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The much that assemblage shot changes, nan much immoderate things stay nan same. In this case, SEC coaches complaining astir schedules.
As we quickly attack nan commencement of nan 2026 season, nan scenery of nan athletics has changed significantly. In nan pre-NIL era, nan SEC, led by Nick Saban's Alabama dynasty, dominated assemblage football. In 10 years, from 2013-2022, SEC teams won six National Championships, 3 for nan Crimson Tide, 2 for Georgia, and nan Joe Burrow-led 2019 LSU Tigers.
But NIL almost instantly upended roster construction, creating much parity wrong nan athletics arsenic former, say, Alabama backups, took bigger paydays to commencement elsewhere. As a result, there's a overmuch much level playing section crossed assemblage football, different teams successful different conferences person improved their rosters, and nan apical of nan SEC is nary longer heads and shoulders above nan competition.
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Nick Saban, erstwhile caput shot coach astatine nan University of Alabama, testifies earlier nan Senate Committee connected Commerce, Science, and Transportation successful Washington, D.C., connected June 3, 2026. (Win McNamee/Getty Images)
Unsurprisingly then, nan SEC has grounded to moreover scope nan National Championship crippled successful 3 consecutive seasons. And moreover worse, teams from nan Big Ten Conference person not only reached nan final, but won it successful each of those years. Based connected immoderate preseason analytics-driven rankings, nan Big Ten mightiness beryllium favored to triumph its 4th consecutive title pinch Ohio State and Oregon topping nan sport.
There are reasonable, logical explanations for this abrupt alteration successful powerfulness structures. And past there's what Missouri caput coach Eli Drinkwitz says. At SEC media days, erstwhile describing why nan Big Ten has surpassed his conference, Drinkwitz said it comes down to "When you don't play a (non-conference) A4 game," per Brett McMurphy.
Brandon Marcello from CBS Sports added that Drinkwitz believes nan SEC coaches already "regret moving to a nine-game convention schedule," and that "Lane Kiffin has agelong been successful beforehand saying a move from 8 games would beryllium an issue."
Lane Kiffin speaks astatine a property convention arsenic he is introduced arsenic nan caller caput shot coach of nan LSU Tigers astatine Tiger Stadium connected December 01, 2025 successful Baton Rouge, Louisiana. ((Photo by Tyler Kaufman/Getty Images))
Ah. So that's nan problem. The Big Ten hasn't had capable reliable non-conference games. Well, let's return a look astatine Missouri's non-conference schedule successful 2025 nether Drinkwitz, shall we?
- Central Arkansas 61-6
- Kansas 42-31
- Louisiana 52-10
- Massachusetts 42-6
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Real murderers' statement of reliable teams, isn't it? Even better, Drinkwitz and Missouri's schedule was truthful difficult they played, and this is not a misprint, six straight location games to commencement nan season. They opened nan play connected Aug. 28, and their first roadworthy crippled of nan year, and again, this is not a misprint, was Oct. 18.
They played 4 roadworthy games, astatine Auburn, Vanderbilt, Oklahoma, and Arkansas. They went 2-2. Their full region traveled from Columbia each season, was 1,805 miles. Big Ten Conference squad USC played a roadworthy non-conference crippled against Notre Dame, which is astir 2,100 miles from Los Angeles. One Big Ten squad traveled much for a azygous crippled than Missouri did each season. "And that worldly matters," arsenic Kiffin said erstwhile making farcical, inaccurate excuses for nan SEC's caller underperformance.
It is remarkable, dishonest deflection. Yes, Missouri still played a reliable schedule because of their convention games, but to enactment arsenic though nan Big Ten only won a National Championship because of non-conference schedules is ludicrous. Indiana finished its undefeated play by beating Ohio State, Alabama, Oregon and Miami. Missouri mislaid to Virginia, 13-7, successful nan TaxSlayer Gator Bowl. Apparently that's owed to nan overmuch tougher non-conference slate Missouri faced and their grueling recreation schedule of 4 roadworthy games wherever they rather virtually never near nan cardinal clip zone. It's almost intolerable to springiness yourself much mini advantages than Missouri did.
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All of these excuses and explanations and justifications are wrong, and missing nan point. The Big Ten has caught up to nan SEC because of NIL and nan transportation portal. The SEC's extent has improved because they administer tons of money to each program, they person ample fanbases that support nan shot teams, and location are less incentives to beryllium astatine Alabama now than location were before. Games betwixt elite teams are mostly 55%/45% aliases 60%/40% toss-ups, and contending programs for illustration Texas aliases Georgia could rebound and triumph a title this year.
Missouri Tigers caput coach Eli Drinkwitz reacts during nan first half against nan Texas A&M Aggies astatine Faurot Field astatine Memorial Stadium successful Columbia, Missouri. (Jay Biggerstaff/Imagn Images)
The SEC has agelong had non-conference scheduling advantages, pinch teams for illustration Missouri giving themselves 4 free wins, 8 location games, FCS bye weeks successful November and small travel. Then pointing to win-loss records, propped up by 4 free wins, arsenic "proof" of really reliable nan SEC is. Now that different conferences are emulating them, they're crying foul. Yes, moving to 9 convention games is going to wounded their records. That's what happens erstwhile advantages are removed.
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It's intolerable to return these scheduling complaints earnestly erstwhile nan SEC is 2-7 against different Power 4 convention teams successful the College Football Playoff nan past 3 seasons. Even including games against themselves, nan SEC is conscionable 5-9 nan past 3 tournaments. The Big Ten is 13-5. Maybe interest astir that first.
Ian Miller is simply a writer astatine OutKick.
