Big Ten Comes Up Short Behind the SEC in CBS Sports’ Conference Rankings

Big Ten football has come in second behind the Southeastern Conference in power rankings published by CBS Sports.

These rankings land as the Big Ten is on a roll, winning the last two national championships — Michigan in 2023 and Ohio State in 2024. No SEC team was represented in either championship game. The Big Ten had four teams in last year’s College Football Playoff while the SEC had three teams.

But recent history aside, the SEC has dominated college football since 2006, winning 13-of-19 national championships.

CBS Sports’ rankings, written by Cody Nagel, have the SEC at No. 1, followed by the Big Ten, Big 12 and Atlantic Coast Conference. In the Associated Press Preseason Top 25 Poll, the SEC has 10 ranked teams; the Big Ten has six ranked teams; the Big 12 has four ranked teams; and the ACC has three ranked teams.

Are these last two years the beginning of a trend for the Big Ten? Will the Big Ten go on a title run similar to the SEC’s? Have the tables turned on college football dominance?

What's being said about the Big Ten

Here’s what Nagel wrote about the Big Ten, with a Nebraska mention: “Back-to-back national championships championships might suggest the Big Ten deserves the top spot in these preseason conference power rankings. But it’s a new year, and while the league remains a step ahead of the next tier in the Power Four, it simply doesn’t quite match the SEC’s depth — that certainly could change.

“Still, with national title contenders such as No. 3 Ohio State aiming for a repeat, plus, with No. 2 Penn State and No. 7 Oregon back in the mix, the Big Ten has the firepower to keep the pressure on.

“The Big Ten placed six teams in the top 25 of both the preseason AP Poll and CBS Sports 136, including Illinois, Indiana and Michigan in the upper tier. Others are lurking, as Iowa, Nebraska and USC could challenge the SEC’s depth if they exceed expectations in 2025.”

Let’s compare the conferences

Fair enough. We’re not here to stick up for the Big Ten. Let’s compare the top teams in each conference and readers can judge.

Ohio State, Penn State and Oregon, you could argue, match favorably with SEC powers Georgia, Texas and Alabama. All are great teams without much difference among them. Are the SEC teams better than the B1G teams among the top three?

If Florida, LSU, Tennessee represent the next tier, are they stronger overall than Michigan, Indiana and Illinois? Yes, maybe. This is where the SEC might have an advantage.