Overview
- The SEC is 4–9 in bowls and 2–7 against other conferences, with Alabama’s 38–3 Rose Bowl loss to Indiana cited as the starkest example.
- ESPN’s Paul Finebaum said there is “no way to defend the SEC,” framing Ole Miss as the league’s last chance before Thursday’s CFP semifinal against Miami.
- The Big Ten is 9–4 in bowls and is guaranteed a national finalist with Indiana facing Oregon, following titles by Michigan in 2023 and Ohio State in 2024.
- ESPN’s Dan Wetzel reports coaches see NIL, the transfer portal and revenue sharing eroding SEC depth, with Illinois’ Bret Bielema pointing to newly competitive recruiting.
- Fox analyst Joel Klatt criticized ESPN’s exclusive CFP rights as distorting perceptions of conference strength and urged splitting playoff broadcasts across networks.