Joel Klatt says SEC no longer top conference after Big Ten's three straight titles

The SEC long held the reputation as the strongest conference in college football, and for years that view matched results. Nick Saban built a dynasty at Alabama that produced a BCS national title in his third season and five more national championships through 2020.

Those wins are now six years old. The Big Ten has won the last three national titles, a run that began after name, image and likeness rules allowed players to earn money from outside collectives. The SEC has not reached the championship game since 2022.

SEC teams went 1-8 against other conferences in the 2025-2026 bowl season and 0-3 against Power 4 programs in the playoff. At the conference's recent spring meetings, Commissioner Greg Sankey and other officials still described the SEC as the country's best league.

FOX Sports analyst Joel Klatt disagreed. He said the conference can no longer rely on Saban's success.

"This is not 2012, this is not 2016, 15," Klatt said. "I'm sorry, Nick Saban is no longer there with his big old coattails for you to ride as a conference. It's not that way anymore."

Klatt said the data shows the Big Ten has passed the SEC. He noted the Big Ten is 4-0 against the SEC in the last three playoffs and pointed to recent bowl results, including Indiana's win over Alabama and Illinois's win over Tennessee.

Klatt said Sankey's job is to promote the conference, but outside observers should judge results on the field. He called the SEC's claims propaganda.