RESOLVING THE LEDGER
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See the full story · 2 sourcesIt's a tale as old as time. The SEC and the Big Ten are the two top conferences in the college football landscape, but debate over which conference is best is still being waged.
That debate has only grown in recent years. While the SEC continues to churn out NFL-quality talent and has a deep roster of competitive programs, the Big Ten has seen three different programs claim the last three national championships, with the streak potentially continuing this season with the Oregon Ducks .
Oregon coach Dan Lanning , who spent multiple years coaching in the SEC at Alabama and Georgia, is certainly picking a side. During an appearance on Sportscenter at Big Ten media days, Lanning was asked by host Matt Barrie to weigh in on the subject.
Just Dan Lanning being Dan Lanning on ESPN. pic.twitter.com/UI1kcVkecn
— Zachary Neel (@zacharycneel) July 29, 2026 "How do you think the Big Ten stacks up with the SEC?" Barrie asked.
"How would you measure it?" Lanning questioned with a smile, turning the tables.
"Championships is probably a good way," Barrie responded.
If that's the case, the Big Ten has the upper hand in recent history. Although the Ducks are still looking for their first championship , the conference as a whole has taken some of the wind out of the SEC's "It just means more" sails.
"That's a good place to start," Lanning said. "It feels like that's how it went when I was down there (in the SEC). They're both great conferences, both great leagues. ... At the end of the day, there's hardware that you hope is sitting in your conference when all is said and done, and the Big Ten has been able to do that the last few years."
Oregon hasn't faced a team in the SEC since suffering a 49-3 loss at the hands of Georgia in Atlanta in Lanning's debut with the Ducks. If the Ducks are going to reach the finish line and take home the program's first national championship, they will have to tackle the stiff competition in the Big Ten first.
However, it's more likely than not that the Ducks will have to take on an SEC team at some point in the postseason, given how much the two conferences typically make up the College Football Playoff field.
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This article originally appeared on Ducks Wire: Oregon's Dan Lanning throws subtle jab at SEC at Big Ten media days
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