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What is the premier conference in college football right now: the Big Ten or the SEC?
After producing the last three College Football Playoff national champions — from three different schools — there is no denying the Big Ten has sat atop the college football world recently. But there is also a growing sentiment 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 is not wrong.”
Klatt pointed out that the Big Ten is 4-0 against the SEC in the College Football Playoff over the past three years. The conference is also 5-2 against the SEC in non-CFP bowl games over the past two years.
“There is an idea that the depth of the Big Ten is being undersold nationally, and a way to fight 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 to a scheduling agreement:
South Carolina vs. Illinois
Klatt: Bielema-Beamer 2! Remember that Citrus Bowl at the end of the 2024 season, when there was some bad blood there, particularly with how the game ended? I want this again. There’s no doubt. This might not be the best possible matchup, but certainly the storylines would run deep.
Georgia vs. Oregon
Klatt: Kirby [Smart] to face Dan Lanning in Autzen Stadium? Yes! I’m in on that. Lanning’s first game as the head coach of the Oregon Ducks was against Georgia, and that one was in Atlanta in 2022. Georgia beat them up, 49-3. I’d love to see Kirby go up and face his former assistant and defensive coordinator.
Ohio State vs. Tennessee
Klatt: We heard a lot in the playoff a couple of years ago about Neyland North. Listen, Tennessee fans, to your credit, you guys showed up huge in that playoff game. There’s 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 the favor.
LSU vs. USC
Klatt: Lane [Kiffin] back in LA? Yup, you bet! Lane has obviously 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
Klatt: How about bringing back an old rival? Nebraska-Oklahoma used to be as good as any rivalry in college football, maybe second to only Michigan-Ohio State. Throughout the whole Big 8 days, and even in the Big 12, this was a marquee Thanksgiving weekend matchup. Bring back this one.
USC vs. Texas
Klatt: I’m just hitting all the classics, and USC-Texas is absolutely a classic that I want to see. Obviously, that Rose Bowl with [Matt] Leinart, [Reggie] Bush and Vince Young was maybe the greatest game we’ve seen in the history of college football. You get those colors on the field at the same time. It would just drip with nostalgia. We’d be thinking about that and Keith Jackson on the call.
Indiana at Alabama
Klatt: Curt Cignetti going back to Alabama, where he got his start, in a big way, under [Nick] Saban as a recruiting coordinator. Plus, this would be a rematch of last year’s Rose Bowl. That would be a great one.
UCLA vs. Tennessee
Klatt: This one’s time sensitive. So, it wouldn’t happen, unless we could do it this year. But, how about Nico Iamaleava going back to Tennessee? How about Nico and [UCLA head coach] Bob Chesney going to 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
Klatt: I would love to see the Urban [Meyer] Bowl. Urban won a championship with both of those schools. I think that one would be phenomenal.
Alabama vs. Washington
Kalen DeBoer had a lot of success at Washington, getting them right on the precipice of a championship, and then leaving for the bigger and greener pastures of the SEC and Alabama.
