RESOLVING THE LEDGER
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0 Share Newsweek is a Trust Project member See more of our trusted coverage when you search. Prefer Newsweek on Google to see more of our trusted coverage when you search. The Big Ten and SEC are widely considered the premier conferences in college football .
The SEC long held the title as the sports' most dominant league, but the Big Ten has claimed victory in each of the last three College Football Playoff national championship games.
Illinois head coach Bret Bielema has been on both sides of this conference rivalry, serving as head coach of the Arkansas Razorbacks from 2013-17.
But ahead of the upcoming 2026 college football season, Bielema made his opinion on this debate very clear.
“I know [commissioner Greg Sankey has] got to protect the SEC and they kind of want to live in 2005 forever, but I think the forward thinking of where we are in college football is an awesome thing,” Bielema said at Big Ten Media Days on Tuesday.
Illinois went 9-4 in 2025, capping off their season with a 30-28 Music City Bowl victory over the SEC's Tennessee Volunteers.
The Big Ten had three teams make the College Football Playoff field this past season: the Ohio State Buckeyes, Oregon Ducks and eventual-champion Indiana Hoosiers. The SEC fielded five teams in the postseason: the Georgia Bulldogs, Ole Miss Rebels, Texas A&M Aggies, Alabama Crimson Tide and Oklahoma Sooners.
Bielema and Illinois will open up their 2026 college football schedule with a matchup against the UAB Blazers on Sept. 3.
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