Colin Cowherd's take on SEC vs. Big Ten is so bad, it’s almost impressive...almost
Colin Cowherd has made a career out of saying things no one else dares to say; sometimes it's better to just not say anything. Sometimes he’s insightful. Other times… well, let’s talk about the “other times.”
On FS1’s The Herd, Cowherd lobbed another viral grenade by declaring the Big Ten is now the best conference in college football—not because of national titles or head-to-head wins, but because of where the money comes from.
“Big Ten money is Hollywood, tech, and financial centers,” Cowherd said. “There’s a lot of car dealerships in the SEC.” To see the full clip, click below.
"Big Ten money is Hollywood, tech, and financial centers. There's a lot of car dealerships in the SEC."@colincowherd lays out why the Big Ten is now the premier college football conference pic.twitter.com/rM7gQpS8B9
— Herd w/Colin Cowherd (@TheHerd) July 21, 2025
Oof.
Yes, the Big Ten has the reigning national champion in Ohio State and a lucrative media deal with FOX. But when it comes to football? The scoreboard still matters. SEC teams have won 13 of the last 20 national championships. The conference still sends more NFL talent and draws bigger crowds. Try finding an Iowa-Northwestern crowd that compares to LSU vs. Ole Miss or Kentucky vs. Georgia at night.
And Cowherd’s dismissiveness of the SEC’s “car dealership money” is both inaccurate and oddly elitist. If money is the metric, Georgia and Alabama are still top dogs, with collectives backed by Fortune 500s and fan bases that show up 365 days a year. SEC football isn’t just rich—it’s culturally embedded. It is a full blown identity for some people. They live, eat, and breath SEC football.
The Big Ten is strong. It’s loaded with tradition and just added USC and Oregon, which geographically makes no sense. But has it passed the SEC? Not yet. Not until the wins stack up and the rings follow.
Cowherd loves to stir the pot. That’s his brand. But this take isn’t spicy—it’s just wrong.