How Illinois coach Bret Bielema responded to an SEC quarterback's shots at the Big Ten
College football has seen sweeping changes the last few years.
One of them, Illinois coach Bret Bielema believes, is an end to the notion of the Southeastern Conference's supremacy.
Appearing at Wrigley Field on Tuesday for Illini Night, Bielema responded to shots that Vanderbilt quarterback Diego Pavia took at the Big Ten on a podcast earlier that day.
Pavia, who transferred from New Mexico State last year and led the Commodores to their first winning season in 11 years and an upset of Alabama, joined former NFL players Will Compton and Taylor Lewan on their 'Bussin' With the Boys' podcast. Most of the conversation was about Pavia's journey, but he took a jab at the Big Ten, including specific schools, when asked about potential transfers this offseason.
'You want to play with the best, you don't want to play in the Big Ten,' Pavia told Big Ten alumni Compton (Nebraska) and Lewan (Michigan). 'You ignore those calls. You've got to think about this too: The SEC is like nothing (else). The Big Ten, you have Ohio State, Oregon, Michigan, Penn State. The SEC, you've got all dogs.
'You only have four (tough) games a year (in the Big Ten). In the SEC, it's week after week you're getting beat on. You ain't getting beat on by the Purdues or Nebraskas.'
Vanderbilt last faced a Big Ten program in 2019 — losing 42-24 to Purdue.
Bielema caught wind of Pavia's comments and defended his conference.
'I understand what he's saying — he's regurgitating what's being said to him,' Bielema said. 'I think any given Saturday, anybody can beat anybody.'
Bielema, who has coached in both conferences at Wisconsin, Arkansas and Illinois, pointed out that the SEC has no returning quarterbacks who led their team to 10-plus wins last season, while two of the Big Ten's five 10-plus-win teams return their starter: Penn State with Drew Allar and the Illini with Luke Altmyer.
Big Ten teams went 6-4 last season against SEC teams, including a 5-1 mark in the postseason that included Illinois' Citrus Bowl victory over South Carolina. The Big Ten also boasts the last two national champions (Ohio State and Michigan) after SEC teams won 13 of the previous 17 national titles.
'The last three years, the evolution of college football with the portal and NIL has created a leveled playing field never seen before,' Bielema said. 'A lot of people want to live in the past and try to stay by the rules of the past, (but) I don't see any part of (that in) our future.'
Bielema also noted that SEC coaches have pushed back against adding a ninth conference game as well as the idea of an annual 'challenge series' of games versus Big Ten teams.
'We voted unanimously as Big Ten coaches to stay at nine (conference games) and maybe have an SEC challenge,' Bielema said. 'I was told that (the SEC) voted unanimously to stay at eight and not play the Big Ten.'
While the two conferences might not see eye to eye on who's No. 1, there's no denying the SEC and Big Ten view themselves as the best two conferences. In recent College Football Playoff discussions, they initially proposed that each get four automatic qualifiers for a 16-team playoff beginning in 2026, with two each for the ACC and Big 12, one for the highest-ranked champion from other conferences and three at-large berths.
After pushback from the ACC and Big 12 — who proposed five automatic bids for conference champs plus 11 at-large spots — the CFP reportedly will 'start over' in format talks with a Dec. 1 deadline to solidify the 2026 playoff structure.
'These two leagues can beat anybody on any given Saturday,' Bielema said, 'and that's the part I'd like to see. I'd like it to be the best 16 teams. I don't think we can do a 16-team playoff if (the SEC is) not at nine (conference) games. Until you get to nine for everybody, I don't think it can work.'
The 2025 season features a Week 1 game between Texas and host Ohio State. The rematch of a CFP semifinal, which the Buckeyes won 28-14 in the Cotton Bowl, is sure to refuel the conference supremacy debate.
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