The phrase, "West Coast, best coast" can apply to many things, but it's best use may be to describe this football season.
In the same season that the SEC's title streak was broken, the Pac-12 helped bring reputability back to the West Coast by being arguably the deepest conference in the country.
Despite having two less teams than the SEC, the Pac-12 sent just one less team to a bowl game, with a staggering nine of 12 teams being selected for postseason play. It didn't falter in the games, either, going 6-3.
The conference finished the season with just one team in the final AP Top 10, but half of its teams finished in the top 25. Again, falling just one short of the 14-team SEC.
It doesn't end there, though. Heading into the Conference Championship round of the NFL playoffs, the only team left in the Eastern timezone is the New England Patriots.
The consensus top-three teams in the NFL all hail from either the Pacific or Mountain timezones. While the Denver Broncos will battle the Patriots for the AFC title, the Seattle Seahawks and San Francisco 49ers will fight for the NFC's berth in Super Bowl XLVIII.
The East Coast may hold the championship trophies in the NBA and MLB, but it's the West Coast that has a firm grasp on football.
Reach the reporter at ewebeck@asu.edu or follow him on Twitter @EvanWebeck
