Georgia's Kirby Smart throws haymaker in Big Ten vs. SEC debate

Georgia Bulldogs head coach Kirby Smart may have struck the biggest blow in the battle between the Big Ten and SEC.

There's been a debate raging all offseason long about which conference is more dominant. The SEC has been for years. It's the conference where "it just means more," after all.

With that said, the Big Ten has produced the last three College Football Playoff national champions. The Big Ten is also a favorite to do it again, with the Indiana Hoosiers, Ohio State Buckeyes, Oregon Ducks and USC Trojans all feeling like legitimate contenders heading into the 2026 season.

Smart doesn't want to hear that, though. What he is hearing is the chatter from the NFL side of things, and his experience with scouts tells him that the SEC still owns the Big Ten when it comes to talent.

Speaking with Stephen A. Smith on his radio show, Smart was asked why he believes the SEC is still the more dominant conference.

“Because I ask every NFL scout and every NFL coach which one produces better players, and it’s not close,” Smart said (h/t On3). “It’s not close when it comes down to it. Now on the field, go look at what they play and look at their schedules and go look at ours and see that they play. I got friends that coach in the Big Ten. They’ll tell you the difference between the SEC and the Big Ten."