Ohio State’s thrilling win on Monday night secured back-to-back national championships for the Big Ten Conference, igniting heated debate over whether the balance of power in college football has officially shifted.
ESPN’s Stephen A. Smith is among those who have declared it’s time to crown a new king in college football.
Speaking on First Take, Smith supported Paul Finebaum’s controversial claim that the SEC, which dominated with four straight national titles from 2019-2022, has been dethroned.
“I think he’s absolutely right. What do you even say?” Smith said. “There’s no question – at least the upper echelon of the Big Ten – they’ve claimed college football and the SEC can no longer proclaim themselves to be the best conference in college football.”
The claim that the Big Ten has overtaken the SEC has been met with mixed reactions.
Some celebrated the Big Ten’s recent dominance, with Michigan and Ohio State claiming the last two championships. Others, like ESPN’s Shannon Sharpe, pushed back, citing the SEC’s depth and long track record of success.
“Well, I’m going to need to see more than back-to-back. Because the SEC won 13 in 20 seasons,” Sharpe said. “If you remember, Georgia just went back-to-back just two years ago. And before them it was Alabama. So I’m going to need to see more than two before I proclaim the Big Ten.
“Now yes, they should celebrate. They celebrated last year. They’re celebrating again this year. But I’m going to need to see more than back-to-back championships from the Big Ten before I say the Big Ten is now the dominant, preeminent conference in college football.”
Sharpe pointed to the upcoming NFL draft as evidence that the SEC remains the nation’s preeminent pipeline for elite talent.
“I’ve seen Alabama and the LSUs and the Auburns and all these other teams, I’ve seen the SEC win far too many,” Sharpe said. “But guess what, we’ll check out come draft time. We’ll see where the most players come from, and that’ll tell us.”
Meanwhile, Smith and co-host Dan Orlovsky argued that the Big Ten’s recent success reflects a new era of college football, where NIL deals have become a decisive factor.
Sharpe disagreed, maintaining that SEC programs, particularly Georgia under Kirby Smart, are still formidable recruiters.
As the debate rages on, one thing is clear: the Big Ten and SEC are the two superpowers in college football.
The Big Ten’s recent dominance suggests a shift, but whether it’s a temporary trend or the start of a new era remains to be seen.
Having said that, there’s no denying that NIL and the transfer portal have played a major factor. After all, look at how Ohio State was able to pluck Caleb Downs and Quinshon Judkins up north from the SEC.
While no one will ever claim that Stephen A. Smith is a college football expert, the fact of the matter is he’s not the only one who thinks the Big Ten has overtaken the SEC as the new king of college football.
What are your thoughts on the debate???
