The rivalry between the SEC and the Big Ten has become perhaps the biggest rivalry between the two conferences in all college sports. The stakes in their games are certainly among the highest year-on-year.
But as the Big Ten prepares to add USC and UCLA to its ranks, SEC Commissioner Greg Sankey doesn’t seem at all bothered by the rival conference’s growing strength. Speaking to the media this week, Sankey made it clear that the SEC does not feel obligated to act differently in response to “other people’s decisions.”
“There’s no sense of urgency in our league,” Sankey said. “No panic in response to someone else’s decision. We know who we are. We are confident in our collective strength.”
It’s not such a subtle shot at the Big Ten, and SEC fans will certainly be proud of it.
The SEC has dominated college football for decades. Since 2006, they have won all but three national titles and had a representative in every edition of the BCS National Championship game and the College Football playoffs.
However, this did not stop the SEC from trying to grow further. In 2012 they added Texas A&M and Missouri, and by 2025 they will add Texas and Oklahoma.
The Securities and Exchange Commission reigns supreme in football and is ready to do so for many more years. They were quietly gaining strength in college baseball.
Will the SEC and Big Ten rivalry overshadow all other student sports conferences?
