SEC gets 8 Regional Hosts

[Quaoarsking]

Losing Sims hurt a lot in 2022, but what did it really cost us? Maybe we win 5 more SEC games and get to 14-16? That may not even be enough to get us in, as our SOS was much worse and brought down our RPI.

I've seen people say that without the Sims injury, we host, which seems kinda crazy. Remember that in 2014 we went 18-12 and that wasn't enough to host with our RPI, and the SOS was worse in 2022, so we probably needed 20-10 or so to host. Would having Sims really win us 11 more SEC games? Seems doubtful. Granted, it would have affected every game, not just Friday nights, but still, pitching would have been a weakness and I doubt he would have gone 10-0.

It's also interesting how this talking point was never really raised at all in 2022. Sure, we missed Sims, but I don't recall anyone ever claiming that we would've hosted without Sims's injury last year. I don't think anyone really made that argument until pretty late into 2023 when people started rewriting history into a Lemonis apologetic. Personally, I don't think it's a guarantee that we make a Regional at all if Sims doesn't get hurt, but I do think we probably barely get one.