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Another round of bowl games has come and gone for the SEC, which finished a very mediocre 5-5 this season in the postseason.

That’s one way to look at it.

The SEC also captured college football’s top prize for the fifth straight season with Auburn taking down Oregon on Monday night in the Tostitos BCS National Championship Game.

Here’s a look at what we learned during the bowl festivities:

1. All in at Auburn. The “We’re All In” slogan took off this season at Auburn and was never more apparent than it was Monday night when the Tigers completed their perfect 14-0 season with a 22-19 victory over Oregon in the BCS National Championship Game. It took everybody for Auburn to win this game. Cam Newton threw a couple of touchdown passes in the first half, but wasn’t his usual Heisman Trophy self. That’s right, the Tigers punctuated their dream season with perhaps their best team effort of the season. Senior safety Mike McNeil had 14 tackles. Junior defensive tackle Nick Fairley was unblockable. Freshman running back Mike Dyer took over on the Tigers’ game-winning drive, and the Auburn defense suffocated Oregon’s vaunted running game, holding the Ducks to 75 rushing yards on 32 carries. Keep in mind that the Ducks came into the game averaging more than 300 rushing yards an outing. So it doesn’t get any more clutch than that when you start talking about stellar defensive performances. Newton was the reason Auburn got to this point, but the Tigers won it as a team.

2. Alabama is dripping with talent. Auburn was the best team this season in the SEC. The Tigers have the hardware to prove it. But was there honestly a more talented team than Alabama? You go back and watch Alabama’s 49-7 dismantling of a Michigan State team that went 11-1 in the Big Ten, and the Crimson Tide’s talent jumps off the screen at you. They were healthier than they’ve been in a while for the game and had their offensive line back intact. But watching their combined array of speed, explosive athletic ability and sheer power against the Spartans raises the obvious question: How did this team lose three games this season? It’s a reminder that talent isn’t the end-all. Experience, chemistry and a little luck are equally important if you’re going to win a championship.

3. Miles is money in bowl games. Les Miles has coached in six bowl games at LSU, and he’s won five of them. The only one he lost was a year ago when Penn State slopped out a win over LSU in that quagmire of a football field at the Capital One Bowl. Give Miles some time to prepare, and he’s pretty good. The Tigers overwhelmed Texas A&M in the AT&T Cotton Bowl. It’s a Texas A&M team that was playing as well as anybody in the Big 12 when the regular season ended, but the Tigers toyed with the Aggies in the Cotton Bowl. They lose some great football players next season, notably Patrick Peterson, Drake Nevis and Kelvin Sheppard. But the young talent in this program was on full display in the Cotton Bowl, guys like Tyrann Mathieu, Eric Reid and Spencer Ware. With Miles returning to the Bayou for his seventh season after being wooed by Michigan, LSU should be right in the middle of the SEC and national championship mix in 2011.

4. How the Bulldogs have fallen. That 10-6 loss by Georgia to UCF in the AutoZone Liberty Bowl was a microcosm of what we’ve seen from the Bulldogs the past two seasons. The air has been slowly seeping out of that program, which at one time was a pillar of consistency under Mark Richt. But the school’s first losing season under Richt and a combined 12 losses over the past two seasons has Richt backed into that proverbial corner. Somehow, he has to see that this program gets its edge back. But then, he has to get his edge back. His decision to kick a field goal in the shadow of UCF’s goal line on Georgia’s first drive tells you a lot about where that program is right now. Five years ago, there’s no way Richt kicks a field goal in that situation. He goes for the touchdown and doesn’t even think twice about it. The Bulldogs have continued to recruit well on Richt’s watch. But following up an already disappointing season with such a dismal performance in the bowl game puts him in the most precarious position of his Georgia coaching career.

5. East is least. It wasn’t exactly a revelation that the Eastern Division was down this season. And, actually, the East was more than just down. It was just plain bad with four teams -- Georgia, Kentucky, Tennessee and Vanderbilt -- finishing with losing records. Even the division champion, South Carolina, finished with five losses. The bowl season was a chance for redemption. Instead, it only reinforced how weak the Eastern Division was this season. Georgia didn’t show up in its loss to UCF. Kentucky wasn’t much better in its 27-10 loss to Pittsburgh, and South Carolina played its usual bowl stinker, losing to Florida State. Tennessee lost a controversial decision to North Carolina in overtime, the Vols’ fourth straight loss to an ACC team in bowl games. Florida was the only one that survived, sending Urban Meyer out a winner in his last game. Suffice it to say that the East didn’t help its cause any during the postseason.

What did we learn from the bowl season?

Oregon is on the rise, but it's not there yet: Oregon has won two consecutive Pac-10 titles and will be the favorite to win a third in 2011. The Ducks are solidly atop the conference. But they also have now lost two consecutive BCS bowl games. And after both losses, coach Chip Kelly cited his offensive line losing the battle at the line of scrimmage versus Ohio State (Rose Bowl) and Auburn (BCS National Title Game) defensive lines. Further, it seems that a defense can overcome the Oregon offense when it gets extra time to prepare. For the Ducks to take the next step, they need to win a BCS bowl game. Of course, beating LSU in the opener -- a likely top-10 team with an "SEC defense" -- would certainly make a statement early in 2011.

Jim Harbaugh built an elite team: Harbaugh's transformation of the Stanford program -- 1-11 the year before he came to 12-1 the year he left -- will rate as one of the great reclamation projects in conference history. Sure, it helped to have Andrew Luck, but Stanford's demolition of Virginia Tech in the Discover Orange Bowl was a complete effort on both sides of the ball. The Cardinal under Harbaugh were tough and physical and innovative. It will be interesting to see how the Cardinal look under their next coach, who would be wise to try to maintain the present culture as best he can.

There will be life after Locker: Washington finished the season with a four-game winning streak that wasn't due to quarterback Jake Locker asserting himself. Locker was more of a game manager and leader down the stretch as the Huskies played better defense and ran the ball consistently -- see an average of 237 yards rushing during the winning streak. The Huskies over the final third of the season were more physical, and that indicates that the program will be in good shape going forward, even with some big losses on both sides of the ball. Of particular good news is the return of running back Chris Polk, who will be an All-American candidate in 2011.

Arizona is regrouping: Arizona started 7-1 and then the wheels came off with a five-game losing streak, including a blowout loss to Oklahoma State in the Valero Alamo Bowl. Things went wrong on both sides of the ball, but the defensive struggles were most glaring. The Wildcats will welcome back quarterback Nick Foles and receiver Juron Criner in 2011, and that's a good start. But the offensive line will need to be completely rebuilt, while the defensive line loses three of four starters, including standout defensive ends Brooks Reed and Ricky Elmore. Further, coach Mike Stoops lost three coaches, so he's rebuilding his staff, too.

It will be another "Year of the QB" in 2011. Only better: Luck, Foles, USC's Matt Barkley and Oregon's Darron Thomas: Does any conference match that foursome of quarterbacks? The answer is no. Toss in up-and-comers like Ryan Katz at Oregon State, Jeff Tuel at Washington State, Jordan Wynn at Utah and Brock Osweiler at Arizona State and it looks like another season of marquee quarterback play.

Now that bowl season is over, what did we learn about the non-AQs?

1. The Mountain West still rules. The conference finished 4-1 in bowl play and won the Bowl Challenge Cup for the second straight season and fourth time in the past seven. The only loss: Utah to Boise State. Two of the four wins came against teams from automatic qualifying conferences: Air Force over Georgia Tech and TCU over Wisconsin. TCU finished No. 2 after going 13-0, its best finish since winning the national championship in 1938. Boise State joins the conference for 2011 before TCU leaves in 2012. Despite the great record, there still appears to be a long road ahead for the league to become an automatic qualifying conference.

2. BYU looking good. The Cougars’ struggles this season were well documented, but after an impressive 52-24 win over UTEP in the New Mexico Bowl, there are definite signs that 2011 could be another 10-win season. Jake Heaps threw for 264 yards and four touchdowns, Cody Hoffman had 137 yards receiving and three touchdowns, and Josh Quezada added 101 yards and a score on the ground. All three return, along with all important left tackle Matt Reynolds. BYU got a much-needed boost with the promotion of Brandon Doman as offensive coordinator. The defense also has some young talent returning, and coach Bronco Mendenhall got the unit to play much better after he became coordinator. So everything appears to be in place as BYU heads into its first season as an independent.

3. Nevada for real. The Wolf Pack turned in the best season in school history, and the most unexpected season of the non-AQs. They had won one game over a team from an automatic qualifying conference before this season. But in 2010, they won two, capping it with a 20-13 win over Boston College in the Kraft Fight Hunger Bowl. It’s just too bad more voters were not aware of their accomplishments this season. There is no reason this team should be ranked outside the Top 10.

4. Tough showing for C-USA. Tulsa scored more points than anybody during the bowl season in its 62-35 win over Hawaii in the Sheraton Hawaii Bowl, and UCF posted its first bowl win with a victory over Georgia in the AutoZone Liberty Bowl. But otherwise, there was not much to praise about the C-USA bowl performance. UTEP and East Carolina looked as if they did not belong in a bowl game. Southern Miss blew a 21-7 lead to a 6-6 Louisville team in the Beef ‘O’ Brady’s Bowl, and SMU looked totally lackluster in its loss to Army in the Bell Helicopter Armed Forces Bowl. The bright side, of course, is that UCF and Tulsa ended the season ranked.

5. Sun Belt did well. This was the first season the Sun Belt had three bowl tie-ins, and the league did well for itself, going 2-1. All three games were against MAC competition -- FIU and Troy won their games, while Middle Tennessee lost to Miami (Ohio). FIU showed off the potential future of the league with its thrilling win over Toledo with no time left in the Little Caesars Pizza Bowl. The Panthers won a share of their first league title, and this could be the season that vaults them to the top of the league for years to come.

What we learned from Notre Dame's 33-17 win over Miami in the Hyundai Sun Bowl:

1. The turnaround was for real: I suppose one could dismiss Notre Dame's November winning streak as overrated. The wins came against a vastly inflated Utah team that got kicked around in its bowl, Army and a probation-riddled USC. And, granted, Miami was playing under an interim coach after a disappointing finish. But wherever the Hurricanes' minds were, they still were as physically talented as any team Notre Dame saw all season, and the Irish blew them out. The Domers aren't championship material yet by any means, but they became a much different, much better team at the end of the season. And Brian Kelly looks like the right man to lead the program forward.

2. The defense took another step: Truth was, Notre Dame won those four games with its defense. Yes, its defense. And that defense was stout again against Miami, nearly pitching a first-half shutout before giving up a pair of scores in the second half. Still, the Hurricanes -- like the three previous opponents -- found it hard to run against the Irish. Stopping the run is the key to being a great defense and to being a great team. Notre Dame loses key defensive lineman Ian Williams for next season but was playing very well up front without him down the stretch. If this defense plays like this next season, great things are possible in 2011.

3. Notre Dame deserves a preseason ranking: Don't go wild and put the Irish in the Top 15. They're not deserving of that kind of hype. But with at least 15 starters back off a team that surged down the stretch, this is a team that deserves to be in the lower part of the Top 25 to start the year. This might finally be a team that outplays its preseason praise.

Here’s a look at what we learned from the bowl games:

Florida State is the best team the conference has heading into 2011. Virginia Tech had a chance to make a statement in the national spotlight in the Discover Orange Bowl against Stanford, but instead we learned just how much of a gap really exists between the ACC champ and a top-five team. The Seminoles, however, looked confident and strong in their win over SEC East champ South Carolina. It was the kind of performance that should be a springboard into a productive offseason, and an impressive end to Jimbo Fisher’s first season.

The ACC’s bid for a winning bowl record fell short again. The conference entered its final bowl game with a 4-4 record, putting the pressure on Boston College, but the Eagles fell short in their loss to Nevada. It shouldn’t have come down to the final game, though. Georgia Tech suffered arguably the ACC’s worst loss of the bowl season, losing to Air Force, but Clemson didn’t help by losing to South Florida, and Miami was flat-out embarrassed by Notre Dame. The ACC has now had a losing bowl record for the past five seasons. Still, the conference is in good company, as the Big Ten and Big 12 also had losing records.

Virginia Tech owns the ACC -- but that’s all. That the Hokies went undefeated in conference play shouldn’t be under appreciated, but when it comes to knocking off tough nonconference competition, Virginia Tech came up short again. The Hokies fell to 1-27 against teams ranked in The Associated Press Top 25, and two of those losses came this year -- in the season opener to Boise State, and then in the Orange Bowl against Stanford. It’s not as if Virginia Tech is the only program in the country that has struggled to beat top-five teams (and Stanford really was that good). What stood out about this loss was that coach Frank Beamer had said he thought this team was good enough to win, and considering the momentum they had built after the 0-2 start, it was easy to jump aboard the Hokie train. Instead, the Hokies derailed when they allowed 27 points in the second half.

NC State was better than its last league loss. The Wolfpack let a chance at playing for the ACC title slip away in the regular season finale, but it didn’t let that loss to Maryland beat it twice. In fact, the Pack fared better against West Virginia than Maryland did, as the Terps lost 31-17 in Morgantown. It wasn’t a flawless performance, but NC State won the turnover battle in the win over West Virginia, giving the ACC one of two wins over a ranked opponent this bowl season (the other being FSU over South Carolina). NC State won nine games for the first time since 2002, a huge step forward in Tom O’Brien’s fourth season.

Maryland was inspired, Miami ... tired? Two teams, two programs in transition, only one used it as motivation. Maryland came to play for former coach Ralph Friedgen, who was fired after being named the ACC’s Coach of the Year. The Terps were relentless in a 51-20 win over East Carolina. Miami, on the other hand, came out flat in a 33-17 loss to Notre Dame -- with new coach Al Golden watching. Friedgen went out with four straight bowl wins and five overall, the most of any coach at the school, while Miami lost its third straight bowl game.

1. If the Big 12 is going to impress on big stages against other conferences, it has to get better at stopping the run. You saw it in last year's national championship game, which was part of the reason Texas committed to a downhill running game in 2010. This time around, it was no different. Iowa kicked things off by running all over Missouri. Marcus Coker finished with 219 yards against the Tigers. Baylor couldn't stop Illinois' running game. The Illini ran for 291 yards against the Bears. Syracuse was two yards away from having a 200-yard rusher against Kansas State and had 259 yards on the ground as a team. Washington went for 268 against Nebraska. LSU did whatever it wanted against Texas A&M and finished with 288 yards. Try not to be too surprised, but every aforementioned Big 12 team lost those games. Any team that had a downhill running game beat a Big 12 team. Oklahoma was the only team who could stop it, and the Sooners beat Connecticut 48-20.

2. Oklahoma really can get it done in the BCS. Yes, critics will crow about Connecticut's lack of a ranking, but like I wrote last week, this was as much about Oklahoma's poor play in BCS games as it was about their losses. To quote one Gene Chizik (and Lil' Wayne, too, I guess), the Sooners could say they "DWWD" against the Huskies. That is to say, OU successfully "Did What We Do" and won a game that was never really in doubt after the first half. It's been awhile since OU could say that, and it might enter 2011 as the preseason No. 1 because of it. If it hangs on to that spot, it won't have to worry about the BCS asterisk hanging over its head later in the year, either.

3. Nebraska's finish left a lot to be desired. The ugly loss to Texas A&M aside, Nebraska was still in position for a Big 12 title and a BCS bowl appearance. So much for that. The Huskers squandered an early 17-0 lead against Oklahoma in the championship, and then laid an absolute egg against Washington, losing 19-7 despite being favored to win by two touchdowns. That's not exactly the momentum the Huskers would have liked heading into the Big Ten. Instead they are looking for a shoulder to lean on (Dan Beebe's, perhaps?) during an offseason that needs to feature a long look and perhaps changes to what the Huskers do offensively. Forcing Taylor Martinez to be a drop-back passer a la Terrelle Pryor is not a good look, and Nebraska did it plenty (if only because of injury during the regular season) during its 1-3 finish to the season.

4. So did the Aggies' finish. Texas A&M's ugly loss to LSU doesn't erase the momentum established during its six-game winning streak to close the season, but it certainly delivers a blow. The Aggies should be ranked to begin the season, and don't have an easy run to start. SMU, Arkansas and Oklahoma State are all scheduled to play against the Aggies in their first four games. Stumbling out of the gate like Texas A&M did this year when real competition arrived won't fly. Of course, keeping Jeff Fuller will make avoiding that outcome a bit easier.

5. Late in games, celebrate at your own risk. We've written about "The Bronx Salute" plenty this bowl season, and by now, there's not much left to say. Oklahoma coach Bob Stoops really said it best, relaying a message every coach should pass along to his players next year: "... it is a judgment call. Everybody's judgment is different," Stoops said. "So if you open the door for it to be called, then don't be -- if it is called, don't be saying 'All I did was this.' You opened the door, gave them the opportunity, and everybody's judgment's different. So don't go there." Adrian Hilburn went there, and paid dearly for it. Ultimately this was a meaningless bowl game between two seven-win teams. Please, Mr. Late-Game Touchdown Scorer, don't make an official's flag, unnecessary or otherwise, become a focal point for your team's season.

1. "Torso league" holds true: That's the term I used for the Big East in midseason, as the conference looked like it was all middle, with no top or bottom. And that bore out in bowl season. The league's BCS representative, Connecticut, lost by 28 points to Oklahoma in the Tostitos Fiesta Bowl, while West Virginia lost by 16 to NC State in the Champs Sports Bowl. But against all other opponents -- none of whom finished with fewer than five losses -- the Big East went 4-0. The league showed that its teams could compete very well with other middle-of-the-road clubs. But it will be remembered for lacking any greatness in 2010.

2. Three programs on the rise: I dispelled the myth of bowl wins earlier this season. There's no evidence to support the notion that winning a bowl game has a major impact on the following season. Still, the postseason victories by Syracuse, Louisville and South Florida all seemed to signal a step in a positive direction, if nothing else. The Bulls ended the season playing at their best, and I've given them a very early nod as the favorites for 2011. The Orange and the Cardinals both won bowl games after long postseason absences. All three teams appear to be on the rise and could challenge for the Big East title very soon.

3. Connecticut needs more playmakers: UConn was able to hang in the game with Oklahoma for about three quarters, but it was painfully obvious that the Huskies had entered a gunfight with a slingshot. The powerful running game led by Jordan Todman was enough to help the team win a watered-down Big East, but the program can't compete on an elite level until it finds a credible passing game to go along with that ground attack. A potential shift in offensive philosophy could be coming in the wake of Randy Edsall's departure, and that may be just what the Huskies need to get to the next level.

4. Young quarterbacks the key: For the Big East to take a step forward, its young quarterbacks will have to do likewise this offseason. Syracuse's Ryan Nassib and South Florida's B.J. Daniels both turned in very encouraging performances in their bowl games. West Virginia's Geno Smith had his ups and downs against NC State but was clearly his team's top weapon, and he could be asked to do even more in Dana Holgorsen's new spread. Pitt's Tino Sunseri had unspectacular numbers but did enough to get the win against Kentucky; he's also facing a new offensive system under Todd Graham in 2011. All four of those guys were sophomores this season, and Louisville might start a freshman at quarterback. It remains the most important position in college football and the key to team -- and league -- success.

5. Big East has a BCS problem: League supporters will point to the 4-2 bowl record as a sign of strength, but the argument about the Big East's success in BCS games is rapidly losing steam. The conference has now lost three straight BCS games, and the margin of victory has gotten worse in each one. Cincinnati lost by 13 in 2008, followed by a 27-point loss in 2009, and UConn fell by 28. It's still not as bad as the ACC's recent BCS performance, but the Big East ultimately will be judged by how it does on the biggest stage, not in the Beef 'O' Brady's Bowl. At least future member TCU won the Rose Bowl.

Five lessons from the 2010-11 Big Ten bowl season.

1. The Big Ten lacks depth. Not a real revelation here, but the Big Ten lacked the depth it displayed in the previous postseason. Although both Ohio State and Wisconsin held their own in BCS games, the Michigan schools melted down against the SEC and neither Penn State nor Northwestern could beat so-so opponents. If not for mini upsets by both Iowa and Illinois, the bowls would have been a total disaster.

2. The new bowl lineup might be tougher. The Big Ten does itself no favors in the bowls, and the new lineup isn't helping matters. Big Ten teams went 1-2 in the new bowls, winning the Texas Bowl but falling in both the Gator and the TicketCity. Placing two teams in BCS games every season means everyone moves up a slot, so it's unrealistic to expect the Big Ten to post too many winning records in postseason play.

3. Terrelle Pryor is a big-time bowl performer. It's certainly debatable whether Pryor and four Ohio State teammates should have been allowed to play in the Sugar Bowl, but Pryor stepped up his game for the second consecutive season. The Buckeyes junior quarterback blocked out the distractions and turned in an impressive performance, passing for 221 yards and two touchdowns and adding 115 rush yards. He earned MVP honors in a BCS bowl for the second straight year.

4. Michigan State isn't there yet. These aren't your same old Spartans. They proved otherwise during an unforgettable regular season. But with a chance to "measure up" against defending national champ Alabama, Michigan State crumbled in a humbling Capital One Bowl defeat. Although 'Bama wasn't your typical 9-3 squad this season, Michigan State learned it still has some steps to take to become an elite program.

5. Iowa's run game will be just fine. Adam Robinson's suspension and subsequent dismissal appeared to be the latest blow for Iowa's depth-deprived run game. But true freshman Marcus Coker made the concerns disappear and, in the process, raised hope for next season with a historic performance in the Insight Bowl. Coker rushed for 219 yards and two touchdowns -- the second-highest total by a Big Ten freshman in a bowl behind Wisconsin's Ron Dayne in the 1996 Copper Bowl -- as Iowa rallied past Missouri. The Hawkeyes know who they want carrying the load in 2011.