Pipe down, SEC: Big Ten has a strength-of-schedule argument now | Opinion
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Pipe down, SEC snobs. This whole strength of schedule thing is way overblown.
Like many things of the not so distant past, the argument has been blown away by a Big Ten revival.
By Big Ten expansion, Big Ten NIL money, Big Ten coaching — and last but surely not least, Big Ten competition.
“You play in this league, you better be ready every week,” Georgia coach Kirby Smart said last month. “There are no gimmes any week of the season.”
OK, fine. I’ll bite.
Texas has a brutal road to the College Football Playoff. Imagine having to play Oklahoma, Ole Miss, LSU and Texas A&M. And a nonconference game against Ohio State.
Speaking of Ohio State, the Buckeyes have a schedule that includes Indiana, Oregon, Michigan, USC, Illinois and Iowa. And a nonconference game against Texas.
Illinois and Iowa?!
Sure, SEC breath, you remember Illinois, the team that has won 19 games the past two seasons, and in 2024, bullied the very team SEC honks said should’ve made the CFP (South Carolina) in a bowl game.
Illinois also beat Tennessee in last year’s bowl season, in case that means anything.
Then there’s Iowa, boringly beautiful Iowa. About as fun as an enema.
Just ask Vanderbilt ― the SEC’s latest example of deep depth and 2025’s version of the SEC got screwed by the CFP selection committee ― if it’s fun to play Iowa. The Commodores were down 21-3 before they knew what hit them in yet another SEC vs. Big Ten bowl game, and never caught up.
Boring Iowa hung 34 points on Vandy, more points than Alabama, LSU and Tennessee scored on the Commodores.
But wait, what about Oklahoma? The Sooners must play Georgia, Texas, Ole Miss and Texas A&M, and a nonconference game against Michigan.
Did you say Michigan, Mr. We’re the SEC and You’re Not?
Michigan plays Indiana, Oregon, Ohio State, Penn State and Iowa — and that game against Oklahoma.
I can already hear Lane Kiffin chiming in (again) with LSU’s schedule — which he did, ad nauseam during SEC media days — that includes Ole Miss, Texas A&M, Alabama and Texas, and a nonconference game against Clemson.
That’s great, Lane. Oregon plays Ohio State, Michigan, USC, Washington and Illinois — and plays Group of 6 killer Boise State, which frankly, is about as difficult as Clemson these days.
Then there’s defending national champion Indiana, everybody’s schedule punching bag over the previous two seasons (for good reason). Ignore the nonconference trio of Moe, Larry and Curly, and embrace a schedule of Ohio State, Michigan, USC and Washington.
And just for spits and giggles, USC — a CFP sleeper in 2026 — plays Oregon, Ohio State, Indiana, Washington and Penn State.
Now how utterly ridiculous does the SEC strength of schedule argument look? But for some reason, the Big Ten has allowed them SEC to own that space.
And as we know in our social media driven world of say something enough times and it sticks, the SEC strength of schedule talking point is plastered on the narrative wall for all to see.
See no Big Ten, hear no Big Ten, speak no Big Ten.
SEC officials even had the gall last season to demand strength of schedule become the be-all, end-all for the CFP selection committee. Forced the committee to come up with some convoluted metric (yeah, let’s add another metric!) to satiate the big, bad SEC.
And I absolutely, unequivocally agree there should be a greater value placed on strength of schedule. So should the Big Ten.
Stop allowing the SEC to own the strength of schedule space. Stop allowing the conference that not only hasn’t won a national title in three years, but hasn’t played for one, use its weight to intimidate the CFP selection committee.
Stand up for yourselves. The Big Ten is no longer Ohio State, Michigan and the 12 dwarves.
The Big Ten revival is here and thriving.
See it, hear it, speak it into existence.
Matt Hayes is the senior national college football writer for USA TODAY Sports Network. Follow him on X at @MattHayesCFB. Listen to him daily, from 12-2 p.m., on 1010XL-Jacksonville.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Pipe down, SEC: Big Ten has a strength-of-schedule argument now | Opinion
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