Sports Illustrated recently named the Big Ten the best conference for college football, and the publication couldn’t be more correct.
The Big Ten beat out the SEC for the top spot for a variety of reasons. One of the most interesting points in the piece, which is titled “What’s the Strongest Conference in the Country Heading Into 2017?,” is the fact that the Big Ten will cash in nearly $2.65 billion over the course of the next six seasons in television revenue.
The author also added:
The Big Ten also has sent a steady stream of coordinators off to bigger jobs in recent years, such as new Cal head coach Justin Wilcox (formerly Wisconsin’s defensive coordinator) and Tom Herman, who takes over Texas this year after turning Houston into a top-10 team. And look at the 11 Michigan players taken in this spring’s NFL draft to lead all schools, one year after Ohio State topped the list with 12; the league is producing pros at an impressive rate. More than anything, this comes down to money, and the Big Ten is minting it and will be for some time, which can only mean more exposure, better facilities, better recruits—and likely better and better football.
I’d like to personally welcome Sports Illustrated to the party of wokest football experts. It’s about time more and more publications came around to the indisputable fact that the Big Ten is quickly running away with the title of the greatest football conference.
The SEC named second is also suspect. Sure, Alabama is dominant and a top-four team in the country, but to pretend like the rest of the conference can hold water against the top of the Big Ten is extremely foolish. To be honest, Florida State and Clemson could both come out of the ACC and rip up the SEC.
The Big Ten didn’t magically become the greatest conference. Anybody who watched last year knew the Big Ten had overcome the SEC for the top spot. I said it all football season long, and despite the fact nobody wanted to listen, I was clearly proven right.
Ohio State, Penn State, Michigan and Wisconsin are arguably the four best teams at the top of a conference in recent memory. Conferences aren’t judged on talent from top-to-bottom. They’re rightfully judged on talent at the top. How many teams a conference has that compete for championships is all the matters. Right now the Big Ten has four legit national championship contenders. No other team has more than two, and most only have one.
Welcome to the table Sports Illustrated. I suppose it’s better to be extremely late than never show up at all.