Urban Meyer was the keynote speaker of the 2025 All Sports Association Awards Banquet Michael Snyder / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Urban Meyer crowns a new king in the race for college football conference supremacy

Originally posted on NIL on SI | By Jerred Johnson | Last updated Jun 13, 2025 1:45 PM ET

Urban Meyer said what many have been thinking for the past couple of years: the Big Ten may have passed up the SEC. Winning the last two National Championships certainly helps their case for conference supremacy. Still, it is the more minor nuances that have analysts like Meyer wondering aloud if there has been a power shift.

Big Ten schools like Ohio State and Michigan have leaned on their alumni to provide NIL resources that have allowed them to compete with SEC schools and win. One of the most notable NIL-driven flips of 2025 was Michigan reclaiming hometown talent Bryce Underwood from SEC powerhouse LSU. Michigan reeled Underwood in with an NIL package rumored to be in the $12-million range. They also utilized one of their most powerful alums to help sway Underwood. Jolin Ellison is the wife of Larry Ellison, the second-richest man in the world, and the founder of Oracle. She and her husband were given multiple shoutouts on social media during the flip of Underwood.

Jay Calderon/The Desert Sun

The power shift is not just evident on the field and recruiting trail; the Big Ten has also become a serious issue in the transfer portal. They have routinely pulled talent from SEC programs and used those ready-made players to push themselves into the College Football Playoff and National Championship narrative. Here is what Urban had to say about the culmination of the Big Ten's resurgence.

"Well, you know what the SEC’s done? It’s raised the level, but the Big Ten has passed the SEC at the upper part. If you would have told me that 10 years ago, I would’ve said it’s not even close. Because it’s not.”Urban Meyer

While the SEC has stumbled over the last couple of years, it is by no means dead. Schools like Alabama, LSU, and Florida have a history and alumni base to compete with the Big Ten. As NIL continues to evolve, the SEC will make changes to ensure that it is considered a top-tier conference and able to rival the powerful pull and resources of Big Ten powerhouses. For now, it appears that the Big Ten may have surpassed its SEC rivals.