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Time for SEC to force Big Ten to join CFP party, or go it alone
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- Time for SEC to force Big Ten to join CFP party, or go it alone
The SEC announced Thursday it's rich. Filthy, stinking rich .
Why this surprises anyone, I don't know.
But more to the flush with cash point: why in the world are the SEC presidents allowing the Big Ten presidents — and by proxy, Big Ten commissioner Tony Petitti — run the sport ?
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It's time for the SEC presidents to make a clear and unmistakable move: tell the Big Ten to join the 16-team playoff, or the SEC is walking away.
With or without the other eight FBS conferences.
Why would the SEC — which doled out a conference-record $1.03 billion in revenue to its 16 teams — sit around and allow the Big Ten to decide where the sport's postseason begins and ends, and how it is played? Especially considering nine of the 10 FBS conferences are in favor of a 16-team format.
The only conference that isn't? The Big Ten.
If exclusive television partner ESPN will pay the SEC a billion annually — and its only going to increase over the course of a media rights deal that ends in 2033 — what would ESPN pay for an SEC-only playoff? Or a playoff of nine FBS conferences?
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It doesn't matter that the Big Ten has won the last three national titles , or that the SEC has clearly seen slippage among its marquee schools in the same span (we're looking at you, Alabama, Georgia, LSU and Florida).
Doesn't matter that three of the last four Heisman Trophy winners weren't from SEC schools, after six of the previous seven were.
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The only thing that matters is the SEC is still the undisputed king of television ratings. The Big Ten has made great strides catching its sister super-conference in some areas, but still trails dramatically in television ratings.
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The SEC had 12 of the top 23 most-watched teams in the regular season in 2025. The Big Ten had six.
Only South Carolina, Mississippi State, Kentucky and Arkansas weren't among the elite group of television draws.
Think about this: LSU, which fired its coach in October and won seven games in 2025, still was the 7th-most watched team in college football. Only Ohio State and Michigan from the Big Ten were higher.
The SEC, frankly, shouldn't allow anyone — much less the Big Ten — make decisions about the future of a sport that essentially is on television life support without it.
The SEC could have its own playoff, and still outdraw anything the other conferences could cobble together. Better yet, the SEC could take the remaining eight FBS conferences and move to a 16-team playoff.
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Then look at the Big Ten presidents and say you're welcome to join us. If not, good luck selling Iowa vs. Minnesota in the first round of your postseason party.
We'll be over here printing money.
Matt Hayes is the senior national college football writer for USA TODAY Sports Network. Follow him on X at @MattHayesCFB .
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: SEC should force 16-team CFP with television ratings leverage
