Joel Klatt says SEC's best conference narrative 'needs to die'
By: Austin Curtright - USA Today NetworkWhile the SEC has been categorized by many as the best conference in college football in recent memory, the Big Ten has actually been the most dominant league this postseason.
Ohio State and Penn State will both play in the College Football Playoff semifinals, while Oregon and Indiana made the 12-team field but were knocked out. Michigan also beat 3-loss Alabama in the ReliaQuest Bowl whereas Illinois beat South Carolina in the Citrus Bowl.
Overall, the Big Ten is 8-5 in bowl games this season, which ranks first among all FBS conferences. The conference is also 4-1 against the SEC in bowl games, with Missouri's win over Iowa being the lone SEC-Big Ten matchup in favor of the former.
With the Big Ten's success against programs from other conferences this bowl season, Fox Sports analyst Joel Klatt believes there has been a shift in college football superpowers.
"The narrative that the SEC is clearly the best conference needs to die," Klatt said in a podcast clip he posted on social media. "Because it's pretty clear that it's over. I think there are some people that are gonna sit there and be like, 'Klatt's gonna try and take a victory lap or relish in this.' I'm not relishing in this actually at all."
"It just needs to die, and it's over. Because it's been proven to be over. The games have played out. Let's just try to evaluate the games for what they are and the teams for what they are without all of this spin. And I'm hoping that that's the case."
Klatt added he still thinks the SEC is really good but wasn't on par with the Big Ten this season, given the Big Ten's success in the CFP and against the other perceived strongest conference in college football.
Klatt also said Michigan dominated Alabama, despite being without numerous of their best players who opted out due to the NFL draft.
"Michigan totally handled Alabama," Klatt said. "... Just locked up, Alabama couldn't do anything offensively."
All it takes to poke a hole in Klatt's opinion is for Texas to win the national championship, as the Longhorns are still alive in the CFP. Texas will have to beat Ohio State at the Cotton Bowl, which would obviously put a dent in his argument.
Nonetheless, the argument of which powerhouse conference between the SEC and Big Ten likely isn't going away anytime soon.
