By: Michael Spiers

TheSouthernSportsEdition.com news services

For years, the SEC was the king of college football.

Teams like Alabama, Georgia, LSU, Florida, and Auburn dominated the sport, racking up 13 national championships between 2006 and 2022.

The SEC was the standard everyone else chased. But the past two seasons have certainly shaken things up. Michigan claimed the title at the end of the 2023 season, and Ohio State followed up this year with a 34-23 win over Notre Dame.

It has been decades since there was a two year stretch without an SEC team appearing in the championship game.

So, is the Big Ten the new top dog in college football? I know some college football people that are starting to look at it that way.

Big Ten teams didn’t just win the last two titles—they also went 5-1 against the SEC in 2024, showing they’ve got the upper hand right now, with a heavy emphasis on right now.

A big part of this success is how the Big Ten has embraced the changes in college football, especially with name, image, and likeness (NIL).

Schools like Ohio State, Michigan, and Oregon are spending big money to keep their rosters stacked. Ohio State reportedly spent over $20 million on its 2024 squad, while Michigan has been splurging to reload after its 2023 title run. With massive alumni bases pouring money into these programs, the Big Ten is thriving in this new era.

Take Michigan’s 2023 title, for example. They didn’t rely on having a roster full of five-star recruits. Instead, they focused on scouting and developing NFL-level talent, with 13 players from that team drafted last year.

On the flip side, Ohio State has leaned heavily on NIL to keep stars like Emeka Egbuka and J.T. Tuimoloau around and bring in game-changing transfers. These strategies are helping the Big Ten keep up with—if not outpace—the SEC.

Still, the SEC isn’t going anywhere. The South is a recruiting goldmine, especially when it comes to big, athletic linemen, and that’s not changing.

Alabama, Georgia, and other SEC teams continue to crush it in recruiting rankings. In 2024, six of the top nine teams in the 247Sports Talent Composite were from the SEC, and the conference landed eight of the top 15 recruiting classes.

The SEC’s depth and talent pool ensure it’ll always be a contender, even if the past two seasons haven’t gone their way.

What’s changed is how teams build and manage their rosters. The NIL era and transfer portal have made things more competitive, and the SEC’s old formula of stockpiling talent is harder to pull off. Programs like Alabama and Georgia are adjusting, but Big Ten schools have been quicker to adapt. That’s why the Big Ten is on top right now

But don’t count the SEC out. They’re still loaded with talent, and schools like Alabama and Georgia aren’t going to sit back quietly.

While the Big Ten basks in back-to-back championships and a strong 2024 showing, the SEC is too competitive to stay down for long.

With their recruiting edge and relentless drive to win, it’s only a matter of time before they’re back in the title conversation.

For now, the Big Ten has the bragging rights. But college football is unpredictable, and with the SEC and Big Ten both packed with powerhouse programs, the battle for dominance is far from over. This rivalry is setting the stage for an exciting new chapter in the sport.