Kirby Smart admits Big Ten has 'more competitive conference' than SEC

One of the main storylines in contemporary college football is the Big Ten's rise balanced against the decline of the SEC. The Big Ten has won the last three national championships and will be squarely in the mix for four straight this coming season. Will USC make the College Football Playoff? That's the main concern for Trojan fans, but beyond that local question, the national story is that the Big Ten has surpassed the SEC. Georgia coach Kirby Smart addressed the topic, as Buckeyes Wire noted:

"The shift in conference supremacy has left the former heavyweight champ scratching its collective head. Most keep offering excuses. Recently, Georgia head coach Kirby Smart was asked why the Big Ten had surged ahead of the SEC. His answer was a mix of compliments, sprinkled with a hint of justification.

"He starts off giving credit where credit is due, saying, 'I don’t know, I can’t figure out what it is. I just think they have a more competitive conference. At the top of their conference, there’s more good teams. It used to be Ohio State was good. Well, Michigan was really good with (Jim) Harbaugh, had a great team. Indiana’s good. Like, now they’ve got Oregon. They’ve got a draw. They have the ability to attract good players.”

Smart continued:

"Now NIL has a factor too, for sure, but so does Miami,” Smart said. “So does Florida. I mean, people have money. More people have money. So I think the talent is spread out thin, whereas before in the SEC, it was a magnet to talent. The disparity was so great that it was like you couldn’t mess it up. You’d win regardless. And now it’s like, OK. It’s more even. And it’s just been three in a row, they did it.”