The debate over whether the SEC or the Big Ten is the dominant conference in college football continues on, but former Alabama head coach Nick Saban is over the conversation.
"I think the only reason people are talking about this is [because the SEC] dominated for so long, and we were so good, everybody makes a big deal out of being able to beat [the SEC]," Saban said on SEC Network, according to On3.
While it is true that the SEC has been at the top of the NCAA for quite some time, winning 16 national championships this century, that doesn't mean things can't change. It is a big deal when the SEC loses, especially in the postseason, but now it's not so shocking when the Big Ten prevails.
That's not something Saban wants to hear, though.
"That doesn’t mean they’re better than us, and that doesn’t mean that just because you win the championship that you have a better conference," he continued. "It just means you have one better team."
NEW: Nick Saban on claims that the Big Ten is the premier conference over the SEC👀
— On3 (@On3) July 23, 2026
"I think the only reason people are talking about this is we dominated for so long, and we were so good, everybody makes a big deal out of being able to beat us. That doesn’t mean they’re better… pic.twitter.com/M5sROzwRE8
Nick Saban doesn't think the Big Ten is taking over the SEC in college football
The Big Ten has taken home seven national titles since the start of the century, three of which have been the most recent champions: Michigan (2023), Ohio State (2024), and Indiana (2025).
In 2024, the SEC sent three teams to the 12-team College Football Playoff (Georgia, Texas, and Tennessee). The Bulldogs and Volunteers got knocked out in the first round they played (Ohio State 42, Tennessee 17 and Notre Dame 23, Georgia 10). The Longhorns eventually lost to the Buckeyes in the Cotton Bowl (semifinal) after beating Arizona State in the Peach Bowl (quarterfinal).
The Big Ten had four teams in the playoffs that year: Ohio State, Penn State (lost to Notre Dame), Indiana (lost to Notre Dame), and Oregon (lost to Ohio State).
In 2025, five teams represented the SEC. Ole Miss defeated Tulane, Alabama beat Oklahoma, and Texas A&M lost to Miami in the first round. Georgia lost to the Rebels in the quarterfinals. The Hurricanes eventually knocked Ole Miss out (semifinals) and Indiana knocked Alabama out (quarterfinals).
The Big Ten sent three teams last season. Miami beat Ohio State in the quarterfinals and the Hoosiers defeated Oregon in the semifinals.
In 2023 before the 12-team bracket was implemented, the Wolverines beat the Crimson Tide in overtime and Washington beat Texas. The championship game was between the two Big Ten teams that were victorious in those semifinal rounds.
While the SEC has multiple teams represented in the playoffs, so does the Big Ten. By the end of the season, it doesn't matter how many teams were there. The only thing that matters is who reigns supreme.
Saban even had a gripe with the fact that because his former conference sends so many teams to the playoffs, the SEC ends up knocking itself out by default (e.g. Alabama and Oklahoma in 2025). That's not exclusive to the SEC, though. Big Ten teams have also had to face each other, regardless of which round (e.g. Ohio State and Oregon in 2024).
The Big Ten has also had to knock the SEC out, holding a 5-0 record against the proclaimed king of college football the past three seasons in the CFP.
It's one thing to send x-amount of teams to the playoffs, and it's another to keep winning. It's okay for things to change and it's okay for another conference to succeed. In fact, that's what the sport — any sport — needs. If one conference is the only "top dog," then there's no real competition. Unfortunately for Saban, the Big Ten is competition for the SEC and it's winning.
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