Big Ten vs. SEC: A Tale of Rivalry and Rankings

The competition between the Big Ten and Southeastern conferences intensifies with the release of the preseason Associated Press Top 25 rankings. Ohio State and Oregon take the top two spots, ahead of reigning champions Indiana at sixth. This showcases the Big Ten’s dominance, having claimed the last three national titles. Meanwhile, the SEC flaunts depth with five teams in the top 10 and seven in the top 13.

The SEC features nine ranked teams, compared to eight from the Big Ten. Since 2024, seven different SEC teams have appeared in the College Football Playoff, contrasted with four from the Big Ten. Despite the dominance of teams like Ohio State, which received 40 first-place votes, and Oregon with 14 in the preseason poll, not a single SEC team received a first-place vote for the first time since 2015.

“Our fans, and I think the SEC fans, they really like the rivalry,” said Big Ten Commissioner Tony Petitti. “It would be great if we played each other more. I think from the fans’ perspective having a rivalry with the Big Ten and the SEC is a great thing.”

The season kicks off with key clashes on September 12, when Oklahoma visits Michigan and Ohio State faces Texas. These games are rematches of last year’s home victories for Oklahoma (24-13) and Ohio State (14-7). Last season, the Big Ten led the series against the SEC 4-3, highlighted by Indiana’s 38-3 victory over Alabama at the Rose Bowl. However, the final SP+ rankings by ESPN’s Bill Connelly showed seven Big Ten teams below Kentucky, the least ranked SEC team.

The SEC hasn’t had a team in the national championship game for three consecutive years. “Everyone in this league is trying to figure out how to come up on the top end of that in the future,” stated SEC Commissioner Greg Sankey. Sankey emphasized the league’s strength, citing data from the College Football Playoff presentation to support the SEC’s standing as the strongest league.

Clemson’s Unranked Future

For the first time since 2011, Clemson enters the season unranked by the AP. Although close, they missed the cutoff by five points behind No. 25 Missouri. Following a disappointing 7-6 season, the return of offensive coordinator Chad Morris and improvements on defense under Tom Allen offer hope for a comeback.

Coaching Changes and High Expectations

Four Top 25 teams begin the season with new coaches. At No. 9 Mississippi, Pete Golding steps in after Lane Kiffin’s departure. Bringing back key players like QB Trinidad Chambliss and RB Kewan Lacy, Golding aims for another successful run following a CFP semifinal appearance last season.

At No. 11 LSU, Lane Kiffin faces pressure to revitalize the team, which has struggled since their 2019 CFP win. Kiffin’s contract reflects the high expectations placed upon him. Meanwhile, No. 18 Penn State’s performance will hinge on new coach Matt Campbell’s leadership and roster additions.

Morgan Scalley leads No. 21 Utah into his first full season as head coach. With QB Devon Dampier and RB Wayshawn Parker at the helm, Utah could be undefeated when facing Houston in October. Former Utah coach Kyle Whittingham now handles expectations at Michigan.

Group of 6 Teams on the Rise

There are no non-power conference teams in the preseason Top 25. Boise State, now part of the new Pac-12, was the highest vote-getter among Group of Six teams. Ten others received at least one vote in the poll.

Extra Points

• Ohio State has never finished a season No. 1 after starting at the top in the poll.
• Ohio State has appeared in the preseason rankings for 38 consecutive years.
• No. 4 Notre Dame shares its fifth-most preseason top five appearances with Southern California.
• Seven teams from the last season’s final AP poll do not appear in this preseason poll, including Vanderbilt and Virginia.