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Nick Saban Says SEC Depth Beats Big Ten, Citing Top-25 Rankings
By Drooid · · How we work
Saban’s Assessment of Conference Depth
During an appearance on “The Pat McAfee Show” on Friday, former Alabama head coach Nick Saban argued that the SEC possesses greater overall depth than the Big Ten. Saban, now a broadcaster for the SEC’s ESPN partner, framed the comment as a test of conference strength that will play out when #1 Ohio State meets #4 Texas later this week.
Recent Championship Landscape
The Big Ten entered the current season as the holder of the last three national titles, each won by a different program (Michigan, Ohio State, and Indiana).
Poll Rankings Highlighting Depth
- SEC (Top 25): No. 2 Georgia, No. 4 Texas, No. 8 LSU, No. 9 Ole Miss, No. 10 Texas A&M, No. 11 Oklahoma, No. 12 Alabama, No. 18 Tennessee, No. 23 Missouri.
- Big Ten (Top 25): No. 1 Ohio State, No. 5 Indiana, No. 6 Oregon, No. 14 USC, No. 16 Penn State, No. 19 Washington, No. 21 Iowa.
Saban’s claim of nine SEC teams aligns with the listed poll positions. The Big Ten’s seven ranked teams include three in the top six, a point Saban acknowledged but framed as insufficient depth beyond those elite programs.
Verbatim Quotes
- “We've already got nine teams in the Top 25,” — Nick Saban, crimson tide coach
- “I think the only reason people are talking about this is (the SEC) dominated for so long, and we were so good, everybody makes a big deal out of being able to beat us,” — Nick Saban, crimson tide coach
