Kirby Smart ponders Big Ten's dominance, considers effects of NIL, if conference has better coaches than SEC

TL;DR

The Big Ten has claimed the top spot in college football, winning its third consecutive national championship. Kirby Smart, head coach of Georgia, discusses the implications of this shift and the impact of NIL on coaching dynamics.

Key points

The Big Ten has won three straight national championships.
The SEC did not have the most Day 1 NFL Draft picks for the first time since 2015.
Kirby Smart discussed these changes at a golf event in Alabama.
The shift in dominance has sparked discussions about coaching quality and NIL effects.

Mentioned in this story

Big TenSECKirby Smart

NCAA College Football

The Big Ten is sitting atop the college football throne. It has been for a while now. The conference delivered its third straight national champion last season.

Plus, for the first time since 2015, the SEC didn’t have the most Day 1 NFL Draft picks. Fittingly, the Big Ten took its place.

The SEC, which was responsible for four straight national titles from 2019-22 and had reigned throughout most of the 21st century, is looking to return to dominance. The shift in the pecking order has sparked discourse, especially this offseason.

Georgia head coach Kirby Smart, whose Bulldogs won the SEC’s last two national championships while going back-to-back in 2021 and 2022, joined the conversation on Thursday at the Regions Tradition Pro-Am at Greystone Golf & County Club in Hoover, Alabama.

“I can't figure out what it is,” Smart said in a discussion with “The Next Round,” when contemplating the Big Ten’s recent streak of success.

“I just think they have a more competitive conference, like the top of their conference. There's more good teams. It used to be, 'Eh, Ohio State is good.' Michigan was really good with [Jim] Harbaugh, they had a great team. Indiana's good. Now they got Oregon. They 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. People have money. More people have money. So I think the talent is spread out thin. Where 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.”

In 2023, Harbaugh’s final season coaching Michigan, his Wolverines got over the hump, authoring a 15-0 season, albeit a scandal-ridden one, en route to championship glory. Then in 2024, rival Ohio State ended a nine-year title drought, winning the first-ever 12-team College Football Playoff.

This past season, Indiana reached the sport’s summit, completing the most unlikely of college football turnarounds. Curt Cignetti took a program that was long among the worst in the Power 4 and, in just two seasons, transformed it into a national champion.

Q&A

How has the Big Ten become dominant in college football?

The Big Ten has won three consecutive national championships and recently surpassed the SEC in Day 1 NFL Draft picks.

What did Kirby Smart say about the Big Ten's success?

Kirby Smart acknowledged the Big Ten's dominance and discussed the potential effects of NIL on coaching and competition.

What are the implications of NIL on college football coaching?

NIL is changing the landscape of college football, affecting recruitment and coaching strategies as programs adapt to new financial dynamics.

Which conference had the most Day 1 NFL Draft picks in 2023?

In 2023, the Big Ten had the most Day 1 NFL Draft picks, marking a significant shift from the SEC's previous dominance.