Urban Meyer Explains in Detail Why the Big Ten Has Surpassed the SEC in College Football’s Power Struggle for Supremacy

Urban Meyer knows a thing or two about what it takes to dominate in college football. He’s lifted national championship trophies in both the SEC and the Big Ten. So when he says the Big Ten has passed the SEC, it’s not a statement made lightly or without foundation.

In a recent interview, Meyer offered a rare candid perspective on why he believes the Big Ten has overtaken the SEC in today’s college football landscape. It’s not just about wins and losses or media narratives—it’s about the infrastructure, the investment, the leadership, and the vision that have propelled the Big Ten into what Meyer calls the “premier conference in America.”

“The Big Ten is more than just Michigan and Ohio State now,” Meyer said. “What I’m seeing is a shift in how serious the entire league has become—administratively, academically, and athletically. It’s not just football teams getting better. The programs as a whole are being built to last.”

That’s high praise from someone who won two national titles at Florida and reshaped Ohio State into a perennial juggernaut during his tenure in Columbus. It’s not just nostalgia or conference loyalty speaking—it’s experience, combined with years of observation at the highest level.

Meyer’s argument begins with coaching. “The Big Ten made a commitment to hiring elite football coaches across the board,” he explained. “You look at Ryan Day, James Franklin, Luke Fickell, Matt Rhule, even what Bret Bielema is doing at Illinois—these are high-level guys. They’ve brought a level of competitiveness that wasn’t consistent across the conference a decade ago.”

By contrast, Meyer sees some cracks forming in the SEC’s coaching ranks. “Obviously, Georgia and Alabama are still elite programs,” he acknowledged. “But some of the depth in coaching just isn’t the same. There’s more turnover, more uncertainty in places that used to be solid year-in and year-out.”

Beyond coaching, Meyer places major emphasis on the Big Ten’s investment in facilities and player development. Schools like Penn State, Michigan, and Wisconsin have poured hundreds of millions into athletic infrastructure over the past five years, creating state-of-the-art environments for both training and recovery. “What I see when I visit these Big Ten schools now are programs that are every bit as competitive—if not more so—than what you find in the SEC,” Meyer said.

Recruiting is another area where Meyer sees the Big Ten closing, if not surpassing, the gap. While the South remains a hotbed of talent, Meyer argues that the national recruiting strategy embraced by programs like Ohio State, Michigan, and USC has put the Big Ten in a superior position going forward.

“Ohio State is getting kids from Florida and Texas just as easily as Alabama or Georgia are,” Meyer said. “You add USC and UCLA into the mix, and now you’ve got West Coast access too. The Big Ten isn’t regional anymore. It’s national. It’s recruiting nationally. That changes everything.”

The inclusion of USC and UCLA in the Big Ten beginning in 2024 is a key point in Meyer’s broader thesis. While the SEC added Texas and Oklahoma—two major brands—Meyer believes the Big Ten’s western expansion was more strategic and ultimately more beneficial.

“USC brings not just a brand, but an entire media market,” Meyer emphasized. “That opens up recruiting, opens up revenue, opens up exposure. The Big Ten went after the number two TV market in the country. That’s long-term thinking. That’s how dynasties are built.”

In Meyer’s eyes, the Big Ten’s media strategy is perhaps the most decisive factor in its rise. The conference’s recent $7 billion media rights deal—spanning partnerships with FOX, CBS, and NBC—ensures Big Ten games will be seen in prime time slots across every major network.

“That’s not just good for the fans,” Meyer said. “That’s a recruiting tool. That’s how you build national brands. That’s how you tell a 17-year-old from Miami, ‘Hey, you’re going to be playing on NBC Saturday night against Michigan in front of 15 million people.’ That’s powerful.”

For all the SEC’s reputation as the dominant force in college football—built through dynasties at Alabama, LSU, Florida, and Georgia—Meyer believes that dominance is becoming a thing of the past. “The SEC earned its reputation, no doubt,” he said. “But it got comfortable. The Big Ten got hungry.”

Part of that hunger, Meyer explained, stems from Big Ten leadership. He credited former commissioner Kevin Warren and current commissioner Tony Petitti for guiding the conference with foresight and aggression. “When Warren made the move to add USC and UCLA, people thought it was crazy,” Meyer recalled. “But he saw where things were headed. That’s vision. The SEC’s leadership hasn’t shown the same kind of long-term thinking.”

Meyer doesn’t see this as the end of the SEC’s relevance—far from it. He believes the competition between the two conferences will only grow more intense in the years ahead, especially with the College Football Playoff expanding to 12 teams. But he is firm in his belief that, at present, the Big Ten is leading the charge.

“If you’re looking at organizational health, financial strength, coaching quality, player development, recruiting footprint—every metric that matters—the Big Ten is out front right now,” Meyer said. “And they’re not slowing down.”

It’s a statement that may ruffle feathers in SEC country, especially in places like Baton Rouge, where LSU fans still bask in the afterglow of the 2019 title run and where the Tiger faithful believe their program belongs among the elite. But Meyer’s remarks aren’t about fanbases or school pride—they’re about the structure and direction of college football.

That structure, Meyer believes, is tilting northward. “The Big Ten doesn’t just want to be the best conference in football,” he said. “They want to be the future of college athletics. They’re building something that can last 50 years.”

Still, Meyer acknowledges that no single conference can claim permanent dominance. “Football is cyclical,” he said. “The Big 12 had its moment. The SEC had its dynasty. The Big Ten is having theirs now. What matters is who adapts. Who evolves.”

In that context, Meyer believes the SEC still has the tools to rebound—if it chooses to rethink its approach. “There are programs in the SEC that need to modernize,” he said. “That need to invest not just in facilities, but in culture. In support systems. In NIL. The game is changing. You can’t keep doing things the same way and expect to stay on top.”

Perhaps the most telling part of Meyer’s commentary is not just what he said—but who he is. A man whose coaching career spanned Florida, Utah, and Ohio State. A coach who has seen the game from every angle. A mentor who understands the grind of building and sustaining excellence.

So when Urban Meyer says the Big Ten has passed the SEC, it’s not a headline. It’s a warning—and perhaps an invitation. Because in the ever-evolving world of college football, yesterday’s kings are always one season away from being dethroned. And according to Meyer, the Big Ten is now wearing the crown.