for just about everyone in the conference. So, when the SEC teams play each other, the computers and the pollsters really love them. And, with 14 schools and only 8 conference games, you almost always ensure that the two division champs have nice and shiny win-loss records and high rankings.

Now, don't get me wrong - the SEC schools have some of the best football in the country, best recruiting, best fan bases, etc. But, they haven't stacked the deck against themselves like the PAC 12.

The PAC 12 has only 12 members, who play a 9-game schedule. Lot's of divisional cross-over, which severely hurts the conference in terms of nice-and-shiny win-loss records and rankings. For instance, in 2018, Utah played the top-4 teams in the other division. That's nuts. Could you imagine if Alabama had to play Georgia, Kentucky, and Florida in the conference lineup? Instead they got to play 5th place Missouri and 7th place Tennessee in their two cross-over games.

If the PAC had 14 teams and Utah had played only 8 conference games with only 2 cross-over games, they probably finish 7-1 or 6-2 in the PAC and 10 or 11 wins overall. That would definitely help the PAC in the rankings and the CFP race. 

Similar issue in the B12, but they have a round-robin schedule and guarantee a rematch in the conference championship game.