Let's be honest about something: there is no way to "know" which conference is truly "the best" in college football. There are too many variables and not enough data, not even during bowl season, to be definitive.
The Southeastern Conference went 8-2 in its bowl games, a remarkable effort. At the print deadline for The News, the PAC-12 had two games remaining and a good shot at going 8-2 as well. The SEC champion, Alabama, won impressively but it went deeper. The SEC West went 6-1 and the maligned SEC East was a solid 2-1. The two teams who did lose, Florida and Texas A&M, had significant quarterback issues.