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What is the leading conference in college football right now: The Big Ten or the SEC?
Having produced the last three College Football Playoff national champions — from three different schools — there’s no doubt that the Big Ten has been sitting atop the college football world recently. But there’s also a growing sense that the SEC is stronger in the middle and at the bottom, making it the deeper league overall.
“There was a lot of pushback from the Big Ten on that this week,” FOX Sports’ Joel Klatt said on a recent episode of “The Joel Klatt Show,” discussing what he learned at the Big Ten spring meetings in Palos Verdes, California. “And really, the Big Ten isn’t wrong.”
Klatt pointed out that the Big Ten is 4-0 against the SEC in the College Football Playoff over the last three years. The conference is also 5-2 against the SEC in non-CFP bowl games over the last two years.
“There is an idea that the depth of the Big Ten is being undersold nationally, and one way to combat that would be a scheduling agreement with the SEC,” Klatt said. “They want to fight the narrative on the field.”
Here’s a look at 10 future SEC-Big Ten college football matchups. Klatt would love to see if the conferences ever agreed on a scheduling agreement:
South Carolina vs. Illinois
Blot: Bielema Beamer 2! Remember that Citrus Bowl at the end of the 2024 season where there was some bad blood there, especially with how the game ended? I want this again. There is no doubt. This might not be the best possible matchup, but the story would certainly run deep.
Georgia vs. Oregon
Blot: Kirby [Smart] to face Dan Lanning at Autzen Stadium? Yes! I agree with that. Lanning’s first game as head coach of the Oregon Ducks was against Georgia and it was in Atlanta in 2022. Georgia beat them 49-3. I would love to see Kirby go up and meet his former assistant and defensive coordinator.
Ohio State vs. Tennessee
Blot: We heard a lot in the playoffs a few years ago about Neyland North. Listen, Tennessee fans, to your credit, you showed up in that playoff game. There is no doubt. There was more orange in the stands than I saw of any other color in my history calling college football games in Columbus at The Shoe. I want to see Ohio State go and return a favor.
LSU vs. USC
Blot: Borrow [Kiffin] back in LA? Yes, you bet! Lane has apparently been back to LA, but not in an official capacity, since he was left on the tarmac as the head coach of the USC Trojans. Bring him back. I want that every day of the week. Every year. That would be phenomenal. Please give us this scheduling agreement because it would be great for fans and great for college football.
Nebraska vs. Oklahoma
Blot: How about bringing back an old rival? Nebraska-Oklahoma used to be as good as any rivalry in college football, maybe second only to Michigan-Ohio State. Throughout the Big 8 days, and even into the Big 12, this was a festive Thanksgiving weekend. Bring this one back.
USC vs. Texas
Blot: I just hit all the classics and USC-Texas is definitely a classic that I want to see. Obviously, the Rose Bowl with [Matt] Leinart, [Reggie] Bush and Vince Young might have been the best game we’ve seen in the history of college football. You get those colors on the field at the same time. It would just be dripping with nostalgia. We would think about it and Keith Jackson on the call.
Indiana in Alabama
Blot: Curt Cignetti goes back to Alabama, where he got his start, in a big way, under [Nick] Saban as recruiting coordinator. Plus, this would be a rematch of last year’s Rose Bowl. That would be a big one.
UCLA vs. Tennessee
Blot: This one is time sensitive. So it wasn’t going to happen unless we could do it this year. But what about Nico Iamaleava going back to Tennessee? What about Nico and [UCLA head coach] Will Bob Chesney face Josh Huepel and Tennessee back in Knoxville? I’m sure those fans would just welcome Nico back with open arms.
Ohio State vs. Florida
Blot: I would love to see Urban [Meyer] Bowl. Urban won a championship with both of those schools. I think one would be phenomenal.
Alabama vs. Washington
Kalen DeBoer had great success in Washington, getting them right on the precipice of a championship and then off to the bigger and greener pastures of the SEC and Alabama.
