The Big Ten might be bigger in numbers these days, but when it comes to business savvy and long-term value in the college football landscape, the SEC still wears the crown-and it’s not particularly close.
Let’s start with the facts. The Big Ten has claimed every national title so far in the 12-team College Football Playoff era.
That’s no small feat. But conference commissioner Tony Petitti is facing scrutiny not for what’s happening on the field, but for what’s unfolding off it-specifically, the choices made during the most recent round of expansion.
In 2024, the Big Ten added four West Coast programs: Oregon, Washington, USC, and UCLA. On paper, it looked like a power move-stretching the conference from coast to coast, planting flags in major TV markets like Los Angeles and Seattle.
But two years in, the results are mixed at best. Oregon has proven to be a solid addition, both on the field and in terms of fan interest.
The Ducks bring a national brand, competitive football, and a rabid fanbase. But the same can’t be said for the rest.
Washington’s appeal is streaky, especially when the Huskies aren’t contending. UCLA’s football relevance has been inconsistent for decades.
And USC, once a college football blue blood, has struggled to recapture its dominance in the NIL and revenue-sharing era. The Trojans still carry historical weight, but the shine has dulled.
That’s where the SEC’s moves look all the more strategic. While the Big Ten added four programs with varying degrees of national pull, the SEC brought in just two-Texas and Oklahoma-and hit the jackpot. Those two programs alone have already proven to be more valuable than the Big Ten’s four combined.
In 2025, Texas was the second-most-watched team in the country. Oklahoma wasn’t far behind at No.
- Only Ohio State, the Big Ten’s crown jewel, cracked the top five alongside them.
That kind of viewership drives real dollars-broadcast deals, sponsorships, merchandising, and booster support all flow from fan engagement. And right now, there’s no question that the Longhorns and Sooners are moving the needle in ways the Huskies, Bruins, and even the Trojans aren’t.
The SEC’s advantage goes beyond just numbers. It’s cultural.
“It Just Means More” isn’t just a slogan-it’s a mindset. In states like Texas and Oklahoma, football is woven into the fabric of daily life.
That passion translates into spending power, and in this new era of NIL and revenue sharing, that matters more than ever. Boosters are engaged.
Legislators are supportive. There’s a willingness-sometimes even eagerness-to bend the rules or rewrite them entirely in the name of football success.
That’s a stark contrast to what programs like Oregon, Washington, USC, and UCLA are up against. In states like California and Oregon, where political and public scrutiny around college athletics spending is far more intense, schools face real limitations.
The Ducks might want to go all-in, but they can’t do it without drawing fire. The same goes for the Huskies, Bruins, and Trojans.
Meanwhile, in SEC country, schools have more freedom to operate like big-time football factories-and often with full support from the powers that be.
The Big Ten has leaned on its academic reputation and institutional prestige to justify its expansion strategy. A recent statement from the conference even emphasized that success shouldn’t be measured solely by TV ratings, but also by “academics and research.”
That’s a noble sentiment, but it doesn’t move the needle in the business of college football. This is a billion-dollar industry where revenue, viewership, and competitive success dictate influence.
Prestige is nice. Profit is necessary.
And while the Big Ten can hang its hat on recent titles, the long-term trajectory is what matters most. The SEC already had a rock-solid foundation with programs like Alabama, Georgia, and LSU.
Now, with Texas and Oklahoma in the mix, they’ve added two more heavyweights to the roster. It’s only a matter of time before one of them breaks through and captures a national title of their own.
When that happens, the narrative flips. The SEC won’t just be the conference with the most passion-it’ll be the one with the most power, on and off the field. And in this new era of college football, that’s the only scoreboard that counts.