@gthomas I do believe that the SEC ratings Ponzi scheme makes them look a lot better than they are. ESPN and all their shills promote them in the pre season to get lots of their teams ranked and then all year long they live off that beat ranked teams theme. Look at Alabama. They claim a lot of ranked team victories over teams that I do not believe are better than Iowa or USC. Or even Illinois or Minnesota. If the Big Ten got their teams all in the ranking instead of the SEC they would be in the same position. Don’t know how to fix it but it seems pretty obvious to me what they are doing.
Seems like this year's postseason has demonstrated what last year's did. The SEC is over-rated and pumped up by ESPN. They are clearly not the best conference.
Iowa over Vandy. Illinois over Tenn. Only win was Texas over a Michigan team at the last second who literally just had their head coach part of a police manhunt like 3 weeks ago.
IU just beat their conference runner-up by 35 points. Their overall bowl record this year is abysmal (outside of playing against other SEC teams).
Pure fraud that 5 of these teams were put into the playoffs.
This is why this narrative needs to end. These mediocre SEC teams don't deserve to be ranked all year long claming 'good losses' against each other while Iowa/Illinois/etc are treated like cupcakes when the top of the league beats them.
@surjay For days leading up to the Rose Bowl, it was nonstop nonsense like “Alabama will win because they’re an iconic brand with tradition,” “Alabama will win because they’re finally at full strength with several guys back from injury,” “Make no mistake, IU is much more vulnerable without Stephen Daley,” etc. It’s nonstop propaganda. Like you said, Disney/ABC/ESPN have a ton of cash invested in the SEC. They’ll do everything possible to prop them up and continue the false narrative that they’re the best. But anyone with a scintilla of objectivity knows better.
Outside of watching a game broadcast I probably don't spend 20 minutes a week viewing ESPN. Their non-game broadcasting reaches levels no hire than Elmer Fudd and Woody Woodpecker. You don't can hordes of high income earners because you are enjoying good growth. FOX is crowding them good.
The word "gauntlet" when describing SEC schedules and games has now officially been retired from pop college football lexicon and those using this term shall be mocked endlessly.
Check this out:
The Big Ten is 9-4 in Bowl games so far and 4-1 head to head versus the SEC...
I'd say that rather clearly answers the question as to which is the best conference in 2025...
The Big Ten at this point drops the mike and walks off...😉
Left off that currently the SEC is 4-9 overall in Bowl games... Color me unimpressed... The past doesn't count in the 25-26 Bowl W-L column...
I don't make a habit of responding to my own posts, but I have to call out my own dipshitery.I didn’t say those SEC teams are "impressive"--and yes, many are overrated--but, 4 thru 18, the SEC is better by any metric. But ... they don’t have three of the Top 5.
The playing field has been leveled. Anyone who thinks the SEC is still the big bad wolf is uninformed.
"'The reality is this; there were some very famous, very successful coaches that were having a lot of success when the NIL was illegal,” said the Power 4 offensive coordinator. 'Well, now NIL is legal. I saw what (former LSU head coach Ed) Orgeron said about how now you can walk through the front door with the money. Well, now the players are going everywhere.'”
"Said one Big Ten assistant coach this weekend: “Hard to ignore the fact that when everyone got to pay players, it leveled the playing field immediately. They can deny all they want, but that’s a fact.”
The SEC’s dismal bowl record this season points to a fundamental truth: money matters - The Athletic
Edit: Sorry. It's behind a paywall. But you get the gist of the article from the two portions I quoted.
As of now, "the Big Ten runs college football."
Big Ten football teams handled the SEC in New Year's bowl games
Another miserable postseason for Paul Finebaum and SEC football has ended.
That's ok, SEC. Baseball season is coming.
@big-ryan If we win it all this season, we will have 9 wins over top 25 SP+ teams. Including 6 over top 15. Alabama is #20 after the beatdown we gave them lol.
The Power 4 OC and the Big Ten assistant coach are clearly wrong. Nick Saban has said basically it is just internet idiots spreading those falsehoods.
Did you guys see Xavier Lucas, the star DB for Miami, got that targeting call in the 4th quarter last night? So if IU wins, he will miss the first half of the national title game.
I'd better hear the following when Mizzou is leading the SEC in October next season: "Yeah, but they'd be 11th in the Big Ten."
It's more like S E C-
(D+ is probably the proper grade to use, but C- fits better.)