Big Ten commissioner Petitti boasts league's dominance over SEC - ESPN

CHICAGO — Standing with the Big Ten's three consecutive national title trophies positioned unsubtly to his right, league commissioner Tony Petitti made clear to attendees of the Big Ten media days that his league has emerged as the class of college football with its postseason dominance in the 12-team playoff era.

The Big Ten has won four CFP games in a row directly against the SEC, which hasn't had a team play for the conference title in the last three years.

And the Big Ten has 11 wins by seven different teams the last two years in the 12-team CFP era, outpacing the five wins of the SEC.

Big Ten commissioner Tony Petitti, alongside the three straight football national championship trophies, kicks off media days in Chicago. pic.twitter.com/4cF1XkAPpO

«More than double the next best league,» Petitti added after sharing that stat.

Illinois coach Bret Bielema, who has been an outspoken social media critic of any notion of SEC superiority, doubled down on that idea Tuesday. He joked about the SEC: «They want to live in 2005 forever.»

Bielema later smiled and said, «I think I just made the headline, huh?»

While the Big Ten's championships are unquestioned, some chatter from the SEC's media days hinted that the middle class of that league is better. In the last two years, the Big Ten is 8-2 in bowl games against the SEC.

Bielema's been beating the drum on social media, in part, because Illinois beat Tennessee in the postseason in 2024 and No. 14 South Carolina in 2024. He elaborated on the dig at the SEC from 2005 by pointing out how the transfer portal and ability to compensate players has transformed the sport. «When those two elements came into college football, the whole world changed,» Bielema said. «I mean, it's overly