suspension of an officiating crew, increasing the penalties for coaches who criticize officials and fining Florida coach Urban Meyer $30,000 for less-than-inflammatory - though critical - remarks after the new policy was in place.
"Has it been difficult? Yes. Has it been painful? Yes," Slive said. "But this league has been a great league for 76 years. There have been different issues at different times. I fully understand the disappointment the fans feel when something happens that impacts their team.
"My job is to try to keep some perspective, to work for the best interest of the conference, at least as I see it. I've done that for eight years, and I'll do that as long as I'm here."
Slive said he, coordinator of officials Rogers Redding and others would meet after the season and assess the causes of officiating mistakes "and make sure that we have the best officiating in the country."
In other SEC news:
n Kentucky quarterback Mike Hartline practiced and could be ready when the Wildcats play at Vanderbilt on Saturday. He has been out after injuring his knee in a loss to South Carolina on Oct. 10.
n South Carolina coach Steve Spurrier says there's a chance injured defensive end Cliff Matthews could return to face No. 1 Florida on Saturday. Matthews suffered a shoulder injury in a 31-13 loss at Tennessee and did not play last week.
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