Meyer Says Big Ten Has Overtaken SEC Atop College Football
Urban Meyer, who has won national championships coaching in both the SEC and Big Ten, declared this week that the Big Ten has surpassed the SEC as college football's premier conference. Speaking on Fox Sports' "Big Noon Kickoff" ahead of Week 1 of the 2026 season, Meyer pointed to a shift that began three years ago after decades of SEC dominance.
Meyer noted that the SEC won 13 of 17 national championships over a roughly 20-year stretch before the tide turned. Since then, Michigan, Ohio State and Indiana have each captured national titles, and the Big Ten has gone 4-0 against the SEC in College Football Playoff games while winning four of five non-playoff bowl matchups against SEC opponents, according to Meyer. sailing online betting
The Big Ten placed four teams in the inaugural 12-team College Football Playoff in 2024 and sent three teams to the field last season, with Indiana and Ohio State earning the No. 1 and No. 2 seeds and first-round byes. Indiana and Oregon both advanced to the semifinals, with Indiana ultimately winning the championship. Meyer also cited the NFL Draft as evidence of the conference's rise, noting the Big Ten produced more first-round picks than the SEC last year. Indiana quarterback Fernando Mendoza went No. 1 overall to the Las Vegas Raiders - the first Big Ten player taken first overall since Michigan's Jake Long in 2008 - and Ohio State placed three additional players in the top 10: wide receiver Carnell Tate and linebackers Arvell Reese and Sonny Styles.
Meyer's own résumé spans both leagues. He led Ohio State to an 83-9 record from 2012-18, including the 2014 national championship, and went 65-15 at Florida from 2005-10, winning two SEC titles and two national championships in 2006 and 2008. Entering Week 1 of the 2026 season, the Big Ten holds three of the AP Top 25's top 10 spots - Ohio State, Oregon and Indiana - and eight teams overall in the rankings, including USC, Michigan, Washington, Penn State and Iowa.
