Upcoming Rivalry Between Big Ten and SEC

As we look ahead to the 2026 college football season, it’s clear that the rivalry brewing between the Big Ten and SEC is about to get even more heated.

During the recent SEC Media Day, several prominent figures took to the podium, arguing that every one of the SEC’s 16 teams should be considered for the College Football Playoff. They were so keen that one suggested maybe adding an honorary 17th member just to make the assessment of their schedule’s strength seem fairer.

Coaches Lane Kiffin and Steve Sarkisian, along with Commissioner Greg Sankey, were in fine form, asserting that SEC teams are inherently superior—regardless of how many games they might lose or how poorly they perform against lower-ranked teams. They feel the College Football Playoff selection committee does not give the SEC the respect it rightly deserves.

However, the reality is that the SEC isn’t earning that respect simply by having a few more wins over other Power 4 teams in the playoffs. Interestingly, Bret Bielema, the Illinois Fighting Illini head coach, took the opportunity to remind them of this at Big Ten Media Day.

Bielema didn’t hold back. He criticized the SEC and its Commissioner for trying to, as he put it, “protect” their standing. He remarked, “(Greg) Sankey, I’m aware he has to defend the SEC, but they seem stuck in a past era…”

Bielema went on to highlight how college football has transformed due to two major factors: the transfer portal and the NIL (Name, Image, Likeness) agreements, which have really changed the dynamics among schools. He hesitated to outright claim the SEC held a financial edge prior to NIL, but it was implied.

“The transfer portal and revenue sharing—those are big factors. When those came into play, everything shifted,” he explained, adding that players who came to his program because of NIL wouldn’t have considered Illinois otherwise.

He reflected on how if they had the current quarterback three years ago, things would look very different for the program. “We are where we are because of those two elements,” he noted. “The landscape has changed drastically; anything aside from that is just talk.”

It wasn’t his only comment regarding the SEC. Bielema also called out Nick Saban on a previous defense of him during another event.

Saban, on ESPN’s “Get Up,” shifted the narrative by asserting that winning a championship shouldn’t define what makes a conference the best. “The best conference is about the quality of teams throughout, not just who collects the most trophies,” he stated, a notable change from past SEC sentiments.

Bielema echoed Saban’s remarks and reflected on Illinois’s close wins in previous bowl games, saying, “I appreciate Coach for bringing this nuance to light…”

There’s something to consider here, especially because the SEC’s perceived “depth” may not be as strong as suggested, particularly in recent seasons. For instance, Missouri State didn’t manage to win any games against teams with winning records in 2026, yet they were ranked at times due to their SEC affiliation. Their season benefited from a cushy schedule, only leaving their home territory late in the season.

The same goes for Tennessee, which also failed to defeat a winning team, though their SEC affiliation lends them a veneer of depth.

In the broader picture, the SEC has achieved just 2 wins against other Power 4 conferences in the College Football Playoff during the NIL era, while the Big Ten stands at 9-3. It seems the SEC might not be as dominant as once thought. Bret Bielema would be quick to remind them of this shift.